Policy: 6.8 Tenure

Policy: 6.8 Tenure

Adoption Date: August 14, 1996

(Although this is the stated tenure policy of the Howard County Junior College District, in action taken on October 16, 1979, the Board of Trustees moved that “… faculty tenure be frozen until such time as it seems feasible to return to the policy.”)

A specific system of faculty tenure undergirds the integrity of each academic institution.  Tenure means assurance to an experienced faculty member that he or she may expect to continue in his or her academic position unless adequate case for dismissal is demonstrated in a fair hearing, following established procedures of due process.  Each tenure shall be granted by the Board of Trustees of the Howard County Junior College District according to policies and procedures established for that purpose.  The tenure system of the district consists of the following and applies only to full‑time instructors:

A.   Beginning with the appointment to a full‑time position, each faculty member of the Howard County Junior College District shall be required to serve a provisional period of five consecutive years before establishing tenure.  The five-year provisional period cannot officially begin until after the instructor holds the master’s degree or equivalent.  (This applies only to those individuals employed initially for fall semester 1976 and thereafter.)  No individual initially employed with duties other than, and/or in addition to, teaching will be eligible for tenure.  The academic year consists of fall and spring semesters of a given college year.

B.   In cases where the terms of the provisional period have been met, appointment of an individual to a sixth consecutive year of full‑time teaching service in the Howard County Junior College District qualifies one for consideration to tenured status.  The Chief Human Resources Officer shall compile a list for the Executive Vice-President, H.C., or SWCD, of candidates for tenure.  The Executive Vice-President is responsible for initiating (not later than February 1) the list of eligible candidates for tenure to the appropriate division head.  Tenure is considered only upon recommendation by one’s division head and the appropriate vice president to the president, not later than March

1. If a candidate is not recommended for tenure, the candidate and the respective division head will be notified before final consideration by the president.  At this time the candidate may appeal the decision to the Hearing Committee who sends their recommendation to the president.  The president takes the recommendations to the Board who makes the final decision on awarding tenure.

C.   Upon achieving tenured status, a faculty member is informed by the president in writing.

D.   Notice of non‑reappointment or of intention not to reappoint a faculty member will be given in writing in accord with the following standards: 

1. not later than March 1 of the first through fourth years of provisional service, and
2. not later than December 15 of the fifth year of provisional service.  (See also Non‑Reappointment Policy.)

E.   An individual who is eligible for tenure, who is not awarded tenured status within the minimum service period, may be continued as a probationary member of the faculty for a maximum of two additional years.  In specific situations where a probationary contract is issued for the sixth or seventh year, it would be so stated that this is a probationary contract.  In the event a contract for an eighth year of consecutive full‑time service is awarded; it shall be construed to mean that tenured status has been achieved or the contract shall be shown to be terminal.

F.   No person loses tenured status as an instructor by accepting a leave of absence or by accepting an appointment to a college administrative position.  No administrator has tenure in an administrative assignment. No division head has tenure as a division head.

G.   Awarding of tenure status to instructors whose time and employment with the Howard County Junior College District and whose performance would merit such an award may be withheld if declining enrollment, either actual or projected, would indicate a probable reduction in staff, or if the phasing out of instructional programs requires reduction of faculty, or in cases of bona fide financial emergency.  In cases of these events occurring, exceptions may be made to the tenure policy.

H.   A faculty member holding tenure may be dismissed only for adequate cause, and only after procedures hereinafter prescribed have been followed.  Except in cases of moral turpitude, conviction of a felony, or breach of contract, notice of dismissal will be given a tenured person one year prior to termination of employment.  This provision does not create an award of severance pay but contemplates the performances of duties assigned for the period between dismissal notice and final termination (see dismissal policy).