Redefining academic freedom
According to cbc.ca, "The president of the University of Alberta says the University of Saskatchewan's Board of Governors acted too hastily when it fired former President Ilene Busch-Vishniac."Here's an excerpt from cbc.ca:
While Samarasekera says deans and other administrators should be able to speak out on policy issues while they are being drafted, she says once they're in place, it's the responsibility of deans to toe the line.
If you are in a leadership position where you have to execute those decisions, if you remain against them, how on earth are you going to execute them with any kind of passion?" she said. "And what does it say to the people that are reporting to you or a part of your unit that have to carry out that mandate? It makes absolutely no sense at all."
Samarasekera also says the idea of academic freedom was never in jeopardy in this case. She makes a distinction between research and freedom of speech.Academic freedom is so hopelessly misunderstood," she said. "Academic freedom is there for you to be able to speak about things you absolutely are an expert on. We're talking about free speech, here.
Had Robert Buckingham not spoken out about being fired, his tenure would not have been reinstated, and it would continue to be business as usual at the University of Saskatchewan.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatoon/university-of-alberta-president-defends-ilene-busch-vishniac-1.2657798
