Inside Higher Ed: $500 Fines for Political Profs
Faculty members who speak on controversial topics would pay — literally — under bill approved by Arizona Senate panel
To date, 2007 hasn’t seen much legislative progress for measures inspired by the “Academic Bill of Rights,” the brainchild of David Horowitz that he says promotes diversity of thought on campuses, but that many faculty leaders believe is designed to squelch them. Bills have been introduced in nine states, according to Free Exchange on Campus, which opposes them. But with one exception, those bills haven’t been moving.
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The exception is Arizona, where a Senate committee on Thursday approved a bill that would go much further than the Academic Bill of Rights, and which has infuriated faculty and student leaders. The bill, whose chief sponsor is the Republican majority leader in the Senate, would ban professors at public colleges and universities, while working, from:
* Endorsing, supporting or opposing any candidate for local, state or national office.
* Endorsing, supporting or opposing any pending legislation, regulation or rule under consideration by local, state or federal agencies.
* Endorsing, supporting or opposing any litigation in any court.
* Advocating “one side of a social, political, or cultural issue that is a matter of partisan controversy.”
* Hindering military recruiting on campus or endorsing the activities of those who do.
Under the legislation, the Arizona Board of Regents, which governs the state’s public universities, and the individual boards of community colleges would be responsible for setting guidelines for the law and for requiring all faculty members to participate in three hours of training annually on their responsibilities under the law.
Punishments could come in two forms. The governing boards’ guidelines would need to develop procedures, including suspensions and terminations in some cases, according to the bill. In addition, the state attorney general and county prosecutors could sue violators, and state courts could impose fines of up to $500. The legislation would bar colleges or their insurance policies from paying the fines — money would need to be paid directly by the professors found guilty.
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