Tweaking Tenure

Though the brand remains untarnished, many doubt the merits of a Harvard College education: The only thing that matters at Harvard is the degree; the hardest part of Harvard is getting in; Harvard is too focused on its graduate schools to really teach undergraduates. Whether true or not, these claims stem in part from the constant trade-off that Harvard faces as an institution of both elite research and elite education.

A recent study seems to confirm that other universities face similar challenges. According to the researchers, who studied two unnamed universities, tenure-track faculty members are less involved in their university communities than their non-tenure-track counterparts, especially when it comes to spending time with undergraduates. In the words of Nathan F. Allemann, a professor at Baylor University and one of the study’s co-authors, this division of responsibility “is to the detriment of seeing teachers as experts, especially in research-focused institutions.”

As Allemann suggests, the findings of his research reflect the process by which universities evaluate tenure-track faculty members—a process that itself could use some critical evaluation. In the tenure process, universities place a premium on the quantity and quality of published work. At least comparatively, they neglect the teaching styles and abilities of candidates. As a result, the best academics are motivated to pursue their own independent research, but often feel they cannot devote as much attention to teaching.

Redressing this imbalance would be a welcome shift to the tenure process. Of course, Harvard's capacity for research is part of what makes the University special, and it should continue to strive to attract the best talent in academia. As the recent pattern of economics professors leaving for Stanford has shown, resources for research are crucial to building strong departments that can teach undergraduates effectively. But while research will always be a core component of Harvard’s mission, renewed focus on undergraduate teaching would help ensure that Harvard’s role as a research university not detract from the quality of its teaching.

Harvard, along with its peer institutions, should make clear to tenure-track faculty that expectations for teaching and interactions with undergraduates are high. Part of this change in emphasis would entail reducing the already substantial quantity of published work required to be a serious candidate for tenure, so that tenure-track faculty could dedicate more time to teaching without worrying about sacrificing their career goals.

Harvard has the potential to lead the academic community to a better balance between teaching and research. Changes to the tenure process are a promising way to make progress towards that goal.