The openness and privacy of classroom discussions is essential to Cornell’s traditions of free inquiry and the freedom of learning. This includes the right to explore, experiment, try out ideas, debate, and change one’s mind in the relative openness and safety of the classroom environment, without the undue glare of outside or future audiences.

These principles are central to Cornell’s core values of free and open inquiry and expression, a community of belonging, and exploration across boundaries. For the university's full values statement, see Cornell University Core Values.

Recording classes without the instructor’s permission or sharing course materials outside the course environment is considered a violation of academic integrity. For the full policy, please see Cornell’s Code of Academic Integrity.

Guidance for Instructors on Course-Level Policies

Share with your students the role that academic freedom plays alongside academic integrity in terms of building trust and respect in the classroom. Communicate that each person in class is expected to respect the principles of academic freedom for instructors and classmates and will maintain the privacy of the classroom environment. 

Steps Instructors Can Take

Building an atmosphere of trust and respect, and protecting the classroom as a learning environment from the start of the semester onward is one way to help students feel safe and supported in your course, particularly when faced with difficult moments and diverging viewpoints.

• Consider including a statement in your course syllabus that defines your expectations regarding academic freedom in the classroom, in order to build and maintain trust in the learning environment.
• Share your statement with your students and foster a conversation around what it means to protect the privacy of the classroom and why this is important.
• Note: We encourage faculty to consider individual student needs when implementing classroom recording policy, and grant exceptions when  appropriate, in order to ensure course accessibility and not inhibit student learning. 
  • Examples of students who may benefit from exceptions include, but are not limited to, students with disabilities and students who speak English as an additional language.

• Sample Syllabus Statement

• Faculty can also find a sample syllabus statement in the Creating a Student-Centered Syllabus Template under "Academic Freedom" in "Course Management & Policies"