In a recent Christian Century blog post, Greg Carey provides a defense of tenure at theological institutions.
Carey begins his post by acknowledging that in times of change and financial unrest, theological schools may be tempted to rely principally on adjunct faculty. After all, tenured faculty cost more –and some may be resistant to institutional changes. But Carey argues against the move toward adjunct faculty.
In addition to the academic freedom tenure affords, tenure empowers faculty to be more invested in the seminary (and in their peers) and to gain and share institutional knowledge, says Carey. Adjunct faculty members, on the other hand, are “always on the job market” and thus are unable to invest fully in their institutions. He also argues that tenured faculty members are integral in developing relationships with alumni and faith communities.
Carey concludes by stating that while tenure may not be appropriate for all theological schools, it is a key element in the success of most institutions.
What do you think about Carey’s perspective? We’d like to know your opinions on this ongoing debate.
Read the full blog post at The Christian Century here.
