Posted on another list, and forwarded with the poster's permission.......... > Here is an example of what happens when ignorant, prejudiced people who > don't understand the purpose of higher education (to be exposed to new > ideas, think critically, etc.) get into positions of power. > > Although this targets Women's studies, psychology courses that deal with > clinical issues, sexual and other risk behaviors, etc. could also be > labelled > "obscene". It is very imporant that psychologists everywhere, even if they > are not in academe be prepared to defend the academic freedom of the > colleges and universities in their communities. Shades of Galileo! > > By the way, students already have a substantial time in which they can > drop > courses without penalty which leads one to wonder if this wasn't a set up > in the first place. The only thing this bill does that isn't current > practice is inject > the obscenity issue into the curriculum. > > This is an amendment to H.B. 2457, a bill on streamlining adoptions in > Arizona.Right now the amendment is tabled, but it is still around. > > Meanwhile, pandering to this action, the Interim Provost at the University > of > Arizona has said he is referring to the faculty a vote on whether or not > they > would object to labelling courses and syllabi with "objectionable" > material. > Objectionable to whom is, of course not clear--so much of what is > objectional > can fit into the small mind of a intolerant beholder. > > Arizona State University administration is more enlightened, thank the > goddess. > > STRIKE EVERYTHING MEMORANDUM H.B. 2457 Page > ARIZONA STATE SENATE > RESEARCH STAFF > > TO: MEMBERS OF THE SENATE > FAMILY SERVICES COMMITTEE > > DATE: March 23, 1999 > SUBJECT: Strike Everything Amendment to H.B. 2457 > Purpose > > Requires state community colleges, universities and instructors to > accurately > describe course content in catalogs and syllabuses and to make available > any > required course material at campus bookstores. Provides procedures to be > followed for students wishing to withdraw from courses due to inaccurate > course descriptions. Prohibits instructors from requiring students to > purchase > obscene materials. > > Background > > The impetus for this bill is a recent constituent's complaint about a > course entitled"Women in Literature" at the University of Arizona. The > constituent's daughter enrolled in the class without knowing that the > class would include readings by lesbian authors, some of which discussed > female sexuality in explicit terms. The student was required to purchase > materials for this course at a gay-and-lesbian-oriented bookstore off > campus. When she dropped the class due to her objection to the nature of > the curriculum, she could not recapture her tuition payments and had to > enroll in two community college classes to obtain needed credits. > Concerns with this legislation include the possibility that it may > not be practical, students may find a way to abuse the withdrawal > provision > for purposes that were not intended, it may establish an improper monopoly > in > campus bookstores, it may unjustifiably infringe on academic freedoms and > constitute a prior restraint on free speech. > The Executive Director of the State Board of Directors for > Community > Colleges of Arizona explained that much of the bill simply restates good > academic practice and is unnecessary. He opposes this bill as a > legislative > intrusion into academic management. > > > Provisions > 1. Requires state universities and community colleges to publish > accurate and complete descriptions of all courses offered in catalogs or > directories. > 2. Requires instructors to hand out a course syllabus on the first > day of each class that accurately and completely describes the principal > topics to be covered in the class. > 3. Permits students to withdraw without penalty from a class due > to > an inaccurate course description in either the course syllabus or > university > catalog, as long as the withdrawal is made by the end of the second week > of > class or the third class session, whichever is later. > 4. Forbids instructors from requiring students to purchase > materials > from a bookstore that is not the campus bookstore, if any, or is not a > recognized student bookstore. > 5. Forbids instructors from requiring students to purchase obscene > materials. > 6. Contains a general effective date. > >
