GSE Study Examines Tenure

Led by Professor of Higher Education Richard P. Chait, researchers at the Graduate School of Education (GSE) are beginning a series of studies on tenure in colleges and universities.

The undertaking is the second part of an expansive study of faculty employment policies and practices begun in 1995 in collaboration with the American Association for Higher Education.

The project, entitled New Pathways II: the Harvard Project on Faculty Appointments, is being funded by a $1.9 million grant from Pew Charitable Trusts, a philanthropic organization in Philadelphia.

Ellen Wert, the program officer in education for Pew Charitable Trusts, said the research project contains three main pieces--a database, 10 research projects and a report for policy makers and the media.

In the first part, researchers will create a CD-ROM archive of the faculty power structures at a random sampling of 211 colleges and universities across the country.

Additionally, Harvard researchers will work with 10 colleges and universities to create a common system for reporting data on tenure.

The institutions, each receiving a $5,000 grant, include the University of Arizona, Ithaca College and Kansas State University.

Vice Provost for Academic Personal at the University of Arizona Elizabeth Z. Ervin said the institutions represent a cross-section of higher education.

"[The researchers] were trying to get a good variety of the different kinds of institutions that exist," Ervin said. "One of the points is to establish databases that can talk across our differences."

In the second part, Harvard faculty will complete 10 different research projects, ranging in topics from alternative approaches to tenure to an examination of the employment structures of foreign universities. In some cases, recommendations may be the final products of the research.

The final part of the project includes a report addressed to the media and policy-makers which will outline the issues relevant to the ongoing tenure debate.

Wert said that Pew Charitable Trusts decided to support Chait because of his impartial view of the contentious issues surrounding tenure in higher education.

"What gives us so much confidence in him is he doesn't have a particular axe to grind," Wert said.

Robert Schwartz, lecturer on education, said the studies are particularly relevant because the number of tenured faculty across the country is dwindling.

"In the last few years [there has been] a substantial growth of faculty that are not tenured," Schwartz said.

Citing economic concerns and the need for flexibility within departments, Wert said renewable contracts, part-time employees and one-year appointments are becoming more frequent.

Although conducted by Harvard researchers, no part of the project focuses on the University.

Ervin said she felt the project would be relevant to all schools, even though Harvard is very different than many larger or less selective institutions.

"I think the issues that exist at Harvard are not unique to Harvard," Ervin said.

Recently, faculty and students at Harvard have criticized the administration for a tenure review process that is allegedly arbitrary and stacked against junior faculty.

Although the chairs initiate tenure review for faculty within their departments and senior faculty give recommendations about the candidates, President Neil L. Rudenstine makes the final decision. Harvard offers tenure to 21 percent of its junior faculty.