Title: POST-TENURE REVIEW: POLICY DEVELOPMENT AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT          URBANA-CHAMPAIGN

Abstract

This study examines the post-tenure review policy development process carried out at the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana (UIUC). Four committees were convened to participate in the post-tenure review policy development process. Each committee consisted of tenured University of Illinois faculty. The Tenure Seminar committee and the Tenure Principles Committee consisted of faculty from each of the three University of Illinois campuses while the Tenure Issues and Faculty Review Implementation Committees consisted only of faculty form the UIUC campus.

Data were collected through interview with faculty from each of the four post-tenure review policy-related committees and from relevant documents. These documents included the final reports from each of the four participating committees and Urbana-Champaign Faculty Senate meeting minutes.

Findings indicated that the rationale for convening the Tenure Seminar Committee, and subsequently initiating the post-tenure review dialogue, was motivated by external factors. The policy development process consisted of the work conducted by four post-tenure review policy related committees between 1995 and 2000. The first two committees, the Tenure Seminar Committee and the Tenure Principles Committee, consisted of faculty members from each of the three University of Illinois campuses. The final two committees, the Tenure Issues Committee and the Faculty Review Implementation committee, consisted of faculty members form the Urbana Campus only.

Findings also indicated that faculty perception of post-tenure review was consistent across respondents. None of the respondents were opposed to the evaluation of faculty productivity after receiving tenure. However, perceptions of the creation of an actual post tenure review policy were mixed. Several respondents felt the policy would be redundant while others felt that the policy would be beneficial in establishing uniformity in tenured faculty evaluation.