Hearing scheduled for Intellectual Diversity Act
Published Feb. 23, 2007
A bill proposed by Rep. Jane Cunningham, R-Chesterfield, would require universities to annually report to the Coordinating Board for Higher Education on the steps they are taking to promote "intellectual diversity" and "free exchange of ideas," according to the bill. A hearing for the bill is scheduled for 5 p.m. on Tuesday.
The Emily Brooker Intellectual Diversity Act refers to a lawsuit filed by Brooker, a student at Missouri State University. In the suit, Brooker claimed her rights to freedom of speech and religion had been violated by two of the courses she took for her undergraduate social work degree. The suit was settled out of court.
"I've been hearing stories from kids for years," Cunningham said. "This was the first formal complaint that was documented."
Central Missouri State University professor Bob Yates, who serves on the Advisory Council of the Missouri Faculty Senate, said the bill is unnecessary.
"First of all, there does not seem to be a problem of students in Missouri's public universities complaining about what they're learning in the classroom in terms of diversity," Yates said. "Secondly, there are mechanisms that all universities have to solve these problems."
Steve Lehmkuhle, UM system vice president of academic affairs, said the university already has policies and practices in place to ensure academic freedom.
The UM system faculty bylaws state, "As a teacher, the Professor ... makes every reasonable effort to foster honest academic conduct and to assure that his/her evaluation of students reflects their true merit."
Cunningham's bill contains a list of 12 different steps that a university might take toward intellectual diversity.
The bill defines intellectual diversity as "the foundation of a learning environment that exposes students to a variety of political, ideological, religious and other perspectives when such perspectives relate to the subject matter being taught or issues being discussed."
Yates said the way diversity is defined is completely incoherent. Some of the suggestions for compliance include establishing clear campus policies for dealing with viewpoint discrimination, encouraging a balanced variety of campus panels and speakers, creating an ombudsman position to oversee intellectual diversity issues and including intellectual diversity in course evaluations.
Universities would be required to post a report detailing what steps they were taking to ensure intellectual diversity on the institution's Web site.
Cunningham said the bill is neutral and leaves specifics about enforcement up to the university.
"Anytime you hear somebody say there's no political agenda behind something, there's definitely a political agenda behind it," said Blair Anundson, field organizer for Free Exchange on Campus.
Free Exchange on Campus tracks various bills dealing with academic freedom.
Several bills have been introduced across the country. This bill is one of nine being tracked by Free Exchange on Campus.