Transparency law for Texas professors sets off academic freedom debate
09:08 AM CDT on Saturday, July 10, 2010
A law requiring Texas' public colleges and universities to post detailed course information online will take effect this fall, stirring a debate between advocates of transparency and academic freedom.
Texas legislators unanimously passed House Bill 2504 in May 2009, making it the first of its kind in the nation. State universities will be required to post professors' syllabi, curriculum vitae, published works and salaries. Attendance costs and departmental budget reports also must be posted.
The information must be searchable, accessible without a user name or password and no more than three links away from the school's home page.
Though it won bipartisan support in the Legislature, some Texas professors say the new law is an attempt to interfere with higher education curriculum, despite its political branding as a move toward