Minutes of a Regular Meeting, June 22-23, 2004 - Digital Collections

REGENTS’ POLICY MANUALSECTION 2—ACADEMICS(c) During the probationary period, a tenure-track faculty member should have the academic freedom thatall other members of the faculty have.Definitions(a) The term “tenure” means continuous reappointment to an achieved academic rank in accordance withthe 1947 action of the Board of Regents. It is hereinafter understood that tenure must be granted ordenied by specific action of the Board of Regents. Tenure is designed as a means to protect the academicfreedom of faculty members. This is to say, tenure is a means to assure unfettered, unbiased,unencumbered search, verification, and communication of truth by professional scholars and teachers.Tenure is designed to provide faculty members with freedom from political, doctrinaire, and otherpressures, restraints, and reprisals which would otherwise inhibit the independent thought and actions intheir professional responsibility of search, verification, and communication of truth.(b) The term “probationary period” refers to the period of employment in an academic rank prior to thetime tenure is granted for those faculty hired as tenure-track faculty. Notwithstanding different uses ofthe term elsewhere (as in some statements of the American Association of University Professors), theprobationary period does not include any period of employment following the awarding of tenure.(c) The term “prior service” means academic employment at an institution of higher education (includingThe University) before the first appointment in the effective probationary period as a tenure-track facultymember at the University.3.7.2 Eligibility for Tenure(a) All tenure-track faculty of the University of assistant professor or above are eligible for tenure.(b) It is understood that a faculty member who has been granted tenure by the University, and thereafteraccepts an administrative post within the University, retains tenured status as a member of the faculty.(c) When an initial appointment is made to a position which is primarily administrative but carries with itacademic rank of assistant professor or above, specific understanding should be reached at the time ofoffer with the individual concerned and agreed to in writing by the Senior Vice President and Provost, thedean, the chair/director, and the faculty of the appropriate academic unit as to whether the individual willbe reviewed for tenure at the proper time and what conditions must be met before there is tenureeligibility.Whenever a tenure-track faculty member during the probationary period assumes primary administrativeresponsibilities, agreement should be reached in the same manner. Likewise, whenever an administratoris given academic rank at any time following the initial appointment, the same would apply.(d) It is understood that a faculty member who has been granted tenure by the University and thereafterchanges from full-time appointment to a volunteer or part-time faculty appointment forfeits tenured statusunless the change is temporary or results from the faculty member’s being in phased retirement.3.7.3 Probationary Periods(a) The “Contract of Employment” furnished to a candidate for appointment to a tenure-track facultyposition shall specify, in addition to the rank and salary, the length of the probationary period entailed inthe appointment and any special conditions pertaining to the appointment. All such conditions must beset forth in writing by the Senior Vice President and Provost whenever any faculty appointment isoffered.THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 37