Post-Tenure Review Comments due 3/9

Post-Tenure Review Comments due 3/9

The Florida Board of Governors (BOG) revised the post-tenure review draft last week (click on Chapter 10 under post-tenure review). Please read the revised draft (which includes track changes). Comments are due by Thursday, March 9th. Public comment is currently open. Everyone (i.e., faculty, staff, students, friends, family, business leaders, community members, etc.) should thank the BOG for revising the original proposed regulation and then provide feedback on the revised proposed regulation. Below I summarized some of the talking points in our op-ed to help those interested in commenting on the post-tenure review regulation:

  • Florida is ranked No. 1 in higher education according to U.S. News & World Report, and as such, delivers high-quality education, produces high graduate earners, and provides 4.5 times the return on investment to Florida’s economy (through grants, community outreach, and intellectual property with monetary value). This regulation stresses Florida’s higher education system, which will negatively impact the above achievements. Most importantly, it will negatively impact student success and return on investment. Ultimately, these effects will trickle down and negatively impact businesses that recruit students.
  • Universities achieve a strong return on investment because they have already successfully balanced faculty academic freedom with accountability. Additional oversight will jeopardize this balance.
  • The proposed post-tenure review regulation increases administrative oversight and costs for universities, directly impacting what universities can do for students. 
  • The proposed regulation punishes faculty who challenge the status quo, offer new perspectives, and create new knowledge, which are significant drivers of universities’ return on investment to Florida’s economy.
  • There is a nationwide standard for tenure, which means that the proposed regulation will discourage faculty from applying to Florida universities. It is significantly more expensive to replace employees than retain them because new employees often have less experience and knowledge of their areas of expertise. As such, the proposed regulation risks the prestige of public universities.