Renewing our commitment to tenure, academic freedom, and shared governance to navigate challenges in higher education

Higher education is in a period of dramatic transformation as a result of changes in the U.S.A. and disruptive technologies. Institutions must swiftly respond to those changes, but if decisions are not made collaboratively, then institutions risk losing one of their greatest assets: faculty members’ insight and expertise. Tenure, academic freedom, and shared governance have promoted faculty voice and benefited universities for decades. Specifically, tenure and shared governance help universities draw on the ideas, interests, and expertise of faculty to meet institutional goals and face external challenges. It is in institutions’ best interests to formally protect and informally promote faculty voice by formally protecting tenure and shared governance. This should reduce turnover, increase productivity, and help institutions respond to broader changes.