Dear UAlbany Community,
We know that many of you have likely seen the recent media coverage of a matter involving one of our colleagues, so we are writing to reiterate in the strongest possible terms UAlbany’s full commitment to unfettered academic freedom.
The basic tenets and strong foundations of institutions of higher education have been based on academic freedom. Consequently, we should and will resist any actions that censor or infringe on a faculty member’s intellectual and academic freedom. This is imperative in order to ensure that our institution is fulfilling its mission of free inquiry, intellectual innovation and discovery, and impactful scholarship.
The freedom to follow the science wherever it takes us is central to who we are as a research institution, and it is why many of us have pursued the careers we have.
While the University is often limited in what it can say publicly in these situations – as is the case here – we are able to say unequivocally that the matter in question has nothing to do with the substance of the research or teaching being conducted.
Speaking generally, the University has an obligation to ensure that all entities affiliated with it are operating consistent with applicable laws, regulations and SUNY and Research Foundation policies that govern our operations. This is a matter of compliance and is wholly independent of the content of the work or the parties involved.
This is how it should be, and this is how it is at UAlbany. You have the University’s full support in following academic inquiry, creative expression and scientific discovery wherever it takes you.
Sincerely,
Havidán Rodríguez
President
Carol H. Kim
Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs