Resigning Tenure -- what's that all about?

[thotmonster]

This question comes from a friend at another university, and I have little context beyond the mystery of what "resigned his/her tenure" implies

Comments

[max_ambiguity]

Without any further information, all I can imagine is that perhaps it is a political statement, such as protesting some specific university policy, or protesting the tenure system itself. Or somehow it's a benevolent act where the professor gives up tenure so that someone else can have it because s/he doesn't need the money or job security anymore (though this is doubtful because there's no guarantee the university will tenure someone else as a result).

[thotmonster]

The political protest concept leaped to mind, but at the 4-year in question there doesn't seem to be much of that.

Your second suggestion, of benevolently returning the financial benefit of tenure to the department, is not only charitable but high-minded! You are a noble and collegial being.

[elricmelnibone]

Protesting something the university/department is engaged in (or not engaged in).

Slowing pulling away from the university for personal or professional reasons.

I would need much more information here, as it's pretty rare that someone would resign tenure, unless something else is already lined up, especially if that person is remaining at the same institution.

[thotmonster]

Thanks, good suggestions. The faculty member in question doesn't seem to have strong politics.

What kind of "more information"? Rare it certainly is. My friend and I have both asked around at our own research universities and no one seems to have heard of it, except as a part of moving into a higher-level job or to another institution.

[elricmelnibone]

I would like to know how the university is designating his teaching status while he remains there. Is he considered emeritus or adjunct? What else this person plans on doing with his/her time? (Someone below suggested going into the private sector.)

Retired professors are often still allowed to teach, so I would be curious as to why he resigned tenure, rather than simply retired. I would also like to know if this affects his retirement. If it does, then it seems like a silly way of simply retiring. If it doesn't - that is, if he can still work towards a full retirement - then perhaps this is a way of reducing his teaching and service obligations while still maintaining his teaching position and working towards a full retirement. (Perhaps he has personal issues that are taking up more of his time, and this is his way of opening up free time?)

A silly way of simply retiring

[thotmonster]

The online listing says "Professor" and there's been updating since the change in tenure status, so I'll assume there was no official change to emeritus or adjunct status. The college in question doesn't seem to identify emeriti ... They have a fair number of "Instructor" positions so it hasn't changed to that

[vlion]

Has a better position elsewhere? Early "retirement"?
Going adjunct & working in industry?

[thotmonster]

All those would seem logical indeed.

Yet this faculty member hasn't left, and is still teaching the same courses at the same load.

Hence the perplexity. Why would a faculty member give up the most valuable attribute of his/her job?

So far the suggestions are good hypotheses. More data is needed ;-)

[echointhewell]

Sometimes they relinquish tenure rights and responsibilties toward the end of their career in exchange for financial consideration (a buy-out of remaining tenure, if you will) in order for institutions to hire other tenure-track positions (to free up the line, so to speak). For example:

http://www1.umn.edu/ohr/policies/departure/federal.html

[sarahliz]

And if the department is under a hiring freeze for tenure-track positions but not contract teaching positions they might offer decent incentives to get profs to do this.

[echointhewell]

Exactly. And the nearing-retirement prof might negotiate release from, say, committee assignments or other tedious faculty responsbilities as well as a financial bonus. For many end-of-career professionals, it's not a bad option that also allows a "frozen" department to recruit tenure-track young faculty instead of perpetual visiting (contract) faculty.

[thotmonster]

This definitely seems like a strong possibility - thanks for the suggestion!

[kitzen_kat]

Blackmail?
Seriously, I don't know. They might be offered better pay on a contract basis for a couple of years, and then know they're being offered an emeritus position with guaranteed short term contracts after that.

[bigbigmamamoo]

blackmail was what I was going to suggest, they have got something on the prof, enough to make him resign tenure, but not his job, nah dont see how that works, but its what opped into my mind

[kitzen_kat]

You and I just have suspicious minds. :-)