Tenure Policies and Practices of American Evangelical Colleges and Universities Part 1: Introduction

Abstract

This study was designed to ascertain the tenure policies and practices of member institutions in the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities. It first sought to determine (a) how many CCCU schools grant tenure, (b) why and on what basis tenure is granted, and (c) how the tenure policies and practices of these CCCU schools line up with the American Association of University Professors 1940 Statement on Academic Freedom and Tenure. Secondly, the study also looked at (a) how many schools do not grant tenure, (b) why they do not grant tenure, and (c) what faculty retention policies are utilized in place of tenure on these campuses. The results show that tenure is a dominant faculty retention policy in place within the circles of the Christian schools studied, but they also showed that alternate policies of term contracts are being utilized in great numbers.