Office of the Chancellor, (512) 499-4200

January 9, 1996

Dr. Alan Kaylor Cline, The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Computer Science, TAY 3.104A (C0500)

Dear Dr. Cline:

I write to acknowledge your letter of December 20 relating to academic freedom. My strong commitment to, and support for, academic freedom spans my tenure as a faculty member, beginning with my appointment as an Assistant Professor at The University of Texas at Austin in 1971, and my several years as an academic administrator.

Academic freedom, as secured by tenure and other academic practices and traditions, is one of the fundamental principles upon which American universities base the vitality and integrity of their educational enterprise. Just as our open, democratic society relies on a free press as a medium for the marketplace of ideas, so it relies on universities to stimulate and strengthen that marketplace through the vigorous social criticism, development and testing of ideas, and analysis of issues provided by university faculty members.

The entire academic enterprise, of course, is governed by high ethical standards that mandate a pursuit of learning characterized by honesty, integrity, and responsibility. My dedication to the principal (sic) of academic freedom is intertwined with an intense belief that membership in an academic community does not confer immunity from the same laws and standards that apply to others in a free society. Adhering to such standards will help ensure the continuation of a strong higher education enterprise that contributes to the health of our democracy.

Sincerely,
William H. Cunningham
Chancellor

cc: Dr. James P. Duncan, Dr. Robert M. Berdahl, Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, Dr. Robert S. Boyer