This study sought to gauge the perceptions of both tenured faculty and tenure-track faculty regarding academic freedom and tenure. With this information, professors will be able to engage in discussions about tenure and its future. In this study, professors across all colleges and professorial ranks were asked to rate the degree to which they either agreed or disagreed with statements pertaining to academic freedom, tenure, and possible alternatives to tenure. In addition to this, there was a space given for comments or concerns.
The overall format of this study was an anonymous survey questionnaire. Most importantly, the survey attempted to determine if professors agreed on many topics surrounding tenure. Many of the professors agreed that the purpose of tenure is to protect academic freedom; however, the tenure system as it exists today is flawed.
In general, professors were supportive of tenure and its purpose. Many viewed tenure as a necessary part of education; it is a trade-off for people to forgo working in industry, which tends to be more lucrative. The tenure system is far from perfect and ongoing discussion can only benefit both the professor and institution.
","abstract_html":"<p>This study sought to gauge the perceptions of both tenured faculty and tenure-track faculty regarding academic freedom and tenure. With this information, professors will be able to engage in discussions about tenure and its future. In this study, professors across all colleges and professorial ranks were asked to rate the degree to which they either agreed or disagreed with statements pertaining to academic freedom, tenure, and possible alternatives to tenure. In addition to this, there was a space given for comments or concerns.</p> <p>The overall format of this study was an anonymous survey questionnaire. Most importantly, the survey attempted to determine if professors agreed on many topics surrounding tenure. Many of the professors agreed that the purpose of tenure is to protect academic freedom; however, the tenure system as it exists today is flawed.</p> <p>In general, professors were supportive of tenure and its purpose. Many viewed tenure as a necessary part of education; it is a trade-off for people to forgo working in industry, which tends to be more lucrative. The tenure system is far from perfect and ongoing discussion can only benefit both the professor and institution.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["McGrath, Patricia"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"M.A. in Higher Education Administration","degree_level":"Thesis","degree_discipline":"Educational Services and Leadership","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Monahan, Thomas"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2002,"date_issued":"2002-05-06T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2002-05-06T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:14:32Z","subjects":["Rowan University--Faculty--Attitudes; College teachers--Tenure","Higher Education Administration"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1479","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Monahan, Thomas"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["McGrath, Patricia"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2016-05-17T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Services and Leadership"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["M.A. in Higher Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Rowan University--Faculty--Attitudes; College teachers--Tenure","Higher Education Administration"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1479"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This study sought to gauge the perceptions of both tenured faculty and tenure-track faculty regarding academic freedom and tenure. With this information, professors will be able to engage in discussions about tenure and its future. In this study, professors across all colleges and professorial ranks were asked to rate the degree to which they either agreed or disagreed with statements pertaining to academic freedom, tenure, and possible alternatives to tenure. In addition to this, there was a space given for comments or concerns.
The overall format of this study was an anonymous survey questionnaire. Most importantly, the survey attempted to determine if professors agreed on many topics surrounding tenure. Many of the professors agreed that the purpose of tenure is to protect academic freedom; however, the tenure system as it exists today is flawed.
In general, professors were supportive of tenure and its purpose. Many viewed tenure as a necessary part of education; it is a trade-off for people to forgo working in industry, which tends to be more lucrative. The tenure system is far from perfect and ongoing discussion can only benefit both the professor and institution.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["The perceptions of tenure and alternatives to tenure among faculty at a mid-sized regional university in a large northeastern state"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Monahan, Thomas"],"dc:creator":["McGrath, Patricia"],"dc:date.available":["2016-05-17T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This study sought to gauge the perceptions of both tenured faculty and tenure-track faculty regarding academic freedom and tenure. With this information, professors will be able to engage in discussions about tenure and its future. In this study, professors across all colleges and professorial ranks were asked to rate the degree to which they either agreed or disagreed with statements pertaining to academic freedom, tenure, and possible alternatives to tenure. In addition to this, there was a space given for comments or concerns.
The overall format of this study was an anonymous survey questionnaire. Most importantly, the survey attempted to determine if professors agreed on many topics surrounding tenure. Many of the professors agreed that the purpose of tenure is to protect academic freedom; however, the tenure system as it exists today is flawed.
In general, professors were supportive of tenure and its purpose. Many viewed tenure as a necessary part of education; it is a trade-off for people to forgo working in industry, which tends to be more lucrative. The tenure system is far from perfect and ongoing discussion can only benefit both the professor and institution.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/1479"],"dc:subject":["Rowan University--Faculty--Attitudes; College teachers--Tenure","Higher Education Administration"],"dc:title":["The perceptions of tenure and alternatives to tenure among faculty at a mid-sized regional university in a large northeastern state"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Services and Leadership"],"thesis:degree_level":["Thesis"],"thesis:degree_name":["M.A. in Higher Education Administration"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:14:32Z"}