Academic Governance

Institutional and Faculty Expertise on Academic Matters

As public institutions, the state universities of Michigan respect and understand the public’s right to exercise oversight and demand accountability from them in exchange for their support. In the interest of preserving the integrity of the credentials granted by public institutions, however, it is critical that state policymakers allow the state’s public universities to exercise their best judgment on academic matters. Universities are places of inquiry, debate, and free thought. Artificial constraints on these ideals strike at the very heart of American higher education. Legislative interference with academic freedom, curriculum, and other aspects of instructional delivery would inevitably undermine public institutions and diminish the value and credibility of their credentials.

Policy Actions:

  • Educate stakeholders on the benefits of the principles of academic freedom.
  • Oppose state efforts to micromanage academic decisions regarding admissions criteria, the faculty, curriculum, and instruction at public institutions.
  • Oppose legislative interference with research and the academic peer-review process.