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Tenure and the university reward structure
1School of Nursing, University of Virginia, Charlottesville.
Nursing Research
|March 1, 1989
Summary
Faculty tenure decisions in American universities prioritize achievement criteria. While disciplines differ, all academics agree achievement is key for tenure, with nursing faculty holding unique perceptions.
Area of Science:
- Higher Education Research
- Sociology of Science
- Academic Administration
Background:
- American universities exhibit significant stratification, influencing faculty reward systems.
- Tenure receipt is the most valued reward, making its allocation a critical process.
- Understanding interdisciplinary perceptions of tenure criteria is essential for equitable reward distribution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate reward allocation in American universities, focusing on tenure receipt.
- To examine interdisciplinary perceptions of tenure criteria across diverse academic fields.
- To identify the most significant factors influencing tenure decisions.
Main Methods:
- A survey was conducted using the Tenure Decision Factor Inventory (TDFI) with 366 academicians.
- Participants represented physics, psychology, sociology, nursing, and management disciplines.
- The TDFI assessed Achievement (ACH), Ascriptive (ASCRIPT), Internal Political (IP), and External Political (EP) criteria.
Main Results:
- Significant main effects were observed for both academic discipline and reward criteria.
- Nursing faculty perceptions were distinct from those in physics, psychology, sociology, and management.
- Achievement criteria were consistently identified as the most important factor for tenure by all disciplines.
Conclusions:
- Discipline and specific reward criteria significantly impact tenure perceptions.
- Nursing faculty hold unique views on tenure determinants compared to other disciplines.
- Despite varied influences, achievement remains the paramount criterion for tenure across academic fields.