Any institution of learning can fulfill its mission only when its faculty members have academic freedom; that is, freedom to pursue a spirit of inquiry and scholarly criticism within their field without fear of pressure from sources inside or outside the institution. Such freedom carries with it the commensurate requirement that members of the faculty exercise their academic freedom in a responsible manner.
It is the policy of Greenville Technical College to defend academic freedom by vigorously resisting all efforts from whatever source to encroach upon or restrict it. Faculty members are entitled to freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects, in accordance with the principles and ethics of their professions and within the course or program outcomes.
A Greenville Tech faculty member is a member of a learned profession and an officer of the institution. When the faculty member speaks or writes as an individual and not as a representative of the institution, the faculty member will be free from institutional censorship or discipline, but this special position in the community imposes special obligations. As a person of learning and as an educational officer, a faculty member should remember that the public may judge the profession and the college by their utterances. Hence, the person should be accurate at all times, should exercise appropriate restraint, should show respect for the opinions of others, and should make every effort to indicate they are not speaking for the institution.
At no time shall the principles of academic freedom prevent the institution from making proper efforts to assure the best possible instruction for all students in accordance with the objectives of the institution.