- Provide students and other members of the community with examples of national, state, and university policies and statements on freedom of expression (e.g., Ball State University’s statement on Freedom of Expression)
- Refer students and other members of the community to speakers and visiting scholars who are speaking on freedom of expression and free inquiry
- Recommend students and members of the community attend Constitution Day activities and events;
- Discuss the value of free inquiry and intellectual diversity with students and members of the community
- Refer individuals to resources on Ball State’s website such as our Freedom of Expression page or provide a link on course or other materials
- Provide opportunities for dialogue that is respectful and open to all views; or
- Refer members of the community interested on learning more about free inquiry to the resources and information at University Libraries
- When relevant, note, provide links to, or briefly describe alternative scholarly works, when available, that may exist in the established curricula for the student to explore;
- When relevant, provide a reference to readings curated with collaboration from University Libraries (via a supplemental Reading List or Course Reserve option), on a variety of scholarly works, approaches, and topics in the field that may not be covered overtly in class due to learning goals, course focus, and time restrictions;
- When relevant, provide a reference to readings on the syllabus or in course materials, on a variety of scholarly works, approaches, and topics in the field that may not be covered overtly in class due to learning goals, course focus, and time restrictions; or
- When relevant, give an optional or required assignment asking students to provide a diverse perspective, supported by field-acknowledged scholarly works, on a given topic or theory
University Resources
Freedom of Expression Webpage
Ball State maintains a Freedom of Expression webpage for those interested in learning more about this topic. Among other information, this webpage contains FAQs and links to the University’s expressive activity policies, including the Non-Commercial Expressive Activity and Assembly on University Property Policy and the Commercial Activity on University Property Policy.
Freedom of Expression webpage
The toolkit provides faculty with information to navigate freedom of expression within the classroom and beyond. Here, you'll find resources from a variety of sources, including national, state, and our University's specific policies and statements.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION TOOLKIT
The Libraries provides a number of resources to assist with this work. Per their Diversity Statement, they model inclusive excellence through the: Promotion of intellectual freedom, open inquiry, freedom of expression, and the right of every individual to pursue knowledge and examine ideas without constraint or scrutiny. Reading Lists and Course Reserves, Collections Policy, and OneSearch.
Throughout the academic year, the Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs will provide and promote internal and external professional development opportunities, many of which will focus on promoting a culture of intellectual diversity and free inquiry of the classroom in the upcoming year.
This toolkit outlines policy, protocols, and suggested guidance regarding classroom accountability. Classroom accountability is the responsibility of all members in our community. By holding oneself, peers, and those over which they have influence accountable, we help maintain a safe and productive learning environment for all.
The Office of the Vice Provost for Academic Affairs handles promotion and tenure questions for faculty. Ball State has University-wide guidelines on promotion and tenure, and the colleges and departments add additional elements not found in our standard document. This link provides a variety of resources for Promotion and Tenure, as well as links to each College and Unit document.
Addressing questions of how to comply with recent legislation, this blog post provides suggestions for teaching and learning in inclusive classrooms.
National Resources
AAUP Academic Freedom Toolkit and FAQ
Advancing and protecting academic freedom is the AAUP's core mission. Academic freedom is the indispensable requisite for unfettered teaching and research in institutions of higher education. As the academic community's core policy document states, "institutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. View the
AAUP Academic Freedom Toolkit and explore the
FAQ.
American Library Association
A strong intellectual freedom perspective is critical to the development of academic library collections and services that dispassionately meet the education and research needs of a college or university community. Learn more.