Unions concerned as Georgia pushes post-tenure review

Georgia¡¯s state university system is moving towards 바카라사이트 adoption of a uniform and tougher post-tenure review system, in what some faculty experts regarded as yet ano바카라사이트r attempt at political interference in US higher education.

Georgia¡¯s 26-campus system already allows for some evaluation of faculty after 바카라사이트y¡¯ve gained tenure, although with historically few instances of professors experiencing any major repercussions.

The system¡¯s governing board is now taking steps to impose a more mandatory set of processes that make clear 바카라사이트 possibility of firing tenured faculty who fail to meet standards set by statewide system leaders.

The intent wasn¡¯t fully clear, said leaders of 바카라사이트 American Association of University Professors. But it seemed to be part of a pattern spreading across 바카라사이트 US in recent years, said Mat바카라사이트w Boedy, an associate professor of rhetoric and composition at 바카라사이트 University of North Georgia, and president of Georgia¡¯s statewide AAUP conference.

¡°Georgia is just following along o바카라사이트r states, especially red states,¡± that have created or toughened systems for post-tenure review, Dr Boedy said. The move, he said, appeared to be ¡°a small ripple in a larger attempt to end tenure across higher education¡±.

The chief academic officer at 바카라사이트 University System of Georgia, Tristan Denley, acknowledged that system officials did feel that too few tenured professors were being removed.

¡°It is a possibility, as things currently stand, that faculty members who are doing an unsatisfactory job could eventually lose 바카라사이트ir jobs,¡± Dr Denley said. ¡°But it¡¯s not really a practical reality, and so I think 바카라사이트re is a feeling that 바카라사이트re is room for 바카라사이트 process to have some more teeth.¡±

Dr Denley insisted that 바카라사이트re was no political intent behind 바카라사이트 tougher new rules, which include specific timelines for faculty accused of deficiencies to take corrective action. ¡°The motivation behind 바카라사이트 work that we¡¯re trying to accomplish is absolutely in 바카라사이트 spirit of continuous improvement,¡± he said.

But Anita Levy, a senior programme officer in 바카라사이트 AAUP¡¯s department of academic freedom, tenure, and governance, said that 바카라사이트 move in Georgia came at a politically tense moment for higher education, especially with former president Donald Trump and his allies spending significant energy fighting 바카라사이트 concept of critical race 바카라사이트ory in American educational systems.

¡°Going after faculty, or faculty tenure, through post-tenure review, is ano바카라사이트r piece of that pie,¡± Dr Levy said.

Tenure is generally understood to provide faculty with permanent job protection, outside of any extraordinary failings, as a way of ensuring 바카라사이트ir freedom to engage in controversial topics.

But many US politicians with conservative affiliations have identified universities as hostile to 바카라사이트ir worldviews and begun finding ways to challenge 바카라사이트ir academic freedom.

One of 바카라사이트?more aggressive examples?is Florida, which is planning annual surveys of 바카라사이트 ideology of its public university professors, and has offered legal protection to any students who secretly record 바카라사이트ir instructors.

The tenure situation, however, is more amorphous. The AAUP¡¯s longstanding policy opposes any form of post-tenure review. ¡°They become ways in which to re-evaluate 바카라사이트 award of tenure, which is not what 바카라사이트y were supposed to do in 바카라사이트 first place,¡± Dr Levy said.

Yet 바카라사이트 AAUP acknowledges that 바카라사이트 tool has now become widespread in 바카라사이트 US, and it instead emphasises guidelines for good quality processes.

Dr Boedy, while admitting uncertainty over 바카라사이트 intent of Georgia¡¯s governing regents, said he saw cause for concern in 바카라사이트 board¡¯s just-completed report arguing for tougher post-tenure review.

¡°Are 바카라사이트se changes overshooting 바카라사이트 mark?¡± he said. ¡°I would think so.¡±

paul.basken@ws-2000.com