Tenure at U Minnesota (fwd)
Peter Smagorinsky (psmagorinsky who-is-at ou.edu)
Sat, 14 Sep 96 09:37:12 -0500
>>>Dear colleagues,
>>>
>>>I ask your help in an urgent matter that affects the entire academic
>>>profession. On Sept. 5, the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota
>>>rejected a compromise proposed by the Faculty Senate on revisions of the
>>>tenure code and unilaterally proposed a revision that would effectively
>>>eliminate tenure. They will vote on this proposal, which has been vigorously
>>>opposed by the faculty, on Oct. 10. Our President, Nils Hasselmo, at first
>>>encouraged the regents to make our tenure code "more flexible," then with
>>>mounting resistance by the University Faculty Alliance, an incipient faculty
>>>union, has now taken on the posture of heroic academic freedom. Some key
>>>provisions of the Regents' proposal allow for:
>>>
>>>(1) Firing faculty in case of program change
>>>(2) Reductions in base pay
>>>(3) Rigorous post tenure reviews for all faculty
>>>(4) Discipline, including dismissal, of faculty for such offenses as failure
>>> to "maintain a proper attitude of industry and cooperation with others
>>> within and without the University community."
>>>(5) Elimination of current grievance rights
>>>
>>>A statement issued by the Faculty Consultative Committee summarizes the
>>>damagethat will be done by the Regents' proposed changes.
>>>
>>>"The tenure revision proposal under consideration by the Board of Regents
>>>undermines the commonly accepted principles of academic freedom. If
>adopted, it
>>>will quickly and inevitably destroy our reputation, our competitive
>>>position, and our ability to serve the citizens of Minnesota.
>>>Contrary to the claims of the outside lawyers and consultants engaged by the
>>>Regents, the proposed tenure revisions are drastically outside the norms
>>>of Big 10 and other leading research universities. The revisions allow for
>>>virtually unlimited administrative arbitrariness in layoffs and salary
>>>reductions, and effectively demolish the protections to academic freedom
>>>afforded by tenure.
>>>
>>>Academic freedom is of primary benefit not to professors, but to society. It
>>>allows faculty to do the novel research and develop the unconventional ideas
>>>that challenge current wisdom, improve our quality of life, and move
>>>civilization forward. Tenure, granted only after years of rigorous testing
>>>of probationary faculty, embodies the rules that protect academic freedom.
>>>Tenure does not protect faculty from sanctions (including removal) if
they are
>>>seriously derelict in their duty. But it must protect them from arbitrary
>>>actions by vindictive or short-sighted administrators, or pressures from
>>>external interest groups."
>>>
>>>*************************************************************************
*****
>>>
>>>If tenure is eliminated at Minnesota, it will not be long before it
>>>disappears elsewhere as well.
>>>
>>>*************************************************************************
*****
>>>
>>>Please contact the Regents as soon as possible, urging them to reject this
>>>destructive proposal. Write to: Board of Regents,
>>>University of Minnesota, 220 Morrill Hall, Minneapolis MN 55455 and/or
>>>phone:>612-625-6300. The Regents' proposal is available on the net:
>>>http://www.umn.edu/urelate/news.html
>>>
>>>Please forward this appeal to as many people as possible.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>Allen J. Bard
>>>Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
>>>The University of Texas at Austin
>>>Austin, TX 78712
>>>Phone (512)471-3761 FAX (512)471-0088