ACTA in the NewsTenure
Has tenure outlived its usefulness?
It is heresy inside the academy to say such a thing, but absent some serious reforms, tenure deserves to go the way of the spinning wheel and the
WASHINGTON, DC—The head of Virginia Tech’s Board of Visitors has agreed to undertake the comprehensive review of the university’s controversial tenure and diversity policies that the American Council of Trustees and Alumni called for in a letter sent to board members.
In a telephone conversation with ACTA president Anne D. Neal, John R. Lawson, II acknowledged ACTA’s concerns about the tenure policies—those of the provost’s office already on the books as well as those being considered by the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. He promised that the board would review all the policies and examine the First Amendment and academic freedom issues they raise.
“The board is to be commended for recognizing its fiduciary responsibility to safeguard academic freedom and intellectual pluralism on campus,” said Neal. “We strongly urge it to perform the review in an open and transparent manner, making the results public.”
Since coming to light, Virginia Tech’s tenure guidelines have been called into question by the Foundation for Individual Rights Education, the National Association of Scholars and the editorial board of the Virginia Tech student newspaper.
The American Council of Trustees and Alumni is an independent non-profit dedicated to academic freedom, academic excellence and accountability. Since its founding in 1995, ACTA has counseled boards, educated the public and published reports about such issues as good governance, historical literacy, core curricula, the free exchange of ideas and accreditation in higher education.
It is heresy inside the academy to say such a thing, but absent some serious reforms, tenure deserves to go the way of the spinning wheel and the
ACTA's Emily Koons Jae and Bryan Paul recently sat down with Jenna Robinson, president of the James G. Martin Center for Academic Renewal, a nonprofit institute dedicated to improving higher education in North Carolina and the nation, to discuss the successes and shortcomings of higher ed reform in North Carolina.
Last week, the North Dakota House of Representatives passed HB 1446, creating a pilot program which would provide for post-tenure review of faculty members at two universities. The bill will now head to the Senate. The American Council of Trustees and Alumni (ACTA) has long held that tenure reform, if done well, will play a […]
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