By Alan Janesch
Public Information
The University Faculty Senate last week heard lengthy debate on a proposal to expand existing Senate-mandated annual performance reviews of tenured faculty by adding a formal review that would take place every five years.
The intent of the proposal, brought to the floor at the Senate's final meeting of the semester on April 28, is to create an "extended review" that puts a faculty member's achievements in a larger context by looking at a five-year period of achievement and by asking the faculty member to outline future plans. It is not a system for "re-tenuring" or "de-tenuring" already tenured faculty members, according to information on the Senate's Web site at http://www.psu.edu/ufs/hr40html.html.
Tenure, according to a document from the American Association of University Professors, is granted to colleges and university faculty members to protect their right to do research and speak freely on issues without fear of retaliation, and to attract faculty members who might otherwise take higher-paying jobs in industry or business.
Under the proposal, the extended review:
-- would be done by a group of faculty peers, rather than by a department or campus administrator;
-- would invite faculty members to present any materials or evidence of achievement, contributions or projections for the future they believe relevant for the review, rather than being limited to the annual activity reports that the annual administrative reviews are based on; and
-- would give faculty members being reviewed an opportunity to respond to the review in writing.
During the hourlong discussion, some Senate members spoke in favor of the extended review. But others spoke against it, arguing that the new proposal would not add any substantial positive benefit; that it would force unnecessary restrictions on departments that are already doing multi-year reviews; and that it would chip away further at the already beleaguered tenure system. The proposal "can be read as the end of tenure," said Jonathan Phillips, a professor of chemical engineering.
But Robert Secor, vice provost for academic affairs and personnel, said that the Senate proposal would "protect the tenure system we have" and would in no way be used to undermine tenure. Post-tenure review policies are being instituted nationwide, Secor said, in the face of attacks on higher education in the political arena and the general public's concerns about accountability within the tenure system.
Over a three-month period, the Senate's Committee on Faculty Affairs has been discussing the extended review proposal, and making adjustments, deletions and additions based on feedback from Senate members, before giving the proposal its support and voting it out of committee.
The proposal was presented to the Senate by the Senate Committee on Faculty Affairs. Murry Nelson, chair of the committee and professor of education and American studies, said the proposal is a draft that will change in response to further faculty comments. It will be brought up again for a final decision when Senate meetings resume in the fall and then be presented as a recommendation to the University administration.
In another tenure-related issue, the Senate voted to recommend to the University new procedures that strengthen the position of faculty members facing potential termination for adequate cause. The revised policy will protect faculty who may be facing termination proceedings for cause and "does not create a new power to terminate tenured faculty," said Robert D. Richards, Senate faculty affairs committee member and associate professor of communications and law.
The proposal recommends revising current tenure and promotion policy (HR-23) in several ways, including:
-- clarifying that a hearing should be held before termination;
-- specifying that suspensions of faculty members with charges of misconduct against them be made only with full pay and benefits and only in the case of potential harm to people and property; and
-- putting the burden of proving adequate cause on the University.
In other business, the Senate discussed the possibility of automatic electronic deductions from faculty and staff paychecks for overdue library materials. The Senate's next meeting will be held in the fall, on Sept. 15, at 1:30 p.m. in Room 112 Kern Building on the University Park campus.