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> At many institutions, there are no actual legal or contractual barriers to dismissing tenured faculty. Tenure is nothing more or less than a gentleperson's ag
by gnicholas 4y ago
> At many institutions, there are no actual legal or contractual barriers to dismissing tenured faculty. Tenure is nothing more or less than a gentleperson's agreement. A social expectation.
What are some institutions where this is true? Are we talking 10% of institutions, or a more substantial number? I've read about many dismissals that were challenged, and I've never heard the institution defend itself on the grounds that tenure isn't actually guaranteed, but is just a social expectation.
- thwayunion 4y agoCertainly the minority, but a large one. > I've read about many dismissals that were challenged, and I've never heard the institution defend itself on the grounds that tenure isn't actually guaranteed, but is just a social expectation. Lots of colleges and universities have done layoffs and cut academic programs. They don't even say it's a social expectation, they just say they're laying off faculty and leave it at that, no explanation required. I've never actually heard of a role reduction successfully challenged. The usual cases that get contested are firing for cause, not layoffs. Also: note that even the AAUP allows universities to lay off tenured faculty. They just insist that the non-tenured faculty get axed first. Labor solidarity n'at.