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Purpose

Old Dominion University is committed to protecting academic freedom. Members of the University community must be empowered to rigorously pursue their research and scholarship without fear, coercion, or intimidation. 

The University will effectuate an environment where scholars and researchers may teach and investigate challenging or controversial topics. 

The purposes of this policy are to: 

  1. Protect potential erosion in academic freedom stemming from online or other efforts to defame, attack, or misrepresent the scholarly work of members of the University’s academic community
  2. Lessen the deleterious impacts such attacks may have on the University’s mission.

University faculty are members of the University community, members of their respective disciplines, and, more broadly, citizens in a free society. The scope of this policy includes contexts in which faculty researchers or scholars (tenured, tenure-eligible, or non-tenure-eligible; part-time or full-time) communicate information within their area(s) of teaching, research, and service by way of activities such as writing, speech, or mediated communication, including: 

  1. Classroom or laboratory instruction or other instructional activities 
  2. Research in, publication of, and other communication about faculty areas of teaching and scholarly interest and expertise within the bounds of the University and in extramural settings (e.g., academic and professional conferences, meetings, workshops, field work, press and media interactions, response to inquiries, etc.). 

The guidelines listed below include the responsible persons and actions to manage and respond to threats to academic freedom, such as trolling, threatening letters or emails, doxing, personal confrontations, and similar behaviors that may have the effect of intimidating or undermining the academic freedom of scholars and researchers. 

In addition to protecting the faculty member from physical harm or reputational injury, measures taken must also consider the possible subsequent consequences of the attack (e.g., negative impact on scholarly productivity, etc.). Further, the University supports the academic freedom of its faculty.

Because this is a multilayered and organized approach the University’s faculty, department/school chairs/directors, academic deans/center directors, Division of Academic Affairs, Office of University Communications, University Police Department, Office of Technology Services (IT), and Threat Education Assessment and Management (TEAM) will follow to respond to attacks on scholars and researchers. 

Guidelines by Role

•    Call the University Police Department at 757-683-4000 or dial 9-1-1 if the faculty member or others are in immediate physical danger.
•    Call the University Police Department at 757-683-4000 to report the incident.
•    Inform the department/school chair/director of the attack as soon as possible. Research faculty should inform their center director.
•    Document evidence of the attack (e.g., emails, postings, calls, online messages, videos, etc.) and submit it to the department/school chair/director, academic dean/center director, and the University’s Police Department so that they can activate campus resources to identify the source of the harassment. 
•    Provide the department/school chair/director with a list of co-authors and collaborators who are also at risk of being targeted.
•    Assist the department/school chair/director and academic dean/center director in preparing a statement about the faculty member’s position and/or scholarship.
•    Assist the University’s Police Department with the investigation of the attack.
•    Work with IT to minimize exposure on social media.
•    Temporarily suspend personal social media accounts and mute the harasser on personal social media platforms, if relevant.
•    Forward all media inquiries to the Office of University Communications. Do not answer media questions unless advised to do so by the Office of University Communications.
•    Do not respond to harassing messages.
•    Cooperate with the Office of University Counsel in responding to mandated public record requests under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
•    Faculty members are encouraged to consult with the University’s Faculty Ombuds.
 

•    Reassure the faculty member of the University’s commitment to academic freedom and public safety.
•    Forward the information received from the faculty member to the appropriate academic dean/center director and provide regular updates to the academic dean/center director.
•    Forward all media inquiries to the Office of University Communications. Do not answer media questions unless advised to do so by the Office of University Communications.
•    Discuss the situation with the affected faculty and assess the level of concern for faculty personal safety. In certain situations, it may be necessary to alert other department/school faculty as well, in consultation with the Threat Assessment Team. Assist the University’s Police Department and Threat Assessment Team with their investigation.
•    Encourage faculty and staff to document and retain any messages they receive.
•    If the department/school chair/director is the target of the attack, the academic dean/center director will assume the role ascribed to the department/school chair/director in the document.
 

•    Reassure the faculty member of the University’s commitment to academic freedom and public safety.
•    Forward information from the faculty member to the Threat Assessment Team for evaluation.
•    Notify the appropriate executive vice president, IT, and the Office of University Communications about the situation.
•    Work in collaboration with the Division of Academic Affairs and the Office of Research and Economic Development to propose a plan to protect the affected faculty member.
•    If the harassment is motivated by the race, ethnicity, religion, gender, or LGBTQ+ identity of the faculty member, the Division of Talent Management and Culture must be notified.
•    Work with the faculty member and department/school chair/director to prepare a statement for the Office of University Communications to respond to the situation. If the issue is student-related, work with the department/school chair/director to help students change classes, if necessary.
•    Work with the department/school chair/director to alter the affected faculty member’s teaching schedules, as necessary, based on feedback from the University’s Police Department or Threat Assessment Team.
•    Provide instructions to front desk staff (e.g., academic dean’s/center director’s office and department/school staff) on how to respond to and direct incoming phone calls.
•    Provide regular updates to the affected faculty member.
•    As the situation progresses and/or is resolved, work with the Vice Provost for Faculty Affairs and Strategic Initiatives to assess the potential immediate and long-term impacts of the attacks on the faculty member’s productivity, progress toward tenure and promotion, and the selection of external reviewers during the tenure and promotion process.
•    Forward all media inquiries to the Office of University Communications. Do not answer media questions unless advised to do so by the Office of University Communications.
•    If the academic dean/center director is the target of the attack, the appropriate executive vice president will assume the role ascribed to the academic dean/center director in the document.
 

•    Work in consultation with the Office of University Counsel to advise affected faculty of their legal rights.
•    Include the department/school chair/director and academic dean/center director in discussions of actions that might affect the faculty member’s career. 
•    Ensure that the faculty member is allowed to invite a mentor or an advocate to meetings called to discuss critical issues pertaining to the threat.
•    Assist the University’s Police Department with investigations related to this situation.

•    Serve as the point of contact for all media inquiries.
•    Meet with the faculty member, department/school chair/director, and the academic dean/center director to review and write key facts.
•    Collaborate with the faculty member and University leaders to draft statement(s) and develop key messages for target audiences.
•    Advise the faculty member, department/school chair/director, and academic dean/center director on strategies to minimize exposure on social media and de-escalate the tension.
•    Assist the Division of Academic Affairs in developing internal and external communication strategies.
•    Monitor social media and report findings to the faculty member, department/school chair/director, academic dean/center director, appropriate executive vice president, Vice President for Research and Economic Development, University Police Department, and Threat Assessment Team, as appropriate.
•    Monitor the news and social media landscape, identifying and sharing top issues with University leadership and key stakeholders.
 

•    Advise the faculty member, department/school chair/director, and academic dean/center director on appropriate precautionary and safety measures.
•    Meet with the faculty member, department/school chair/director, and academic dean/center director to review the investigative process.
•    Investigate the complaint and report findings, as appropriate.
•    Guide the faculty member through the process of obtaining any legal remedies available.
 

•    At the direction of the University’s Police Department, the Office of Research and Economic Development, and/or the Division of Academic Affairs, temporarily remove personal and contact information on the targeted faculty member and co-authors and collaborators from University websites. Faculty, department/school chair/director, and the academic dean/center director will be informed of this preventive action.
•    Coach the faculty member, department/school chair/director, and the academic dean/center director on strategies to prevent incoming threatening email messages and preserve personal social media or other electronic evidence.
•    At the direction of the University’s Police Department or the Office of University Counsel, assist with the retrieval and preservation of the University’s evidence (e.g., University emails, comments posted on University message boards, threatening email messages posted on the University’s social media, video evidence, etc.).
 

•    Review and assess the level and severity of the threat.
•    Notify the faculty member, department/school chair/director, and the academic dean/center director of the assessment outcomes.
•    Advise the appropriate executive vice president and the academic dean/center director on actions to protect the affected faculty member.

Authority

Enforcement of this policy is the responsibility of the appropriate executive vice president, following established University policies and procedures (e.g., the Board of Visitors Policy 1451: Faculty Code of Conduct, the Board of Visitors Policy 1470: Faculty Grievance Policy, etc.).

Related Policies

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