Statement on Academic Freedom
The faculty and administration of Oregon State University jointly accept the responsibility for maintaining an atmosphere in which scholars may freely teach, conduct research, publish and engage in other scholarly activities. This responsibility includes maintaining the freedom for the examination of controversial issues throughout the university, including classroom discussion when such issues are germane to the subject matter of the course. The university does not attempt to control the personal opinion, nor the public expression of that personal opinion, of any member of the faculty or staff of the institution. Indeed, the faculty and administration of OSU feel a responsibility to protect the right of each employee to express his or her personal opinion, but in doing so, employees have an obligation to avoid any action which purports to commit the institution to a position on any issue without appropriate approval.