At its September 9 meeting, the Faculty Council considered the matter of faculty freedom of speech, and the protection of that speech. After hearing presentations from Chair of the Faculty Mimi Chapman and First Amendment scholar and UNC Professor Michael Gerhardt, the Council considered a resolution submitted by legal scholar and UNC Law Professor Eric Muller. After some discussion and deliberation, Resolution 2022-5. On the Right and Duty of Faculty Members to Speak Freely and the Duty of the University to Protect Faculty Speech was passed by the Faculty Council.
The resolution affirms faculty members’ right and duty to speak freely and in public about their expertise and scholarship, and to participate in public debate through writing and speaking in public. Further, provided a faculty member is not claiming to speak for the institution, it is their right to identify their place of employment.
