Tenure
B
ring up the topic of tenure
to a room of academics,
and then step back—a
heated debate is bound to
ensue. Many educators hold that
tenure offers needed support and
protection for faculty and allows
them to establish themselves at their
institutions; others see it as a rigid,
expensive practice that is rooted in
the past and has outlived its usefulness. Here, Villanova's John Pearce
and Texas Tech's James Wetherbe
weigh the pros and cons of tenure in
the 21st century.
th i n kstock
Does tenure protect
academic freedoms
and allow professors
to put down roots
at their institutions?
Or does it restrict
growth and stifle
innovation?
BizEd September/October 2013
31
