Course Design and Academic Freedom

August 18, 2023

Our Know Your Rights segments highlight different aspects that impact your employment at Carleton University, including highlights from the Collective Agreement in small, easy to understand bits.

As our many of CUASA members go through the process of course design and creating syllabi, CUASA would like to remind you that Article 4(b) of the Collective Agreement grants you the right to a freedom in teaching, which includes the freedom to determine what topics you choose to teach in a course and the freedom to have your course syllabi reflect your choice of topics.

In addition to Article 4, we recommend faculty and instructors read articles 15: Rights and Responsibilities when preparing your courses. In particular, Articles 15.2(d) and 15.3(iv) states that faculty and instructors respectively “shall have the right and responsibility to organize and structure classroom and laboratory activities within the limits set by available facilities and to adopt reasonable means to maintain a learning environment which is both productive and orderly.”

Articles 15.2(e) and 15.3(v) go on to state that faculty and instructors must be “conscientious in the preparation and organization of subject matter” and that revision of the subject matter must be in alignment with “appropriate departmental guidelines.” Furthermore, faculty and instructors are required to inform students regarding their instructional and evaluation methods.

Any members with concerns about academic freedom violations are encouraged to reach out to our team at [email protected].