The productivity of faculty members often figures prominently in annual evaluations, post-tenure reviews, and decisions about tenure, promotion, merit pay, release time, awards, and other kinds of recognition. Yet the procedures and instruments that institutions use to assess productivity and merit vary, leaving little that unifies the evaluation…

Provides a case study of the use of departmental peer review at the University of Rhode Island, focusing on the differing attitudes toward the peer review process held by tenured and untenured faculty, the apprehension of women and minority faculty toward the process, and the "ratcheting up" of the research and publication requirements…

Discusses the use of post-tenure review to help preserve the tenure system at colleges and universities, focusing on the use of such reviews to encourage faculty development and productivity, ensure faculty control over the review system, and help marginal faculty improve their performance. (MDM)

Discusses the need for post-tenure faculty review to root out "dead wood" faculty and increase faculty accountability, focusing on the time frame for such reviews, who gets reviewed, and the intensity and ramifications of the review. Also notes criticisms of post-tenure reviews and the need to build community through self-regulation.…

Most college and university administrators claim to care deeply about the quality of teaching at their institutions. But, too often, their actions belie their words. Consider, for example, the following questions. Which candidate for a faculty position is usually viewed as more attractive, the promising researcher or the promising teacher? Who…

Describes concerns within the academic community on the use of collegiality as a factor in decisions concerning faculty employment, promotion, tenure, and termination. Such concerns include discrimination and stifling of dissent. Discusses how courts have decided in favor of universities in almost every discrimination case in which collegiality…