Tenured positions, which tend to provide lifetime job security to those who maintain high teaching standards, are highly sought after. Those hired on a tenure track position are likely to have a secure job and a distinguished career at a university. However, not everyone who is assigned to the tenure track receives it, and those who are denied tenure may be curious as to why this offer of continued employment was not made. Some of these reasons are fairly obvious, such as a failure to publish a certain amount of material, but others are more nebulous or even criminal in nature.
When it comes to tenured positions, the “publish or perish” rule certainly applies. They must conduct research and/or publish a certain number of books or articles that will raise the university’s profile. Each department at a school may have its own set of requirements for how many and what types of publications are required, which are sometimes implied rather than stated. The best way to determine minimum requirements is to ask, or to look at the number and types of publications published those who have recently been granted tenure. People who do not meet these criteria are much more likely to be denied tenure.
Failure to demonstrate teaching ability is a perfectly valid reason for a professor’s tenure to be revoked. If the associate professor is constantly complaining about his or her classes, workload, or attitude toward students, it’s possible that he or she isn’t cut out to teach. To avoid this situation, it is recommended that people create strong teaching programs and establish good rapport with students.
Another area where associate professors may need to devote some time is to make improvements to their school. Changing the curriculum, implementing new programs that boost the school’s prestige, and making other changes could all be considered positive. Pushing through changes that are opposed senior faculty, on the other hand, is a surefire way to be denied tenure.
In fact, making enemies with senior faculty can be one of the reasons for a person’s tenure being denied. These are frequently the people who make decisions about tenure, and instilling strong negative feelings in them can be detrimental to a career. While many tenured professors are reasonable and willing to grant tenure to those with significant theoretical differences or differences in working styles, others are not and may harbor grudges. In some cases, tenure may be denied due to the associate professor’s lack of diplomacy or simply the unreasonable nature of tenured professors.
A professor’s tenure may be denied for a variety of reasons, some of which are more complex. Women are often denied tenure for less obvious reasons, according to studies, even in less gender-biased times. Because the reasons for these denials aren’t fully explained and appear to be gender biased, discrimination lawsuits are becoming more common. Those from various racial groups or ethnicities may face similar issues at some universities.
Denial of tenure can put an end to a professor’s career because it usually means he is no longer employable at the college where he was on the tenure track. This could mean that the professor transfers to a different school or takes a job that is not related to teaching. Many criticize the tenure process, arguing that each university department should establish specific criteria for granting tenure and then stick to them.