At a meeting of the
Academic Freedom Committee of Rhodes University on May 3, 1983, those present solemnly
re-affirmed their belief in academic
freedom as follows:
• It is our duty to
uphold the principle that a university is a place where men and women, without
regard to creed or colour, are welcome to join in the acquisition and
advancement of knowledge.
• That it is the duty of
the university to guarantee the rights of participants in the opportunities and
privileges made available by belonging to a university.
• That academic freedom
is essential to the integrity of institutions of higher education and the
unfettered pursuit of truth.
• That the ideals of
academic and human freedom are intimately bound up with each other, and that free
universities cannot exist in an unfree society.
• We pledge ourselves to
work for the attainment of these ideals in South Africa within our respective
institutions, and to continue faithfully to defend them against encroachment in
any form.
