This decision, like many within the university, took far too long to reach. We criticized the halted process two months ago and we reassert our dissatisfaction as waiting until January to reach this decision is inexcusable.,”
Students for Academic Freedom was denied recognition as a student organization by the Office of Student Development yesterday after being drawn out for months.
This decision, like many within the university, took far too long to reach. We criticized the halted process two months ago and we reassert our dissatisfaction; prolonging the decision this long is inexcusable.
In the end, though, we agree with the decision to deny recognition to the group. Certainly, concerns over free speech at Marquette are valid. Although students technically have no First Amendment rights here, it remains a bad idea for the university to step in and restrict speech.
Three cases from the last three years all drew public fire: Adopt-a-Sniper, the dental school blogger and the quote removed from the office door of philosophy graduate students. The university handled each case poorly; each time criticism was richly deserved.
However, we agree with the university's end decisions in each situation and we have faith the university will continue to pursue and support academic freedom. We're not convinced that Students for Academic Freedom would have achieved anything additional.
The university already provides a definition of academic freedom as well as avenues through which students can express their concerns according to Mark McCarthy, assistant vice president of student affairs and dean of student development.
Faculty, as well, listed a number of concerns with the group, including their discomfort that a faculty member could be targeted as denying academic freedom because of his or her beliefs.
But the group raises a couple questions. For example, students have concerns about how their viewpoints have been treated in a class, what should they do? We believe existing academic freedom is adequate, but the university needs to continue and improve efforts towards educating students on the proper channels for issuing complaints.
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