The Importance of Tenure

On February 21, one hundred students at Northwestern University watched as a couple demonstrated the use of a motorized sex toy after their class on human sexuality taught by Professor John Michael Bailey. The toy in question was, uh, unique: a reciprocating saw with a dildo attached. And yes, our lovely female demonstrator got her just desserts from the device run by her boyfriend (neither were students at the college).

Professor Bailey is quoted as saying, "Sticks and stones may break your bones, but watching naked people on stage doing pleasurable things will never hurt you." Apparently a lot of people disagree, and a nationwide hullabaloo ensued. The president of the college has opened an "investigation", and once again, people are talking about The Evils of Tenure.

Tenure refers to a professor's permanent job contract, guaranteeing employment except in instances of rather severe misconduct. Granted after a probationary period (typically about 7 years for larger universities) where the professor is continually evaluated, tenure is not easy to get. And it shouldn't be. But it is necessary.

The reason is simple: teachers must be able to teach, a wide variety of subjects and views, without fear of reprimand from administration. The teaching of unpopular ideas is integral to education, an activity which should stretch the minds of the students, exposing them to new ways of looking at the world. Without tenure, any teacher who discussed content which contradicted the opinion, views, or bias of the administration would be without a job.

You may think, so what? But think about this. Teachers have been fired for promoting the scientific idea that humans evolved from animals instead of the religious view of God making man. School administrators have gone up in arms over teachers who help students organize protests or make petitions to teach responsible sex instead of abstinence. Teachers have been fired for promoting tolerance of homosexuality. And the list goes on.

A discussion of The Evils of Tenure always focuses on the extreme examples of teachers pushing the boundaries - like mechanized sex toy demonstrations - but we can not forget that what it comes down to is freedom and the protection of that freedom from persecution by those who think different from us. While dominant ideology is still rather Puritan, thinking of sex as a dirty thing which should be relegated to the private bedroom of married couples, that is not how everyone thinks.

Prof. Bailey's students were told about the demonstration, explicitly made aware of its graphic nature, and given the option of attending or not with no impact to their grade. It was their choice. And if 100 adults want to watch two people going at it with a reciprocating saw, who's to stop them?

Okay, so I would never organize an event like this for my students, but not everything I do in class would be wildly popular among the more conservative. I've been known to let a four-letter word slip out. My socially liberal views are not exactly kept secret from my students. Some of the films we watch and books we read feature sex and drugs and violence and all those other controversial issues. And thanks to tenure, I can't be fired for holding an intelligent academic discussion on the evolution of sex scenes in film and how that relates to changing ideology.

I readily admit that tenure has its drawbacks, in particular protecting incompetent teachers from being fired. I know tenured professors who need to get the boot something fierce. But let's try to think of a solution that doesn't prohibit academic freedom. Maybe money? As it stands, a teacher's salary is determined by education and years of service. Excellence in teaching has nothing to do with it, so a crappy teacher who puts in minimal effort is paid the same as a creative, hardworking teacher. Yep, that makes sense.

Keep the standard pay scale, but offer bonuses for those teachers who are excelling in their career. It may sound callous, but money is a great motivator, and the possibility of more money may limit those lazy teachers who stop caring once they receive tenure. Of course, this could be used to curtail controversial instruction - no extra money to those who teach evolution - but for those of us who are passionate in our jobs, we'll teach our students to think outside the box even if we don't make the extra $5,000 a year.

Getting rid of tenure is not the answer. A school is teachers and students; the administration and staff should be there to ensure that those two groups of people have what they need to get the job done: the job of course being the education of the students. Removing tenure from colleges and universities puts too much power in the hands of too few people who can then ensure that every teacher is toeing the party line.

What do you guys think of tenure for college professors? Keep in mind when answering that I am not only tolerant of, but desirous of, opinions which differ from mine. I like debates, and the only way I can form definite opinions is if people disagree with me. Another reason I love professors who teach the controversial issues. :)