The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, April 21, 1977, Image 1
?AMECOCK
Thursday, April 21, 1977 University of South Carolina, Columbia, S.C. Vol. LXVIH, No. 46
I For pro!
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tnepres
The security of
By CYNTHIA CONNOLLY
Gamecock Staff Writer
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i ne security oi tenure is much
desired for many professors.
Tenure means that a professor
cannot be dismissed without a trial
and valid explanation. It also
determines salary increases,
whether the professor receives
research grants or is chosen to
represent the university at
national meetings, said William
Wesson, vice president of instructions.
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associate, assistant or full
professor on probation "may be
discharged at any time without
statement as to the cause,"
Wesson said.
Depending on the professor's
status, the probation for nontenured
period ranges from four to
six years. The professor may
initiate tenure procedures each
probation year, but if denied in the
final year, dismissal is automatic
with one year's notice.
One professor who was granted
tenure after repeated attempts,
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sure sta^
tenure can be I
said he believes that tenure
evaluation is based more on
personal opinions than objective
guidelines. "Supposedly, each
department has goals that are
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su|^ui icu uy uie aaminisiration,
but these goals aren't always
clearly defined. There's a lot of
politics involved." He said a
person otherwise eligible for
tenure may not get it because of
personality conflicts with the
department chairman or other key
faculty members. He said he was
criticized for not coming out of his
office and socializing more.
"They play politics with the
records (the file prepared by the
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See TENURE page 3
it tenure,
re on
lard to get
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