A Decent Proposal

For updated information on where HB 7193 is and where it is headed, visit this link:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Bills/billsdetail.aspx?BillId=46848&SessionIndex=-1&SessionId=66&BillText=&BillNumber=&BillSponsorIndex=0&BillListIndex=0&BillStatuteText=1007.33&BillTypeIndex=0&BillReferredIndex=0&HouseChamber=H&BillSearchIndex=0

I am well known for telling my students, as well as my own children, that responding to an unpalatable proposed change by simply saying "OH NO! DON'T DO IT!" is not the most effective method to make others listen to your case.  I heartily recommend proposing a solution to the problem that brought about the proposal, in the form of a better proposal, which addresses the same problem in a more logical way.

The employment of this technique seems very important in the current situation.  After all, ousting a few ineffective community college professors by eliminating tenure for all faculty is tantamount to using a sledge hammer to eradicate a pimple.  Let's get out some Oxy 10 instead and deal with the problem appropriately.

My proposal is built on the following tenets:

1. Tenure, as a tool to ensure academic freedom and support learning, is a good thing.
2. There are ineffective community college professors who have tenure.

Eliminating tenure may solve the problem (because ineffective professors may be more easily eliminated), but it won't solve the main issue, which is that ineffective teachers should not receive tenure in the first place.

Here's how it happens.  At some institutions (and these may be institutions of the past, having since made positive changes that wouldn't allow this to happen today), faculty are/have been granted tenure after serving a certain number of years at the college.  The process is somewhat hostile in that faculty can be denied tenure for the smallest of infractions, or with no justification at all.  Many faculty are granted tenure who should not be given this protection, but they have played their cards right for the allotted period of time, and here they are - tenured.

That is not the way things work at community colleges where a high value has been placed on learning.  I know of at least one institution where new tenure-track faculty are subjected to a strict regimen of faculty development courses to learn about outcomes-based practice, learning styles, diversity, rubric design, etc. leading up to a portfolio project that includes an action research component and, quite frankly, frightens me only slightly less than did my own doctoral dissertation on graph theory.  Not everyone gets tenure at the end, but anyone does who places a high value on the process and follows it with the appropriate focus on its importance.  Since this process was put in to place, I assure you, no dead wood has floated through the net.  Even better, the potential dead wood professor can be transformed into a highly effective teacher through the process.

Doesn't it make sense, rather than eliminating tenure for new contracts, to require a rigorous process such as the one I just described to faculty under new contracts?  Wouldn't this be closer to using an appropriate medicine on the pimple?

What do you think?

Salient Points: Why Tenuring Faculty is Student Centered

For the past 48 hours, I have been chained to my computer, reading everything I can find about tenure and academic freedom.  Most of the articles quoting lawmakers in favor of eliminating tenure in the Florida State College System make it clear that reporters, in general, don't understand what tenure is and what purpose it serves for students.  I was a little hazy on this topic as well before I attended the Community College Conference on Legal Issues.  I attended a session there on academic freedom, but tenure was also a major topic of conversation.  I was fascinated to learn what tenure is and is not, legally speaking.

Tenure is...
A guarantee of due process for faculty in support of academic freedom in the classroom and in research.  In other words, if I challenge students in class to consider ideas that differ from those upheld by my college administration, I am protected by my tenure regarding my use of academic freedom to encourage students to think critically and ask questions.

Tenure is not...
A guarantee of forever employment, nor is it a way to protect bad teachers from losing their jobs.  It does not allow me to behave inappropriately towards students or colleagues.

In my own words, tenure does not make me "furniture" at my institution.  Rather, it makes me the kind of teacher who is permitted to inspire my students to think, to question, and to act within their system of values.  Tenure has made me a good teacher, and my annual performance reviews confirm this fact.

Now, if you are going to write to your state representative, don't tell them what tenure means to ME.  Tell them what it means to you.  Some discussion points you may want to consider are listed here, but please feel free to use your own. Try to keep them focused on what ending tenure would mean to the students and to learning - not what it means to you personally.  Besides, you are a good teacher and your job is not in jeopardy, right?  But your students' learning is. 

1. Tenure was created to protect academic freedom and the right, no - the obligation of faculty to inspire students to think critically and ask important questions.  It is critical that faculty teach students to do these things.  We are educating tomorrow's future citizens.
2. Tenure is what allows faculty to innovate.   Asking questions and trying new things has led to countless developments in the industry of education.  Without it, innovation will suffer.
3. Think of a controversial topic you've discussed in class that may have been at odds with someone in your supervisory path.  Without tenure, you may not have felt able to share ideas with students and inspire them to think.   Share this story in your letter.
4. Teaching at a community college is a calling for many people.  But many of the best community college teachers are actively recruited by universities hoping to boost the performance of their lower-division students.  A good percentage of these instructor positions carry tenure.  Does it make sense to not entice the most talented teachers to stay at the institutions where they can be of service to the students who need them the most?

Those are just a few thoughts I have for now.  Please comment and share other ways to express your clear, cohesive, logical thoughts on this with your representative.  These folks are most often not from the educational field and it is our job to educate them about this issue.  Let's take that seriously.

It has been suggested to me that it might be helpful to develop a "canned communication" to share with folks who may not have the time and inclination to write their own letter but would be happy to forward something on.  I'd love to do this, but I need some help.  Please contact me if you are willing to help out with this!  Thanks.

How to Find Your State House Representative

Go here:
http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/representatives/representatives.aspx

It's difficult to find your rep simply by searching - many counties have multiple reps.  I used the "Find Your Representative" option to type in my home address, which brought up the contact information for my representatives at the state and national level.

You want to contact your State House Representative.  The next post will tell you what are, to me, the salient points that faculty and others may wish to stress.  I welcome comments adding points that will help make our case for academic freedom for students.  Please contribute if you have ideas! 

Here I Stand in Defense of Academic Freedom. Feel Free to Stand With Me.

Disclaimer - all opinions expressed within this blog are MY OWN and do not represent those of Valencia Community College or any other organization. 

On Friday, March 25, 2011, the Florida State House of Representatives introduced the following bill aimed at eliminating tenure in the state of Florida for state college faculty:

http://myfloridahouse.com/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?PublicationType=Committees&CommitteeId=2609&Session=2011&DocumentType=Proposed%20Committee%20Bills%20(PCBs)&FileName=PCB%20KCOS%2011-03.pdf

On Tuesday, March 29, 2011, the House subcommittee on K-20 Competitiveness voted 8-4 to approve the bill.  The bill still has to go through a longer process before it can become law.

This link is to the latest Orlando Sentinel article addressing the proposed bill.

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/features/education/os-tenure-community-colleges-20110329,0,6829648.story

I am a faculty member at Valencia Community College, currently serving as President of the Faculty Association until May 19, 2011.  I am starting this blog with several goals in mind.

1. Keep faculty at Valencia and other colleges informed about the issue.
2. Form a united faculty front to fight this bill before it becomes law.
3. Prepare to rally against the bill should it become law.

My next blog post will detail how to find your representative, how to contact your representative, and the salient points that faculty may wish to use in their communication with representataives.

Finally, a plea. I cannot do this alone.  I need my eloquent colleagues from around Florida to help me out.  I am keeping comments open on this blog.  Pipe in and join the battle.