Guarantee Academic Freedom!
Ann Cudd, President, Portland State University. Shelly Chabon, Provost, Portland State University. Chris Monsere, Vice Provost, Portland State University.
PSUFA is Portland State University's Adjunct faculty union, a union for faculty and researchers who are hired to work less than half time.
The PSU administration refused to allow the PSU Faculty Association to bargain on academic freedom on their bargaining session on May 2nd, 2025. Both students and faculty are impacted deeply by how well protected academic freedom is, especially as the Trump administration continues to crack down on college students and professors for their political activism. For adjunct faculty in particular the need for academic freedom is great because of their position as part-time faculty without job security who are paid by the credit, and who don't have tenure.
This petition asks that the administration accepts in full the protections in PSUFA's proposal to amend article 6 of their contract from May 2nd, 2025, which includes the following:
1. Freedom of discussion when broadly relevant to the subject
2. No requirements to use AI in the creation of course materials or to evaluate a student's work
3. The display and publication of work done by a student of an Adjunct faculty member with the consent of and appropriate attribution to the student
4. The ability of Adjunct faculty to engage in forms of political expression, without being censored or disciplined for exercising that right, and making clear that they are speaking for themselves and not the university
Sponsored by
To:
Ann Cudd, President, Portland State University. Shelly Chabon, Provost, Portland State University. Chris Monsere, Vice Provost, Portland State University.
From:
[Your Name]
We demand that the administration takes seriously academic freedom, especially at a time when students, faculty and professors alike are starting to see crackdowns from the Trump administration and from other university administrations on academic freedom.
We demand that the University administration accepts in full, the PSUFA proposal from May 2nd, 2025 for extensive academic freedom. The language in question being the following:
Academic freedom is essential to the integrity and legitimacy of Portland State University as an institution of higher education. Academic freedom is the necessary condition for faculty to exercise their professional responsibilities and for students to exercise their rights to freedom in learning. The practice of academic freedom safeguards the institutional autonomy of the University and its mission: Let Knowledge Serve the City. The University recognizes that the absence of tenure makes the protections of academic freedom paramount for Adjunct faculty.
No faculty member shall face discipline, discrimination or retaliation for exercising the rights that are protected in this article.
Section 1. Teaching.
The University protects academic freedom for Adjunct faculty who shall enjoy its benefits and responsibilities both in and outside of the classroom, in any location, real or virtual. This protection is guided by a deep conviction of the worth and dignity of students and the advancement of their knowledge.
Faculty members must be able to discuss research, professional and creative practice with their students to encourage critical thinking. This often happens in an atmosphere of controversy that, so long as it remains in a broad sense educationally relevant, actively assists students in mastering the subject, appreciating its significance, and preparing for their field.
Academic freedom implies not only the unconditional freedom of discussion in the classroom, but also the absence of restriction upon the faculty's teaching method and pedagogy. To this end, the University will not require that Adjunct faculty use Artificial Intelligence in the creation of course materials or to evaluate student work. Moreover, Adjunct faculty have the right to determine whether and how students may use Artificial Intelligence in their classes.
Section 2: Research and Practice
The Faculty member is entitled to full academic freedom in research, consulting, and other creative activities and in the publication and display of the results. Such academic freedom shall include the display and publication of work done by a student of an Adjunct faculty member with the consent of and appropriate attribution to the student.
Section 3: Extramural Speech and Activities
Adjunct faculty also have freedom to speak and write as individuals and to engage in forms of political expression and shall not be subject to censorship or discipline for exercising these rights. In this regard, the University shall not attempt to control or sway the personal opinion of any Adjunct, nor the public expression of that opinion. In the exercise of this freedom of expression, Adjunct faculty shall indicate that they are not speaking for the University.