Substance and Scholarship

Academic Freedom

Berkeley College recognizes and respects each faculty member's right to academic freedom, including the following:

• Freedom in the classroom to discuss controversial issues relating to a subject as long as the topic is approached objectively and professionally and opinions are not stated as fact. 
• Freedom in research and publication where these activities do not interfere with adequate performance of academic duties or violate applicable laws or policies, including those concerning information confidentiality and security, privacy, and infringements of intellectual property rights. 

Each faculty member should be mindful, however, that she/he presents an image to the public by which the teaching profession and Berkeley may be judged. Therefore, when speaking or writing to public audiences, faculty must represent facts accurately and demonstrate respect for the opinions of others. Unless they are authorized to represent the College, faculty communicating in public must make clear that their views are personal and do not represent the views of the College. 

Research

From time to time, faculty members or others may desire to conduct polling or other academic research involving the College or members of the Berkeley community. Prior to initiating such academic research, a prospective researcher must submit a written proposal for consideration by the Committee on Research. This Committee has the discretion to approve or deny the proposed academic research. In evaluating such a request, the Committee on Research shall adhere to all applicable laws and Berkeley policies, and may consider the qualifications of the researcher; the topic, purpose, and methodology of the proposed project; the inclusion of appropriate controls to safeguard confidentiality, privacy, intellectual property, and other important interests; any likely benefits or detriments to the College; resource issues and priorities; and such other matters as may be deemed relevant. Approval of academic research projects is within the discretion of the College and may be withdrawn at any time. Guidelines on the submission and the format of the written proposal can be found on the CCIT website in the Berkeley Research Manual.

Academic Integrity Policy

The principles of academic integrity encompass simple standards of honesty and truth. Each member of the College community has a responsibility to uphold standards and to take action when others violate them. Faculty members have an obligation to educate students about the standards of academic integrity and to report violations of these standards by utilizing the eForm for reporting academic integrity violations as posted on the Center for Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology (CCIT) website under "Academic Integrity." The Academic Integrity Violation Reporting Form is also available on the eForms section of Engage.

The full Academic Integrity Policy is located in the Undergraduate Catalog and Graduate Catalog, as well as in the Student Handbook.