A Proposal for Tenure
Over the years there are certain recurrent themes in Valley News articles regarding Dartmouth. One is the denial of tenure. Recently we heard about a woman scholar, popular among students, who was not granted tenure and whose supporters are protesting the decision. Another theme is the ongoing struggle between the college administration and the fraternities. While the former problem is usually treated by the college with a variety of explanations, the latter has provoked a costly effort to build residential colleges that will provide social venues other than the fraternities.
As someone educated in a residential college system, and who belonged to the equivalent of a fraternity, I have a better idea that would solve both problems at little or no cost.
First, in addition to the traditional system of tenure that is based mainly on scholarship, the college needs to establish a system whereby tenure could be given to outstanding educators. Second, we need a rule whereby fraternities would be given recognition by the college only if they reconfigured their residential facilities to include an apartment for a faculty adviser. Dartmouth could easily afford the capital cost and rent paid to the fraternity. The job of the adviser would be to keep reasonable order, and to elevate the cultural and moral tone of the establishment.
Then, if an excellent teacher and mentor of students did not achieve traditional tenure, he or she could be offered tenure in the educator track. This, in addition to regular professorial duties, would include living in a fraternity, organizing cultural programs, and advising its members how to behave.
Vijay M. Thadani
Norwich