Academic Freedom and Tenure

by Richard T. De George

Academic freedom and tenure, both cherished institutions of higher education, are currently under attack by many both outside and within the academy. Richard DeGeorge argues that they can be defended on ethical grounds only if they are joined with appropriate accountability, publicly articulated and defended standards, and conscientious enforcement of these standards by academic institutions and the members of the academic community. He discusses the ethical justification of tenure and academic freedom, as well as ethical issues in their implementation. He argues that academic freedom, which is the basis for tenure, is not license nor the same as freedom of speech. Properly understood and practiced, both academic freedom and tenure exist not to benefit faculty members or their institutions, but to benefit an open society in which they thrive and of which they are an important part.

300 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1997

About the author

Dr. Richard T. De George is University Distinguished Professor of Philosophy and Business Administration and the director of the International Center for Ethics in Business at the University of Kansas. He is the author of numerous articles and books, including The Ethics of Information Technology and Business, Business Ethics, and Competing With Integrity in International Business. He is a past president of both the American Philosophical Association and the International Society of Business, Economics, and Ethics.