2008 Woodie Awards
Tenure: Why do we have it?
Editoral
Issue date: 2/11/05 Section: Opinion
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Ward Churchill is a name that has been in the news a lot since the beginning of this New Year. Churchill is a professor of ethnic studies at the University of Colorado in Boulder.
He has stirred up controversy with an essay titled, "Some People Push Back: On the Justice of Roosting Chickens."
In the essay, Churchill compares the 9/11 victims to Nazis and the terrorists are referred to as courageous, while our military are cowards.
On Feb. 3, during a special meeting of the Colorado regents, Churchill supporters shouted at the regents and the president of the university.
The meeting was forced to come to a close because with all the noise, nothing could be discussed.
According to a story at Denverpost.com, "Gov. Bill Owens has called on Colorado University to fire Churchill."
"Churchill, who recently resigned as chairman of the ethnic studies department but remains a tenured professor, said he would sue if he were dismissed," according to foxnews.com
One reason Churchill was not dismissed on the spot was the fact that he is a tenured employee.
Unfortunately, that gives him the cushion of knowing it will take a lot to get him dismissed even if he has pushed the envelope a little too far this time.
Tenure is common at universities and at some community colleges. According to the Amarillo College faculty handbook, tenure is defined as the confirmation by the board acting on the recommendation of the college president.
That faculty member may be removed only for adequate cause, for the discontinuance of a course of study or because of financial exigency.
We at The Ranger feel that tenure should not come with the mindset that "Now I can sit back and go with smooth sailing to retirement," because we pay to be taught well, and we should be.
In an article written by Danny Yeager called "Yes, we have no tenure at Texas A&M," it states:
"On July 26, 1996, during summer vacation, the System Policies of Texas A&M on Academic Freedom, Responsibility and Tenure were revised by the board of regents."
He has stirred up controversy with an essay titled, "Some People Push Back: On the Justice of Roosting Chickens."
In the essay, Churchill compares the 9/11 victims to Nazis and the terrorists are referred to as courageous, while our military are cowards.
On Feb. 3, during a special meeting of the Colorado regents, Churchill supporters shouted at the regents and the president of the university.
The meeting was forced to come to a close because with all the noise, nothing could be discussed.
According to a story at Denverpost.com, "Gov. Bill Owens has called on Colorado University to fire Churchill."
"Churchill, who recently resigned as chairman of the ethnic studies department but remains a tenured professor, said he would sue if he were dismissed," according to foxnews.com
One reason Churchill was not dismissed on the spot was the fact that he is a tenured employee.
Unfortunately, that gives him the cushion of knowing it will take a lot to get him dismissed even if he has pushed the envelope a little too far this time.
Tenure is common at universities and at some community colleges. According to the Amarillo College faculty handbook, tenure is defined as the confirmation by the board acting on the recommendation of the college president.
That faculty member may be removed only for adequate cause, for the discontinuance of a course of study or because of financial exigency.
We at The Ranger feel that tenure should not come with the mindset that "Now I can sit back and go with smooth sailing to retirement," because we pay to be taught well, and we should be.
In an article written by Danny Yeager called "Yes, we have no tenure at Texas A&M," it states:
"On July 26, 1996, during summer vacation, the System Policies of Texas A&M on Academic Freedom, Responsibility and Tenure were revised by the board of regents."