South Dakota House Bill No. 1222

EIGHTY-FIRST SESSION
LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY, 2006

866M0470 HOUSE BILL NO. 1222

Introduced by: Rep. Phyllis M. Heineman

FOR AN ACT ENTITLED, An Act to require regental institutions to annually report to the Legislature regarding intellectual diversity.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF SOUTH DAKOTA:

Section 1. That chapter 13-49 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:

The Board of Regents shall require each institution under its control to annually report to the Legislature detailing the steps the institution is taking to ensure intellectual diversity and the free exchange of ideas. For purposes of this chapter, intellectual diversity is defined as the foundation of a learning environment that exposes students to a variety of political, ideological, and other perspectives.

Section 2. That chapter 13-49 be amended by adding thereto a NEW SECTION to read as follows:

The report required in section 1 of this Act shall address the specific measures taken by the institution to ensure and promote intellectual diversity and academic freedom.
The report may also include any steps taken by the institution to:
(1) Conduct a study to assess the current state of intellectual diversity on its campus;
(2) Incorporate intellectual diversity into institutional statements, grievance procedures, and activities on diversity;
(3) Encourage a balanced variety of campus-wide panels and speakers and annually publish the names of panelists and speakers;
(4) Establish clear campus policies that ensure that hecklers or threats of violence do not prevent speakers from speaking;
(5) Include intellectual diversity concerns in the institution’s guidelines on teaching;
(6) Include intellectual diversity issues in student course evaluations;
(7) Develop hiring, tenure, and promotion policies that protect individuals against political viewpoint discrimination and track any reported grievances in that regard;
(8) Establish clear campus policies to ensure freedom of the press for students and report any incidents of student newspaper thefts or destruction;
(9) Establish clear campus policies to prohibit political bias in student-funded organizations;

(10) Eliminate any speech codes that restrict the freedom of speech; or
(11) Create an institutional ombudsman on intellectual diversity.

The report shall be posted on the institution’s web site.