Pfaff rejects policy stifling academic freedom

INDIANAPOLIS – On Feb. 27, Republican-authored Senate Bill 202 calling for so-called 'intellectual diversity' in higher education and restructuring the tenure system passed out of the Indiana House of Representatives by a vote of 67-30. Please attribute the following statement to State Rep. Tonya Pfaff (D-Terre Haute):

“As the representative of Terre Haute, I cannot stand behind legislation that promotes distrust of the professors teaching in my district. The bill's ludicrous requirement of forcing tenured faculty to undergo scrutiny every five years poses a very real risk of being subjected to unfair punishment. Under this bill, if a student simply disagrees with or holds an opposing political perspective of class content, a professor can face punishment, or even termination.

“Colleges across the state, including Indiana State University, already have procedures to evaluate tenured faculty and classroom teaching. This legislation is just a heavy-handed attempt at censoring discussion of topics that some may find offensive. A crucial part of the college experience is being exposed to difficult truths, burying your head in the sand at the mention of difficult topics.

“I trust the faculty at Indiana State University to effectively govern themselves and make the best decisions for their faculty and students. Our colleges are meant to foster intellectual growth and expose them to challenging ideas, not punish educators for exposing them to those ideas. As the bill returns to the Senate for discussion, I urge my fellow lawmakers to act against this blatant attack on higher education and strike down this bill.”