OCR Text |
Show FOCUS: TENURE Concept of tenure is a universal one Tenure designed to provide professors with academic freedom and financial security By PHIL CHIDESTER OF THE JOU RNAL STAFF It is, at best, nothing more than another quiet distinction in the extended occupational life of a man or woman of higher education- and yet for professors at colleges and universities in every comer of the globe, it is a moment that can define an entire career, a mom ent of discrimination that may well prove the difference between security and doubt, between intellectual freedom and professional disregard. As a notion that cuts to the heart of educators in every discipline, tenure is a concept that never s trays far from the discussion around the faculty water cooler- and one that is little understood by those outside that professional circle as well. Often seen as a network of defense for a good old boy" society of teachers that frequen tly fall below m inimum standards of achievem ent in education, tenure is, in practice, a code that takes great pains to protect the well-being of professors and students alike. And just such equal protectionism has, according to Southern Utah University Provost Terry Alger, been the goal of the university's tenure system ever since the first rookie instructor cracked a textbook at the head of a class on this Cedar City campus. T hough some details may vary considerably from institution to instit ution, th e concept of tenure is a universal one. In Southern Utah University terms, tenure is " that provision of cont inuous employmen t attained after completion of a probationary period during which the probationer's performance is fow1d to be an asset to the institution, according to the university's manual of policies and procedures. In other words, the term is a title of reward offered to a professor who remains "on the job" at an institution for a particular period of time-and who proves, throughout t hat probation period, that his or her skills are of value to the school in question. "Originally, tenure was designed to provide professors with academic freedom and financial security," Alger said. " It was an attempt to ma ke employment attractive to faculty members." In theory, the idea is a simple one: We'll give you a certain am ount of latitude in teaching your subjects as you see fit - if you prove yourself worthy to be a member of this faculty. Bu t in practice, demonstrating that point can be a difficult task indeed, even for the most experienced of college professors. According to Alger, a multi-level campus evaluation system has been designed with a single result in mind- putting all new professors through their rigorous paces as a way of monitoring their progress as they app roach the all-important tenure deadline. "There is a probation period of seven years for all of the u niversity's new professors," the provost said. "At the end of those seven years, the department in question will have a good deal of time invested in that faculty member, and will then be able to determine if II 11 institution's manual of policies and procedures, "The University is permitted, within the limits of academic freedom, statutory law, and constitutional law, the utmost discretion in determining who will be retained for tenure appointments so long as the institution does not act in an arbitrary or capricious manner. Nontenured or non-tenure-track faculty m embers may not be terminated for reasons which violate their academic freedom or legal rights." That definition gives department chairs a good deal of liberty in dealing with faculty m embers who do not meet the university's stringent educational requirements- and according to Alger, the institution has never been afraid to apply those criteria in building for the university a pool of the most qualified and successful instructors available. "In reviewing faculty members for tenure, we look at five areas: teaching effectiveness, scholarly activity, professional commitment, service to the university and t he general attitude toward work, students and colleagues, Alger said. " But is that to say that, if a professor meets minim al standards, he or she automatically gets tenure? The answer is probably no. "Say you are making a change from a two to a four-year college, or that you are in a position where you will be doing more academic work," he said. " In that case, you may not wan t to keep the professors you have-and the fact that a professor is as competent as the rest of the facul ty on campus will simply not be an adequate defense against his or her dismissal, " he added. Immunity from dismissal on such grounds is one of the most obvious rewards of earning tenured status at the university level; but other, less immediate blessings are sure to follow for campus professors as well. The awarding of tenure implies approval of- and a good deal of fa ith in- an instructor's style and methods of teaching; and that sense of belonging, of becoming an integral part of a faculty fa mily of scholars and friends, can also be a considerable motivating fa ctor for professors seeking full tenure status. But such significant rewards imply large responsibilities as well, Alger said; and as such, ten ured professors must continue to merit the university's faith in their university president and, finally, by the university's skills and abilities. Board of Trustees. According to the provost, instructors may be Students can become an informal part of this dismissed even after earning tenure status under process as well. Through participating in the yearly certain unusual circumstances- those including, as student evaluations made of all campus professors, listed by the policies and procedures manual, cause, students can make department heads aware of any bona fide program or unit discontinuance, or bona fide problems or inadequacies in the classroom- and heads can then consider those matters in making their financial exigency on the part of the university. Terms for dism issal under the cause" provision own evalua tions of the tenure candidate at hand. "Everything is a recommendation up to the Board of include, Alger said, professional incompetence, Trustees," Alger said of the evaluation process. "That serious misconduct or unethical behavior, a serious violation of the university's rules and regulations, and body makes the final decision in awarding tenure." substantially impaired performance for medical During the probation period, nontenured university professors can be dismissed for any reason based in (continued on page 23) good faith and judgm ent. According to the the individual is of sufficient merit to be an asset to the university. During that period, the institution has the utmost flexibility in determining if the individual has the qualities it wants and needs." During the seven-year probation period, Alger said, each tenure candidate is reviewed on an annual basis by the department chair and the department tenure committee in is or her area of instruction. Every three years, the professor is also evaluated by the college dean; and if the candidate is still being considered by the end of the probation period, he or she will face an evaluation by the university tenure committee, the 11 II |