TAKING A LOOK AT TENURE

Teacher tenure has been a long-debated perk of education.

Dr. Bill Atchley, who has served the past year as president of Southeast Missouri State University, believes higher education will eventually boot out the tenure system. He thinks tenure will be replaced by shorter-term contracts, which will bring a more direct bearing on performance.

The university should certainly take a long, hard look at the future of tenure. Performance, not longevity, should affect someone's job security.

Some professors may be worried about who will make the decision about their future. But the same performance standards for professors should be applied to administrators. If administrators aren't doing the job, they shouldn't be able to hide behind tenure.

A contract-system suggested by Atchley could provide a suitable transition toward a merit system that has worked in private enterprise.

This notion of replacing tenure, it can be hoped, won't be shelved when Atchley leaves. It deserves serious debate and will require a proactive approach within the university community.