Conservative group argues Academic Bill of Rights for SUNY

College campuses have long had reputations as havens of liberal thought, but with the current political climate, the balance of liberalism and conservatism at universities has become a hot-button issue.

While conservative students have long decried a bias, now one group is harnessing the national movement to prevent any alleged bias from appearing in classes, and some UB students are on the bandwagon.

Students for Academic Freedom, a conservative lobby group headed by political commentator David Horowitz, is currently working to bring an "Academic Bill of Rights" to all SUNY schools. The document, which SAF is trying to implement nationally, intends to protect the rights of conservative students on campus by having the state supervise the level of academic freedom.

Matthew Pelkey, a senior legal studies major, said he supports the plan and is helping to get the bill of rights adopted at UB.

"I was helping organize a proposal for SUNY," he said. "It's in limbo at the moment until I can help more, but basically we are gathering complaints from students at SUNY schools and then going to present them to the Board of Trustees."

"It really is a great document," he added. "It only has the best interest of the students at heart. It protects the intellectual, political and religious beliefs of students and teachers."

Many UB professors, however, strongly feel there is no need for such a document.

"The people I know, (the) people I work with have strong beliefs," said Professor Erik Seeman, an associate history professor. "They have strong views. It comes through in teaching, but it's a good thing. It gets the students energized."

Seeman said although professors may hold strong personal opinions, they keep them from negatively affecting students.

"The general issue of professors abusing their power in classrooms to force their political views on students? I just don't see it happening," he said.

Dan Hatem, president of the College Republicans, said when slips are made, they are invariably liberal comments, but "most professors are pretty good at keeping their personal politics out of the classroom."

Some UB students said they believe something like the Academic Bill of Rights might be necessary to keep academics fair.

"I think it's a horrible problem," said Casey Houlihan, a freshman political science major. "It should not be the goal of any professor to alter the political opinions of any students through academic penalties."

Houlihan said the Academic Bill of Rights could be the best solution.

"Until hearing (Horowitz's) idea of implementing a bill of rights, I couldn't think of any way students could go about correcting the problem, shy of succumbing to the teacher's political views," he said.

According to Jennifer Camp, a sophomore history major, there are tremendous problems when professors' grading policies and personal politics become intertwined.

"I had a class in which I had a noticeably liberal (TA), and in discussions where I voiced my opinion, I got feedback that made it out that he thought I was wrong," she said. "In a later discussion I went with the liberal answer to a point-of-view question and got a very approving response.

Camp said that her conservative stance has been an obstacle at UB.

"It's hard being a conservative at such a liberal school, but you learn to push your opinions to the side when you figure out a professor's bias," she said. "It sucks to lie about your point of view, but I'm in school to get good grades."

Camp, however, doesn't think the Academic Bill of Rights is the best way of dealing with on-campus bias.

"Unfortunately, I could foresee many problems that it would bring," she said. "It's a hard issue to tackle. It's honestly an issue like sexual harassment or hazing-the lines are just so fuzzy. It's hard to say if a professor is a tough grader or if he's being biased."

Sara Dogan, national campus director for SAF, said there needs to be a way for universities to solidify those lines.

"We'd like universities to adopt the Bill of Rights on its own and put it in student handbooks and things like that," she said.

Dogan also said there should be consequences if schools do not comply.

"We've had legislation introduced in several states," she said. "Universities should have policies for both professors and student grievance procedures. Most universities don't. As a matter of fact, almost none do for students."

According to Dennis Black, vice president for student affairs, if students feel they are being treated unfairly, there are proper steps to take.

"There are two sources for undergrads," said Black. "The traditional Judicial Affairs and Student Advocacy Office, they have a way of taking student grievances, as well as the Student Dean for Undergraduate Education. Part of his job is looking at fairness in the academic environment."

Portions of Horowitz's Bill of Rights also attempt to equalize issues for professors, whom he says are being treated unfairly in the hiring and tenure process based on their political views.

In Seeman's opinion, that is not the case with most professors.

"I see a great diversity of viewpoints and I don't know of cases of people not being hired or given tenure on the basis of his or her political or religious beliefs," he said.

History professor Roger Desforges agreed, citing other issues as the real problems with tenure.

"It is difficult to be categorical about such issues," he said. "But my experience has been that tenures are more often derailed because of faculty or administrative politics or misjudgments than because of expressions of opinion regarding national or international politics."