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Sample Resolution

Senate/Academic Council Resolution
The Freedom To Publish/The Freedom to Disclose Risks

Senate/Academic Council - Resolution Number ________

WHEREAS the open exchange of scholarly information, in particular the ability to freely publish or otherwise share research results, is:

• an essential component of academic freedom;
• necessary for the creation and dissemination of knowledge; and
• a critically important means to apprise the public of information that may have a bearing on their health, safety, or security;

WHEREAS funder interest in secrecy in research must not be allowed to diminish the open sharing of the results of scholarly inquiry; and

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the University/College and any party with which it enters a relationship shall not interfere with the freedom to publish research, except for limitations imposed by duly constituted University/College Research Ethics Boards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the University/College shall refuse to enter into or administer any research agreement or grant that allows the funders or other third party to infringe on the freedom to publish the results of research, except in circumstances where, to statutorily protect intellectual property, a maximum publication delay of sixty days from the conclusion of a research project may be accepted; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that members of the academic community shall have an absolute right to publically disclose information about risks to research participants or the general public or threats to the public interest that become known in the course of their research.


DATED:________________________________


CHAIR:_________________________________