Rights and Responsibilities of Faculty Members
In accordance with the American Association of University Professors’ 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, The University of Texas at Dallas recognizes academic freedom as the freedom to conduct the fundamental activities of a community of scholars and students without interference: to learn and to teach.
UT Dallas’ network of academic governance committees work together to ensure the university has procedures to safeguard academic freedom. Faculty are encouraged to view the Academic Senate website for more information.
Rights and Responsibilities of Faculty Members as Citizens and as Teachers
The following section from UT System Board of Regents’ Rules and Regulations Rule 31004 upholds the rights outlined by the American Association of University Professors and the university.
A complete set of the Regent’s Rules are available online.
Sec. 1 Freedom in Research. Faculty members are entitled to full freedom in research and in the publication of the results.
Sec. 2 Freedom in the Classroom. Faculty members are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing his or her subject, but are expected not to introduce into their teaching controversial matter that has no relation to his or her subject.
Sec. 3 Clarification of Role. Faculty members are citizens, members of learned professions, and officers of an educational institution supported by the State of Texas. When the faculty member speaks or writes as a citizen, he or she should be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but should make it plain that the faculty member is not an institutional spokesperson.
Sec. 4 Primary Duties. The primary duties of a member of the faculty are to:
- 4.1 Teaching. Teach in the classroom, laboratory, seminar, or clinical setting.
- 4.2 Research. Study, investigate, discover, create, and develop professionally.
- 4.3 Administration. Perform curricular tasks auxiliary to teaching and research, e.g., serving on faculty committees, attending to administrative and disciplinary tasks, fostering intellectual curiosity and integrity in the student body.
- 4.4 Contribution to Society. Use their professional expertise to benefit society.
Sec. 5 Compensation Restriction. Full-time faculty or staff of the rank of instructor or above on 12-month appointments may receive additional compensation for correspondence courses and/or extension center teaching, but may not receive additional compensation for summer school teaching. Full-time faculty on nine-month appointments may receive additional compensation for correspondence courses and/or extension center teaching during the nine-month period and also may be paid for summer school teaching.