The Senate Committee on Ways and Means is holding a hearing on SB 3269 SD1, relating to academic tenure as a last-ditch effort to keep this bill on academic tenure alive during this legislative session. The hearing is scheduled for Friday, March 4, 2022 at 10:10 am.
Need Your Urgent Support
The Senate continues to push their modus operandi by using alternative facts to justify that tenure is supported by tax dollars and restricting tenure leads to cost savings which is absolutely incorrect “IF” you truly understand academic institutions. Remember, this legislation is being pushed by a former disgruntled Regent who has openly expressed and interjected her personal feelings and emotions over this issue of tenure without facts or data to support her conclusions. Thus, Faculty input is critical, essential, and needed to change the false narratives, misinformation, and deceptive tactics to prevent the intended and unintended negative consequences that will happen if this bill passes. Your input and voices so far seem to be working. Two changes have been made to the original bill: 1) librarians are now allowed to receive tenure; and 2) community college faculty are not required to conduct research, as the originally proposed. However, the issue of tenure still hangs in the balance and the bill still threatens the viability of the University’s ability to hold and protect tenure, academic freedom, and academic governance absent legislative meddling. We must continue the good fight to protect the pillars and foundations of the academy.
Written Testimony is the Only Way to Voice Your Concerns
If you provided testimony for SB 3269 (SD1) for the Senate Committee on Higher Education (HRE) use your testimony as a template and make the necessary modifications to reflect the changes in the bill as you deem fit.
Oral Testimony Not Accepted
This upcoming WAM Committee hearing will NOT allow oral testimony, therefore NO question-and-answer period. Therefore, it is imperative and meaningfully important that you submit written testimony before 10:10 a.m. tomorrow (Thursday, March 3, 2022) so that it will not be marked as “Late” and to ensure that Legislators are able to receive it before the hearing. This will be your last opportunity and the only way to express your thoughts about this dangerous bill to the Senate. The overall number of testimonies submitted from faculty will send a strong message to the members of the WAM Committee and you can make a difference in the outcome in protecting your rights and interests.
