A Different Kind of Chair

It's an idea whose time has come again, or so thinks David D. Perkins '51, Marquand Professor of English and American literature. He suggested to the Faculty Council last week that it consider establishing a tenured associate professorship.

Such a tenured rank existed until 1968. Since then all associate professors have not had tenure, but Perkins said this week he thinks it is time to bring back the position as a way for some departments--especially those in the humanities--to tenure younger scholars.

Noting that the English Department, which he chairs, has no tenured faculty under 40 years old, Perkins said, "I can't tell you what the right proportion (of old to young tenured faculty) is, but English has the wrong proportion."

Perkins said young scholars are "generally more in touch with the intellectual problems of their generation." He also stressed the "social and political" advantages of tenuring younger people, who "have different kinds of relationships" with junior faculty.

"It's reassuring to junior faculty to have someone closer to their own age" in the department, he added.

But departments are often reluctant to tenure young scholars who have not yet achieved prominence in their fields in part because of a concern over what departments at other universities might think of such appointments, Perkins said. "There is a fear of what the neighbors will say," he added.

Members of the Faculty Council are reluctant to express approval or disapproval of Perkins' plan. But several question whether the establishment of a tenured associate professorship might lower the standards for granting tenure.

Otto T. Solbrig, professor of Biology, said that while the new tenured position would probably bring more young people into departments, it could also lead departments to make more mistakes by tenuring untried scholars.

Perkins agreed that departments would be taking a greater risk in tenuring young scholars, like those in their 30s, but said it's a risk worth taking.

The Faculty Council reached no decision on the proposal and will continue to discuss it at the next meeting, March 19.