FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Contact: Anne D. Neal,
202-467-6787; 920-251-9308
ACTA VICTORY in
“INTELLECTUAL DIVERSITY” BILL PASSES IN HOUSE
PIERRE,
SOUTH DAKOTA (February 8, 2006)—In
a major victory for academic freedom and intellectual diversity, the South
Dakota House of Representatives today approved a bill requiring all higher
education institutions to report annually on concrete steps taken to ensure the
free exchange of ideas on their campuses. The bill comes in the wake of a
national initiative, launched by the American Council of Trustees and Alumni
(ACTA), to ensure the free exchange of ideas on college and university
campuses.
“This
is a Tipping Point moment—one that offers the promise of a cultural
transformation in American higher education,” said ACTA president Anne Neal.
“The South Dakota House has signaled that intellectual diversity matters and
their bill is a model for the nation. HB 1222 affirms the importance of
intellectual diversity while remaining sensitive to the principles of academic
freedom and shared governance.”
The
bill passed overwhelmingly in the House, with bi-partisan support, and is the
first of its kind to pass anywhere in the nation. HB 1222 was filed by Rep.
Phyllis M. Heineman, chairman of the House Committee,
“to ensure and promote intellectual diversity and academic freedom.” Although
it offers possible measures to promote intellectual diversity, the bill leaves
the contents of the report—which will be made public—up to each
reporting institution.
ACTA President Anne Neal appeared on Tuesday
before the South Dakota House Education Committee to discuss intellectual
diversity and the
“The fact is, saying one believes in intellectual diversity is not enough,”
said Neal. “Indeed, if all existing practices and policies were sufficient,
there would not be the volume of studies and surveys showing there is a serious
problem. Rep. Heineman
and her
The bill places the obligation of ensuring
intellectual diversity on the trustees. In a distinct departure from other
legislative efforts, the bill focuses on implementation—actual steps
taken to ensure diversity—rather than policy statements.
In a
report released last month, Intellectual Diversity: Time for Action,
ACTA outlined steps universities could take to encourage a mix of ideas on
campus and to respond to the growing public concern about the lack of
intellectual diversity. Those suggestions are incorporated into the text of the
The American Council of Trustees an Alumni is
a national higher education nonprofit dedicated to academic freedom, academic
excellence and accountability. Founded in 1995, ACTA is
dedicated to advancing intellectual diversity through its network of 12,000
alumni and trustees from
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