The Faculty Perspectives of Academic Freedom at Christian Colleges and Universities
The Faculty Perceptions of Academic Freedom at Christian Colleges and Universities Jerald H. Walz Dissertation submitted to the faculty of the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Higher Education Steven M. Janosik, Committee Co-Chair Elizabeth G. Creamer, Committee Co-Chair Verna J. Lowe Claire K. Robbins May 22, 2017 Blacksburg, VA Keywords: academic freedom, statements of faith, faculty, Christian college or university, definition, critical incident, navigation Copyright 2017 The Faculty Perceptions of Academic Freedom at Christian Colleges and Universities Jerald H. Walz Abstract Academic freedom is a much-discussed topic in the literature. However, little empirical research has been performed that describes the faculty perceptions of academic freedom at Christian colleges and universities, a unique segment of institutions within US higher education. Specifically, little recent research has shown how faculty members at Christian colleges and universities define academic freedom, how they describe experiences where they encountered issues of academic freedom, and how they navigate the interaction between academic freedom and institutional religious doctrines (as found in official statements of faith). The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze how faculty members at Christian colleges and university perceive academic freedom. For this qualitative study, I employed the Critical Incident Technique (Flanagan, 1954) to collect data from full-time faculty members of Christian institutions. I present the findings discovered through this study, discuss their ramifications, offer recommendations, and draw conclusions. The Faculty Perceptions of Academic Freedom at Christian Colleges and Universities Jerald H. Walz General Audience Abstract Academic freedom is an important concept for scholars working in higher education.
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