Does the Churchill firing signal the end of academic freedom?

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As you may have heard: it is official--Ward Churchill has been fired by the University of Colorado. Not over his 9/11 essay (which was protected by the First Amendment), but for academic misconduct, plagiarism and falsification. Now, there are some that consider this a signal that academic freedom is a thing of the past at CU. I don't consider that to be the case. I consider this to be CU holding their professors to the same standards that they hold their students to. Now, I am a student of the Communtity College of Denver, and someday hope to pursue a Masters degree at CU of Denver. If I commit academic fraud, not citing my sources and making stuff up, CCD would expell me and end my academic career. It is just that simple. CCD is mighty touchy about the whole issue; a day in each one of your classes that require the writing of a research paper is spent on "Do not commit plagiarism" speech. In my Macroeconomics class, Martin "Marty" Sabo had us cite every sentence and every thought that we used from another person's work. Every sentence, every thought. Period. If I have to do it, then I wnat the professors held up to the same high standard. So what do you think? Is the firing of Professor Ward Churchill a good thing, or a sign of bad things to come for those of us pursuing an academic career (whether it is a simple degree or higher rung on the academic ladder)?