Post-Tenure Review: What's Being Proposed

          After seeing the latest draft of DOE proposed language regarding continuing contract and post-tenure review at Florida’s public colleges, it’s obvious that Governor Rick Scott has declared war on Florida faculty. Among the proposals are the following:

• Minimum of FIVE years of service before eligibility for continuing contract;
• Each Board of Trustees will establish eligibility criteria for both continuing contract award and for post-award reviews;
•  After earning tenure, faculty members must undergo post-tenure review (how often is unstated and up to each board);
•  Each Board of Trustees must develop ways to measure student success because student success shall be included in continuing contract eligibility ;
•  Criteria for continuing contract shall include “quantifiable measured effectiveness,” “relevant feedback from students, faculty and employers of students” and the always popular “other criteria as shall be included by the board”;
•  Creation of a new category of NON-tenure track faculty;
•  The BOT may terminate a tenured professor “for failure to meet post-award performance criteria”;
• The BOT may terminate a tenured professor if a program is eliminated . . . with no possibility of retrenchment.

          Additionally, the BOT is to develop the student success criteria, which is to include (you guessed it) course completion, graduation/certification rates, success in subsequent courses, job placements, and “other criteria.” While the rule states that such policies shall be made after “ensuring that input has been received from the faculty,” we have all experienced what “receiving input” really means. Our administrators receive our input all the time; however, they are under no obligation to consider it when setting the criteria for tenure.

          In other words, folks, the state DOE is trying to gut the protections in our CBA by instituting a “rule,” not a law, which makes continuing contract harder to get and hold.  That the granting of continuing contract seems overly dependent on undefined “quantifiable measured effectiveness” is a serious problem. That the effectiveness of a faculty member is believed to be something that can be measured quantitatively, not qualitatively, puts us all the category of factory workers producing widgets. 

          The hearing on this rule is being held March 19, 2013, in Tallahassee. If you think, as we do, that the proposed rules changes will harm higher education, PSCFA urges you to post your thoughts on the DOE's website (https://www.flrules.org/gateway/ruleno.asp?id=6A-14.0411), contact your state congressman, AND contact

Chancellor Randy Hanna

Division of Florida Colleges

325 West Gaines Street

Tallahassee, FL