Tenure Was Invented to Protect Unpopular Ideas
Tenure is the holding of a position. In universities it means permanent appointment, designed to let academics say things people dislike.
Tenure is the holding of an office, a position or land. Academic tenure exists for a specific reason: an academic who cannot be dismissed for their conclusions can pursue unpopular research, and the American Association of University Professors set out that argument formally in 1915 after a string of dismissals over political views. It protects the argument, not the person's comfort.
- The holding of a position. *During his tenure as chair.*
- Permanent academic appointment. *She was granted tenure.*
- Land holding. *Feudal tenure.*
- Security of tenure — legal protection for occupiers. *Security of tenure for tenants.*
- Tenure track — the path towards it. *A tenure-track post.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | tenure | A short tenure. |
| Plural | tenures | Different tenures. |
| Adjective | tenured | A tenured professor. |
| Related | tenant | A sitting tenant. |
| Latin root | tenere | To hold. |
- Her tenure lasted eleven years.Time in a role.
- He was denied tenure and left the university.Academic.
- Reforms changed the terms of land tenure.Property.
Arguments about academic tenure
- For — protects controversial research from political pressure
- For — allows long projects that will not produce quick results
- Against — can shelter people who stop being productive
- Against — creates a sharp divide with insecure junior staff
- In practice — many countries never adopted it and use fixed contracts instead
Anglo-French *tenure*, from Old French *tenir*, to hold, from Latin *tenere*. English used it for land holding from the 1300s; the academic sense is American and twentieth-century.
What does tenure mean in a university?
A permanent appointment that can normally be ended only for serious cause, intended to protect academic freedom.
Does tenure exist everywhere?
No. It is strongly associated with American universities. Many countries use permanent contracts with different protections.