At its annual business meeting on January 7, 2006, members of the Association adopted the following resolution offered by David Applebaum (Rowan Univ.). The following day, the AHA Council voted to accept the resolution as AHA policy.

Whereas, so-called Academic and Student Bills of Rights legislation, investigations, and similar measures will give power over such matters as curriculum, course content, and faculty personnel decisions to governmental authorities and other agencies outside the faculty and administrations of institutions of higher learning; and

Whereas, Such measures would violate academic freedom and undermine professional standards by imposing political criteria in areas of educational policy that faculty members normally and rightly control; therefore, be it

Resolved, That the American Historical Association opposes the passage of Academic and Student Bills of Rights and all similar attempts to regulate the academic community.