Social Policy in Ontario

Tenure protects academic freedom

Posted on June 13, 2014 in Education Delivery System

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TheStar.com – Opinion/Readers’ Letters
Jun 12 2014.

Re: Students pay more and more for less teaching, Opinion June 10 < http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2014/06/09/university_teaching_needs_a_major_overhaul_gwyn.html >

Professors and academic librarians across Ontario were disappointed by Richard Gwyn’s column. Those of us who in teach in universities care deeply about our students and the education we offer and it is a shame Gwyn chose to deal in easy myths and facile criticisms rather than facts.

Professors in Ontario teach more students for less money than almost anywhere else in North America. Our province has the highest student-to-faculty ratio and the lowest level of per-student funding in Canada. We also lag behind most peer jurisdictions in the U.S. on these important indicators. While student enrolment has increased by 68 per cent over the last decade the number of full-time faculty has only risen by 34 per cent.

The problem is not too little teaching. It is too few full-time professors. Students need and faculty want to offer meaningful interaction and in-depth instruction. But how can we do this in classes of 400 or a thousand?

Gwyn also glibly dismisses tenure, without any discussion of how this would address the problems he identifies, or how we can protect academic freedom in its absence. The recent case at the University of Saskatchewan shows how important tenure is; only if faculty members can speak out without fear or favour can the quality of education and of research be protected.

Kate Lawson, Professor of English, University of Waterloo, President, Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations
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Gwyn highlights a number of problems with university teaching. Yes, students are graduating with too much debt. Yes, some professors need to improve their teaching. Yes, academics must step out of their ivory towers and become more engaged with the public.

Increasing teaching hours, reducing salaries and abolishing tenure are not solutions. Such moves will only create bigger problems.

Teaching hours are not truly reflective of the time spent educating. Each contact hour requires from 2 to 4 hours of preparation time. This does not include the time updating courses, dealing with teaching assistants, serving as references, serving as examiners and reviewers, etc. Not to count the countless hours reviewing student work.

Reducing salaries will only ensure that faculties attract the second rate, especially in fields where professors can earn significantly higher salaries in the private sector. As it is the “high” salary Gwyn highlights is much lower than what some fresh graduates earn. In fact, some fields that do not require any education at all earn much higher salaries.

What does this tell our future generations? Indeed, I have heard many ask why pursue higher studies when some high school graduates can earn more than what PhDs.

To many the quick fix to our educational crisis is to get rid of tenure and the academic freedom it provides. Unpopular and controversial ideas that must be debated will never see the light of day if we abolish this protection. Like the presumption of innocence, tenure is a necessity even though sometimes it may be abused.

Indeed, I have met a number of professors who are holding back for fear of losing their jobs. They are waiting to get tenure before “coming out.”

As a knowledge-based economy Canada depends on pushing the envelope of research. Treating its thinkers well and with the utmost respect should be a no-brainer.

Faisal Kutty, adjunct professor, Osgoode Hall Law School, York University

< http://www.thestar.com/opinion/letters_to_the_editors/2014/06/12/tenure_protects_academic_freedom.html >

Tags: budget, ideology, standard of living

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