The Case for Tenure

At a time when some institutions of higher learning are questioning the need for academic tenure and numerous state legislatures are considering its abolishment, Matthew W. Finkin presents a thorough and unapologetic case in defense of tenure. Finkin has culled materials from a variety of sources - economic analyses, judicial opinions, investigative reports, institutional studies, speeches, and personal essays - to survey the entire system of tenure from probationary appointment to retirement or dismissal for cause. To these views he adds his own commentary to illuminate what tenure means, and to clarify what it does and does not protect.
He places the need for tenure not only in historical perspective but also in the highly charged context of the contemporary campus.