| University of Houston Faculty Senate -
ARCHIVE DOCUMENT (from 1996) |
IX. Results of Faculty Survey on Tenure Issues
Method
Questionnaires were sent to 902 full-time faculty members during the first week of September, 1996. By September 17, 468 surveys were returned for a 52% response rate. A univariate frequency analysis was performed on all fixed-alternative items and are reported below in percentages. Missing (M) responses and not applicable (NA) are also noted.
Understanding of Tenure
Tenure at institutions of higher education has drawn attention from outside constituencies from time to time. This year appears to be another cycle of attention. For example, the Texas legislature is currently reconsidering terms of continuous employment and/or post-tenure review.
| 1. I understand the value of tenure to institutions of higher education. | Yes (94) | No (5) | M (1) |
| 2. The general public understands the value of tenure to institutions of higher education. | Yes (8) | No (85) | M (4) |
| The legislature understands the value of tenure to institutions of higher education. | Yes (10) | No (79) | M (4) |
Some want to eliminate tenure, some want to modify tenure, while others want no change at all. Please "grade" each alternative below using:
| A = Excellent | B = Good | C = Satisfactory | D = Poor | F = Unacceptable |
| I | II | III | ||
| 4. Alternative 1: Current Tenure System at UH. | ||||
| I (71) | II (16) | III (12) | M (2) | |
| 5. Alternative 2: Contracts for fixed period (e.g., 5-10 years), renewable after evaluation in specified increments of time. No lifetime guarantee of employment. | ||||
| I (26) | II (16) | III (56) | M (2) | |
| 6. Alternative 3: Mixed model - At time of hire, each faculty member selects either tenure track or contract with sabbatical and/or higher salary. | ||||
| I (26) | II (21) | III (48) | M (5) | |
Post-Tenure Review
Post-tenure review takes many forms, from an annual merit review to a formal process encompassing a longer period of time. Please answer the following questions regarding post-tenure review.
7. My department/college participates in a post-tenure review process: (Circle one letter)
| A. | Never (skip to question 9) | (22) |
| B. | Annually | (57) |
| C. | Every 2-3 years | (4) |
| D. | As needed | (11) |
| Missing | (7) |
8. I believe the currently used post-tenure review process in my department/college is:
| A. | Fair | Yes (49) | No (13) | No Opinion (11) | M (27) |
| B. | Effective | Yes (33) | No (24) | No opinion (14) | M (29) |
9. I believe a post-tenure review should: (Circle a response for each letter below)
| A. Be conducted at regular intervals | Yes (83) | No (10) | M (8) |
| B. Include both peer and administrative components | Yes (64) | No (26) | M (11) |
| C. Be a formal process as are promotion/tenure reviews | Yes (45) | No (44) | M (11) |
| D. Be used only for merit evaluations | Yes (47) | No (43) | M (10) |
| E. Be used to evaluate conditions of continuous employment | Yes (41) | No (47) | M (11) |
Effect of Tenure on Level of Effort
Please answer questions 10-12 only if you are currently tenured.
Since the granting of tenure imparts significant employment security to those to whom it is granted, it is possible for a faculty member's work emphasis to change from the pre-tenure period.
Since receiving tenure, my work effort in: (Circle one response for each question below)
| 10. Teaching has | increased (37) | remained the same (39) | decreased (2) | NA (21) |
| 11. Scholarship/ research has |
increased (36) | remained the same (35) | decreased (7) | NA (21) |
| 12. Service has | increased (58) | remained the same (18) | decreased (2) | NA (21) |
Many believe that tenure is abused. In your experience, abuse of tenure occurs in:
| 13. Teaching: | never (12) | occasionally (59) | often (11) | NA (15) |
| 14. Research: | never (9) | occasionally (53) | often (21) | NA (15) |
| 15. Service: | never (10) | occasionally (58) | often (14) | NA (15) |
| 16. Briefly describe the behaviors that you consider to be examples of tenure abuse: | ||||
What issues of the tenure debate would you like to discuss with the Tenure Issues Task Force at the Scholarship and Community Conference to be held on campus October 9?
| 17. Post-tenure review | (41) | M (59) |
| 18. Tenure abuses | (32) | M (68) |
| 19. Public/legislative perceptions of tenure | (44) | M (56) |
| 20. Alternatives to traditional tenure | (36) | M (64) |
| 21. Others: please specify | (8) | M (92) |
Personal Data:
| 22. College: All academic units were represented (ranging from 25 to 88 percent with 4 percent missing responses.) | |||||
| 23. Rank: | Assistant (15) | Associate (32) | Professor (44) | Others (4) | M (5) |
| 24. Tenured: | Yes (77) | No (22) | M (2) | ||
| 25. Total years at UH: Average was 14 years, +/- 9.2 years | |||||
| 26. Last year my time was spent approximately: | |||||
| Means | Teaching 42.4% | Research 36.6% | Service 22.8% | ||
| 27. Is there anything else you would like us to know about the current tenure issue? | |||||