Posted: November 11, 2026

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Report of Academic Freedom Task Force 2025

Resolution:

Whereas Cornell Librarians and Archivists are Research, Teaching, and Extension Faculty (RTE Faculty),1

Whereas Cornell University’s Policy Statement on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech and Expression, which includes RTE faculty, is based on the foundational American Association of University Professors (AAUP) 1940 Statement of Principles of Academic Freedom and Tenure,2

Whereas the American Library Association (ALA) endorsed the 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom by the AAUP in 1946,3

Whereas Cornell University endorses the Faculty Statement on Academic Freedom and Responsibility adopted by the University Faculty in 1960, which provides:

“Academic Freedom for the Faculty means: Freedom of expression in the classroom on matters relevant to the subject and the purpose of the course and of choice of methods in classroom teaching; from direction and restraint in scholarship, research, and creative expression and in the discussion and publication of the results thereof; to speak and write as a citizen without institutional censorship or discipline.”,4

Extramural utterances rarely bear upon the faculty member’s fitness for continuing service. Moreover, a final decision should take into account the faculty member’s entire record as a teacher and scholar.”). See also, American Association of University Professors. “1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure with 1970 Interpretive Comments | AAUP.” Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.aaup.org/reports-publications/aaup-policies-reports/policy-statements/1940-statement-principles-academic.

Whereas the Joint Committee on College Library Problems, a national committee formed of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL), the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U), and the AAUP, created a Joint Statement on the Faculty Status of College and University Librarians in 1971, which provides:

“Academic freedom is indispensable to librarians in their roles as teachers and researchers. Critically, they are trustees of knowledge with the responsibility of ensuring the intellectual freedom of the academic community through the availability of information and ideas, no matter how controversial, so that teachers may freely teach and students may freely learn. Moreover, as members of the academic community, librarians should have latitude in the exercise of their professional judgment within the library, a share in shaping policy within the institution, and adequate opportunities for professional development and appropriate reward”,5

Whereas, the Joint Statement on Faculty Status of College and University Librarians states that

“Librarians perform a multifaceted role within the academy. It includes not only teaching credit courses but also providing access to information, whether by individual and group instruction, selecting and purchasing resources, digitizing collections, or organizing information.”6

Whereas, the freedom to establish and describe an organized collection and to provide guidance and instruction on navigating those collections is essential to the meaningful academic freedom of all faculty,

Whereas The Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights, approved by both the ACRL Board of Directors and the ALA Council, states that academic libraries should seek institutional endorsement of library freedom principles through governing bodies such as the faculty senate,7

• Be it resolved that all of the responsibilities that accompany academic freedom in the Cornell Policy Statement on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech and Expression, as well as rights and responsibilities set by professional standards and best practices, apply to librarians and archivists.
• Be it further resolved that Academic Freedom at Cornell University protects the right of librarians and archivists to provide instruction on matters relevant to the subject and the purpose of the session and have the right to choose the methods in
• Be it further resolved that Academic Freedom protects the right of librarians and archivists to provide reference and research services in response to questions, including those that may be considered controversial, and to assist patrons with access to research materials while ensuring the patron’s right to privacy.
• Be it further resolved that Academic Freedom for librarians and archivists protects the right to recommend, select, curate, exhibit, and make available resources and materials for and from the collection supporting the teaching, research, and general learning functions of the academic community.
• Be it further resolved that Academic Freedom protects the right of librarians and archivists, as data stewards, to preserve, publish, and make publicly accessible
• Be it further resolved that Academic Freedom protects the right of librarians and archivists, as domain experts, to describe and represent resources.
• Be it further resolved that Academic Freedom protects the right of librarians and archivists to participate in institutional governance, as well as professional service and organizations, without censorship or discipline.
• Be it further resolved that Academic Freedom protects the right of librarians and archivists, as scholars, to pursue, publish, and present their research, as well as research topics that support the teaching, research, and general learning functions of the academic community.

1 Cornell University, Division of Human Resources. “Approved Academic Titles.” Academic Human Resources. https://hr.cornell.edu/sites/default/files/2022-12/academic_titles_1.pdf (see RTE Faculty Titles including Librarian, Associate Librarian, Assistant Librarian, Archivist, Associate Archivist, Senior Assistant Archivist, Assistant Archivist).

2 “Cornell Policy Statement on Academic Freedom and Freedom of Speech and Expression.” Office of the Dean of Faculty, n.d. Accessed April 21, 2026. https://deanoffaculty.cornell.edu/policies-procedures/cornell-policy-statement-on-academic-freedom-and-freedom-of-speech-and-expression/ (quoting the 1940 statement twice, stating that “[i]nstitutions of higher education are conducted for the common good and not to further the interest of either the individual teacher or the institution as a whole. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition.’”, and later quoting the 1940 statement with 1970 Interpretive Comments, note 6, stating “a faculty member’s expression of opinion as a citizen cannot constitute grounds for dismissal unless it clearly demonstrates the faculty member’s unfitness to serve.

3 McAnally, A.M, “The status of the university librarian”, in Faculty status for academic librarians: A history and policy statements, p. 130 (Committee on Academic Status of the Association of College and Research Libraries, 1975).

4 “Cornell Policy Statement”

5 “ACRL Joint Statement on Faculty Status of College and University Librarians | Association of College and Research Libraries.” Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.ala.org/acrl/standards/jointstatementfaculty.

6 “ACRL Joint Statement”.

7 “Intellectual Freedom Principles for Academic Libraries: An Interpretation of the Library Bill of Rights | ALA.” Accessed April 21, 2026. https://www.ala.org/advocacy/intfreedom/librarybill/interpretations/intellectual (stating that “These principles should be included in all relevant library policies”, and number 12 on the list of principles stating that libraries should “Seek institutional endorsement”, and “Institutional governing bodies, such as the faculty senate, should endorse these statements.”).

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