NIU faculty members voice views on tenure

By Penny Rynberk

This is the third story in a three part series on tenure. Today’s article focuses on some of the benefits of tenure.

Some NIU faculty members support the university’s tenure process despite strong opposition from others.

“Although I don’t always agree with the process, I do feel a definite need for (tenure),” said Walter Katkovsky, a faculty personnel adviser.

J. Carroll Moody, executive secretary of the University Council, said tenure is necessary to provide faculty with job security.

“It protects faculty from being fired just because a younger person could be brought in and paid less money,” Moody said.

Tenure also is necessary to protect academic freedom, said Orville Kersten, chairman of the Faculty Grievance Committee. It gives faculty the freedom to teach in the way they believe to be the most effective, he said.

“An example of an infringement of academic freedom is when a faculty member will want to use certain materials in class … sometimes the department chairman will want to use other materials,” Kersten said.

The biggest complaint against NIU’s tenure process stems from the opinion that evaluations for tenure positions are “bureaucratic.”

Evaluations are “not arbitrary, there is criteria,” defended Katkovsky.

“It is relatively fair,” Kersten said. “There will always be a case where someone isn’t happy.”

A popular complaint is that the department personnel committees, which conduct initial tenure evaluations, base their decisions on personalities, not accomplishments.

“Personality conflicts are rare,” Kersten said. “They are a minor consideration … tenure decisions are based on the facts.”

People also complain that faculty members take advantage of their secure tenured positions and eventually slack off.

“The faculty doesn’t slack off when they get tenure,” Katkovsky said. “Our society and university place a lot of pressure on someone to produce.”

Katkovsky also said that if faculty members decide to go for a position of full professorship, they continue to get evaluated annually. “This forces them to produce,” he said.

Sometimes a non-tenure decision is beneficial, Kersten said. “It moves a faculty member on to a university that is more aligned with their ability.”