News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Tennessee Tech University approved its tenure policy for faculty members during the Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday.
The new policy includes clarification on if a tenured employee at TTU can be terminated or have their tenure revoked.
TTU President Phil Oldham said either path could be likely if action is needed.
“I think policy would allow any of those opportunities,” Oldham said. “I think it would largely depend on the circumstances of removal of tenure. It could be by mutual consent that the individual remain employed or some other provision. More often than not, they probably would not have continued employment.”
Board of Trustees Chairman Tom Jones said he’s not a huge fan of the new policy but knew it was needed.
“Personally, as I’ve said before, I’m not thrilled with this policy completely,” Jones said, “but I think it’s necessary to approve it and have it in place because we have none. This gives the provost [and] the university the chance to develop a Tennessee Tech policy, which is what we need.”
Vice Chair Trudy Harper said having a new board and a new provost helps prove the need for a new tenure policy. The current policy and revisions were made based on outdated standards set by the Tennessee Board of Regents.
“I think it’s probably time… to stop and be a little clearer on what we’re really wanting tenure to mean, what we want people to achieve to get to tenure, and just be a little less cumbersome in the administration of the policy,” Harper said.
TTU’s previous policy was created before TBR shifted their focus to community colleges.
Harper moved to have Oldham review the current tenure policy to clarify the process, meaning, and necessary termination of tenure at TTU. The board voted unanimously to approve Harper’s motion.
