More than an hour of discussion and debate yielded few answers Wednesday night as members of the Student Senate’s Public Affairs Committee tabled indefinitely a controversial proposal regarding academic freedoms.

The resolution, entitled the Academic Bill of Rights, supports a bill in the N.C. General Assembly of the same name that focuses on ensuring “free inquiry and free speech within the academic community” in the UNC System.

Discussion of the bill drew support from Rep. Andrew Brock from the General Assembly and Joey Stansbury of the Pope Center, while drawing objections from members of the faculty.

Supporters of the bill argued professors were allowed to indoctrinate students with their own political, religious and personal biases and the bill would protect students against these actions.

“You should have the freedom to make your point,” Brock said, after offering his own experience with a politically biased professor.”

Stansbury asserted these problems weren’t being fabricated for the sake of controversy.

“Open inquiry is not encouraged within the classroom,” Stansbury said.

Several faculty members objected to the proposed bill, pointing out student grievance policies were already effectively in place.

“I would like to know of a single faculty member here at this University who has been accused of these behaviors,” Robert Bruck, professor of plant pathology and faculty senator, said. “Where are the cases?”

The Faculty Senate had actually passed a resolution in early October that “opposes administrative or legislative measures that would deprive faculty of the authority necessary to teach.”

Some attendees of the discussion questioned the legitimacy of the bill.

“Why is this necessary?” David Burton Foxx, a sophomore in political science, said. “As long as you can defend your position, most professors keep an open mind.”

Foxx added he had not seen or heard of any problems the proposed bill would mend.

According to Student Senate President Forrest Hinton, although the bill has been tabled indefinitely, it can be revived by the full body of the Student Senate if a senator motions for a discharge of the bill from the committee. The measure has to pass by a two-thirds vote of the full body.

Student Senator Benton Sawrey, sponsor of the Student Senate’s resolution, said he considered the discussion healthy and open, although he was disappointed with the outcome.

But the fight for the resolution, he said, wasn’t over.

“The committee acted along partisan lines,” Sawrey said. “I will make every effort to bring this bill before the Student Senate as a whole.”