UNLV Faculty Senate nixes proposed computer use policy

Wednesday, April 29, 1998 | 10:10 a.m.

The UNLV Faculty Senate turned its thumbs down on a controversial proposed computer use policy Tuesday that is being circulated on campuses across the state, and by a narrow vote it approved a revision of the university's grievance procedures that took two years to write.

The computer use policy rejected by the board at a regular bi-monthly meeting was not in its final form, noted the attorney who drew it up, but ACLU Executive Director Gary Peck found the document so objectionable even at this early stage of development that he strongly protested its wording.

"I find it extremely disturbing," Peck told the panel of faculty members, who had a similar reaction to the policy. "It will have a chilling effect on academic freedom."

He called the proposed policy, which in its present form gives the administration authority to look at everything stored in a computer owned by the university, an attack not only on academic freedom but also on privacy rights and freedom of speech.

"These are not just legal issues," said Peck. "They go to the core values of a university."

Attorney Carl Armstrong, counsel for the University of Nevada who drafted the initial policy, emphasized that the document is a work in progress and in fact should not have been brought before the faculty group at this time.

"I plan to meet with faculty senates across the system. I don't want the policy approved today," he said.

Peck said when the policy is in its final form the highest priority should be free speech, privacy and academic freedom.

A number of faculty members said the tone of the policy seemed to be that the university was more concerned about protecting itself than the freedoms pointed out by Peck.

Armstrong said he was at Tuesday's meeting to listen to faculty concerns about the policy on which discussion was tabled until fall.

"I'm not attempting to limit free speech rights or academic freedom -- but there are certain rights the university has we need to deal with," Armstrong said. "This policy won't be adopted in the stealth of night. It probably won't even be completed until in the fall."