MU FACULTY ASKED TO BECOME ACCOUNTABLE...

Manuel Pacheco, University of Missouri president, has directed campus leaders to develop a performance-review system for tenured faculty members. The change will not come without considerable controversy on the MU campuses. Many faculty members see this as a challenge to professional freedom, a way to oust those who speak their minds.

This post-tenure performance review is part of a national trend. Pacheco points out that a number of universities have established a review system to address persistent poor performance by tenured faculty members. Typically, it takes a university or college professor about six years to earn tenure. At that point, termination becomes nearly impossible.

But the call for accountability is not limited to university leadership. Parents and employers are seeking greater accountability both of college graduates and the institutions that train them.

As the price of a college education continues to rise, it only makes sense that the public's expectations follow suit. Parents and students want to ensure they're getting their money's worth. Legislators are also taking a hard look at how the considerable tax dollars are spent at the University of Missouri system. Surely the university would rather adopt such a policy voluntarily than face a mandate from lawmakers.

Americans are tired of lower student scores when compared to other industrialized nations. It is not only a matter of economic survival, it's an issue of national pride.

University of Missouri faculty members already undergo an informal performance evaluation each year, but it would take a severe series of missteps before a tenured faculty member could be fired.

Some institutions have addressed the issue of faculty accountability through merit pay, a practice that was adopted several years ago at Southeast Missouri State University. It applies both to tenured and nontenured faculty. Only those who merit a pay raise receive one. The university provides no automatic cost-of-living raise. Merit pay hits where it counts as a way to ensure tenured faculty perform at expected levels.

Accountability is becoming a battle cry in today's society, especially in the realm of taxpayer-financed operations. Tax-supported universities and colleges must simply learn to balance academic freedom with higher expectations for student performance.