GMU Faculty Decries Patriot Act

[MountainLaurel]

George Mason University's faculty senate passed a resolution yesterday critical of the broad investigative powers granted to law enforcement agencies after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, saying they could have a chilling effect on academic freedom.

In a statement that mirrors those supported by scholars at institutions including Stanford University and the University of California at Berkeley, the professors said the wide latitude government agencies have in secretly reading e-mail or reviewing a person's library selections could mute debate and research at all institutions of higher education.

"The preservation of civil rights and liberties is essential to the well-being of a democratic society and an academic environment," the resolution reads. The governmental powers, particularly those set out in the USA Patriot Act, "threaten fundamental rights and liberties."

In the 2 1/2-page resolution, the faculty senate, joined by the local chapter of the American Association of University Professors, calls on university administrators to inform students if authorities seek their school records and to make sure students know that authorities can secretly view their library records, bookstore purchases and electronic communication.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A51216-2005Apr13.html

GMU faculty: :you rock:

[FSogol]

1. That's surprising

They are a pretty conservative University.

[MountainLaurel]

2. Yes and no

The leadership is certainly conservative, pretty much hand-picked by Jim Gilmore for their business ties. However, the faculty is less conservative -- lots of former government folks who got their start in the civil rights movement, the "ask not what your country can do for you" era, etc.

Plus, I'm guessing that they are seeing the effects of the Patriot Act firsthand -- a HUGE percentage of the student population consists of first- or second-generation immigrants from a lot of those Axis of Evil countries, plus all those other brown-skinned folks out to destroy Murrica. I'd lay money down that they've had the feds snooping around student records.

[FSogol]

4. Plus they knew to have some academic freedom

after their Michael Moore debacle and the Phi Beta Kappa rejection.

[indepat]

3. The well-being of a democratic society and an academic environment have

done been revoked for the threatening of fundamental rights and liberties lies at the heart, soul, intent and purpose of the USA (un)Patriot act, IMNOHO.