Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech

There is a meaningful difference between academic freedom and freedom of speech.

• Academic freedom pertains to freedom of discussion in the classroom and the absence of restriction upon faculty teaching methods.
• Freedom of speech is guaranteed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution; but such speech is not absolute or unfettered for Seattle Colleges' students or employees.

The purpose of higher education is to discern which ideas matter and should be taught—and which ones shouldn’t—to distinguish between high-value and low-value speech to demonstrate disciplinary competence.

To exercise critical judgment as they are obligated to do for students, higher ed institutions must be intellectually autonomous from the state, and faculty members intellectually autonomous from university administrations, trustees, and donors.

Source: Loretta Ross, Associate Professor, Smith College

Employee and Staff Speech

Government employees generally have the right to speak about matters of public concern, both within the scope of their official duties and when off-duty.

However, Seattle Colleges has the right to impose, and has imposed, reasonable restrictions intended to maintain an efficient, professional, and ethical workplace.

Employees are expected to comply with Seattle Colleges policies, procedures, and rules governing workplace communication, confidentiality, discrimination and harassment, ethics, and use of state resources for personal or political purposes.

Additionally, use of Seattle Colleges' facilities for expressive activities is governed by Seattle Colleges' policy 270 and Washington Administrative Code 132F-142. 

Faculty rights are further described in the American Federation of Teachers and Seattle Colleges' Collective Bargaining Agreement: Article 6.9.

Student Speech

Students have broad free speech rights, but Seattle Colleges does impose reasonable limitations on the time, place, and manner of expressive activities in order to balance its responsibility to fulfill its mission as an educational institution and the interests of college and non-college groups to use the campus for purposes of constitutionally protected speech, assembly, or expression.

Seattle Colleges does not grant individuals the right to substantially interfere with or disrupt the normal activities for which college grounds and facilities are dedicated. Like employees, students are expected to abide by Seattle Colleges' policies, the Student Conduct Code, and and Washington Administrative Code 132F-142.