Chronicle Online May 2, 2007
By Susan Lang
Although it serves several important functions, tenure largely does not provide the academic freedoms it was intended to confer, according to two Cornell professors who have conducted the first survey of faculty opinions about whether tenure continues to promote "honest judgment and independent criticism," key elements of the essence of academic freedom.
The study found that "Having tenure was not associated with a greater willingness to speak one's mind or publish controversial findings," said Wendy M. Williams, Cornell professor of human development, who conducted the study with Cornell colleague Stephen J. Ceci and Katrin Mueller-Johnson, Cornell Ph.D. '05, now at the Institute of Criminology, University of Cambridge.
The study is published in a recent issue of Behavioral and Brain Sciences.
The researchers asked 1,004 professors from of all ranks and many disciplines from around the country (derived from an e- mailing to a random sample of 2,700 professors) how they would act and how they believed lower-ranked faculty members would act concerning teaching courses disfavored by senior colleagues, conducting controversial research or whistle-blowing unethical behavior.
They found that the respondents "were more timid than we expected, rarely confronting departmental colleagues who disagreed with the content of their research and teaching. Interestingly, everyone thought that everyone else would behave more boldly than they themselves would," Williams added.
Their conclusions: "Tenure promotes a better quality workforce and is associated with better graduation rates among undergraduates, but it is not living up to its original promise ... getting tenure does not liberate professors to exercise the freedoms of speech, writing and action," the researchers wrote.
"Not only are assistant professors 'muzzled' by the fear of displeasing senior colleagues but so are associate professors with tenure. They are significantly less likely than full professors to exercise academic freedom for a 'hush time' of 10 to 20 years or more, from the time they get their Ph.D. until they are promoted to full professor," Ceci said.
One positive finding was that the so-called renegade tenured professor -- one who would block a candidate's tenure appointment by instilling fear among colleagues of the candidate's future selfish or irresponsible behavior -- turned out to be a myth. "Most professors lack the moxie or desire to become renegades," he added.
Academic freedom should mean that professors with tenure act without fear of reprisal for controversial behavior, the researchers said.
"Sadly, tenure does not appear to confer such freedom," Williams said. "In fact, some professors appear more concerned with remaining in their senior colleagues' good graces than they are with maintaining ethical standards."