Faculty Senate discusses tenure
Procedures for firing tenured faculty members examined

By JASON ALT
Collegian Staff Writer

The University Faculty Senate probed what one professor called "one of the most difficult and distasteful things a University does" at its meeting yesterday.

The comment, made by John Nichols, chairman of the Standing Joint Committee on Tenure, kicked off discussion about how the University can clarify or change its current procedures for firing tenured faculty members.

Nichols explained that the University's termination policy for tenured faculty members is too vague, which could result in costly legal battles unless guidelines are defined better.

"We believe the University is unnecessarily exposed to financial liability," he told the Senate yesterday.

Faculty members who receive academic tenure cannot be dismissed by universities unless those institutions can demonstrate justifiable reasons. For example, tenured professors can be dismissed for reasons such as academic incompetence or grave misconduct.

In the past two years, the Standing Joint Committee on Tenure has heard three cases from tenured faculty members who were terminated.

"It's absolutely critical we put something in place as fast as we can," urged Leonard Berkowitz, faculty senator from Penn State York, who said present conditions make it too difficult for faculty members to determine what policy Penn State is required to follow.

The committee addressed several areas that the University's current tenure provisions do not specify and suggested updates to Penn State's policy so that it falls in line with other universities.

Committee members expressed concerns about the amount of time that elapses between when faculty members are dismissed and when their cases can be appealed.

"Penn State is the only major university that terminates first and then holds hearings later," Nichols said.

Instead, the committee recommended that University policy call for faculty members to be suspended during termination proceedings only if there is a threat of immediate harm to faculty or University property. Suspensions should be with full pay and benefits, the committee said.

But John Lilley, a faculty senator from Penn State Erie, said allowing professors to continue teaching on campus during termination procedures could complicate the process.

"Rarely is this a situation that doesn't involve students," Lilley said. "And students rarely are able to get both sides."

Some faculty senators worried about another justification that can lead to dismissal of tenured professors -- financial need. Regardless of their professional performance, tenured faculty members can still be terminated from the University if academic programs are eliminated or if economic conditions require drastic actions.

Penn State has never dismissed a tenured faculty member for financial reasons.

"I would like to put before the Senate that that will not be the case in the next several years," said Jacob De Rooy, faculty senator from Penn State Harrisburg. "Universities are now experiencing a more difficult economic climate than ever before. I am quite concerned that this will leave faculty tenure decisions in the hands of curriculum committees."

The committee also called for the Faculty Senate to avoid potential legal problems by more clearly defining criteria for academic incompetence, grave misconduct and other causes for termination.