Board of Regents Chancellor Roderick Groves has proposed a place for himself in the faculty tenure recommendations of the three Regency universities.

NIU Provost Kendall Baker said, “There is no (current) policy that specifies what the chancellor will review.” The proposal, which defines what Groves would review and what information he would need for tenure consideration, “is different than the current case,” Baker said.

Groves said he sent the proposal to the three Regency presidents in August as a preliminary item. “This was a draft protocol between myself and the presidents in regard to tenure positions,” he said.

The Northern Star obtained a copy of the proposal from Illinois State University. The Board of Regents governs NIU, ISU and Sangamon State University in Springfield.

NIU’s tenure process is outlined in the NIU Constitution and Bylaws. Faculty members are eligible for tenure after their sixth year at NIU, unless early recommendation results in an earlier tenure opportunity, Baker said.

NIU’s process is “elaborate and extensive” with a strong emphasis on faculty review, Baker said. Three committees review tenure recommendations: the faculty member’s department, their college and a university committee, he said.

After Baker reviews the recommendations, they are reviewed by NIU President John La Tourette and then the Board of Regents.

J. Carroll Moody, University Council executive secretary, said Groves’ proposal does not necessarily state that he wants or has to make the final decision in tenure positions.

“It seems to me to fit in and be consistent with the seemingly new push in the chancellor’s office,” Moody said. “The Board of Regents are becoming heavily involved with tenure positions.”

Tenure recommendations always have been reported to the Regents through the chancellor, Moody said. Moody referred to the tenure proposal as the chancellor’s office attempt at “micro-management.”

William Monat, former NIU president and Regents chancellor, said the proposal is not different from the existing policy. If a faculty member has three years of experience and early tenure is requested, the early tenure request must be justified, Monat said.

The proposal would insert Groves into the routine and how this would affect tenure recommendations “depends on how it is implemented. This could mean yet another level of review outside of the university,” Monat said.

ISU Provost David Strand said ISU’s normal tenure process involves department chairmen recommending faculty to the college.

The department and college’s recommendations are passed along to Strand, and he makes recommendations to ISU President Thomas Wallace. After he has reviewed them, Wallace passes the recommendations to the Regents.

In another Board matter, the Regents office announced Monday that the Board will delay action on another Groves’ proposal until at least October. Groves proposed changes at the July Regents’ meeting that have been labeled an attempt to limit the powers of the three Regency presidents.

Groves met with NIU’s Faculty Assembly and ISU’s Academic Senate two weeks ago to answer their questions about this proposal.