Academic freedom is an institutionally specific type of liberty. It gains its character from the rules of evidence and reasoning used by communities of scientists and scholars to determine the relative value of truth-claims. One of the finest virtues of the Association of American Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) Statement on Academic Freedom and…

While adherents to many religions can be identified by distinctive clothing or accessories, the wearing of such garb by teachers is not necessarily related to evangelism in the classroom. The following case and the accompanying question-and-answer discussion illustrate the problem of the principal caught between the rock of First Amendment…

This article assesses the impact of the Bologna Process on the grading schemes of EU member countries. In light of some problems regarding the implementation of the European Credit Transfer system (ECTS), the author proposes further reforms and offers some elements of a unified grading system for European higher education. The author explores the…

This article examines how tenure and academic freedom are portrayed in novels about academic life. The novel provides unique opportunities to explore philosophical questions and allows readers to examine meaning rather than truth, existence as opposed to reality. Thus, the novel suggests what is possible, which reality forecloses insofar as from a…

The Statue of Freedom stands at the very top of the dome of the Capitol, where Congress meets in Washington, D.C. The dome, with its statue, is a symbol recognized all over the world. Thomas Crawford, an American sculptor, created the Statue of Freedom in clay in a studio in Rome, Italy. A plaster model was cast in five major sections and shipped…

In this interview Fiona French discusses her work and career with David Lewis. She describes early influences and stresses her lifelong love of colour and pattern. Amongst other themes she considers the factual basis of most of her books and her lack of interest in fantasy; her preference for clear, simple prose; her constant shifts in style and…

Christian colleges have been with around since Harvard and Princeton Universities were founded several centuries ago for religious reasons. Recently, such institutions have achieved phenomenal, though quiet, growth. Many of these schools have a requirement that faculty members subscribe to statements of religious faith as a condition of…

David Horner, a recent president of North Park College and Theological Seminary has suggested that, in light of the tension between the demands of free inquiry and the need for religious inculcation, Christian colleges have two options: either redefine academic freedom or limit it and be up front and principled about it. In this article, the…

People live in an age of "transformation" where freedom to transform themselves has become a cultural preoccupation at the expense of justice. As such, it is no mere coincidence that "transformation" should also become a prominent conceptual feature in leadership theory. This is not to suggest that research into transformational leadership is…

Having grown up in the Native American Church culture in the time when Navajo people were persecuted for practicing this religion, the author states that a great price has been paid to date that allows him to practice his religious freedom and his way of life. Because non native people are selfishly imitating sacred Indigenous ceremonies, they put…

Moments of intense controversy often provide the best opportunities to demonstrate and strengthen the commitment to free yet civil discourse. In this article, the author shares the most dramatic instance of this in his experience which came several years ago, when a noisy but nonviolent shouting match between pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian…

It is widely held that personal autonomy is a quality of character at which educators ought to aim. In this paper I argue that those who hold this view are misguided. I identify two ordinary senses of autonomy, and a range of technical senses currently popular with philosophers, and show that none of them constitutes a defensible educational aim.…

Critics of the George W. Bush administration dismiss the export of democracy as a rationale derived as an afterthought for the invasion of Iraq, and argue that democracy cannot be promoted at gunpoint. Impressive arguments can be made in support of democracy promotion or in opposition to it. It would be perilous to dismiss out of hand democracy's…

Angry over the department's vote not to hire his wife, University of Georgia history of science professor Alexei Kojevnikov obtained access to professors' and administrators' e-mails and documents related to the hiring process and spousal hires. This article discusses the controversy from different perspectives, the state of Georgia's law that…

With the maturation of the internet more and more colleges and universities are offering online courses. As these courses enter the mainstream, public policy issues are beginning to emerge. Many of these involve the tension between the "work for hire" doctrine and academic freedom that occurs when educational institutions offer these…