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The Faculty Perceptions of Academic Freedom at Christian Colleges and Universities

Abstract

dc:description.abstract

Academic freedom is a much-discussed topic in the literature. However, little empirical research has been performed that describes the faculty perceptions of academic freedom at Christian colleges and universities, a unique segment of institutions within US higher education. Specifically, little recent research has shown how faculty members at Christian colleges and universities define academic freedom, how they describe experiences where they encountered issues of academic freedom, and how they navigate the interaction between academic freedom and institutional religious doctrines (as found in official statements of faith). The purpose of this study was to describe and analyze how faculty members at Christian colleges and university perceive academic freedom. For this qualitative study, I employed the Critical Incident Technique (Flanagan, 1954) to collect data from full-time faculty members of Christian institutions. I present the findings discovered through this study, discuss their ramifications, offer recommendations, and draw conclusions.

Degree

thesis:*
Name thesis:degree_name
Ph. D.
Level thesis:degree_level
doctoral
Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
Higher Education
Department dc:contributor.department
Higher Education
Grantor dc:publisher
Virginia Tech
Year dc:date.issued
2017

Author and committee

dc:creator, dc:contributor.*
Author dc:creator
  • Walz, Jerald H.
Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
  • Janosik, Steven M.
Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
  • Creamer, Elizabeth G.
  • Robbins, Claire K.
  • Lowe, Verna J.

Subjects

dc:subject × 7

Rights

dc:rights
Statement dc:rights
  • In Copyright

Identifiers

dc:identifier.*
Dc Identifier Other
vt_gsexam:11833
OAI identifier oai:identifier
oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/78622

Chain of custody

source
Harvested from
Virginia Tech
Base URL
vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request
Last updated
2026-07-22
Source record
OAI-PMH GetRecord
citation

Walz, Jerald H.. The Faculty Perceptions of Academic Freedom at Christian Colleges and Universities. doctoral thesis, Virginia Tech, 2017. http://hdl.handle.net/10919/78622