Iowa lawmaker looking to end tenure at public universities

A state lawmaker is looking to stop Iowa’s public colleges and universities from being able to offer tenure to professors or other employees.

Sen. Brad Zaun, R-Urbandale, has introduced a bill that calls for prohibiting any institution overseen by the Iowa Board of Regents from establishing or continuing “a tenure system for any employee of the institution.”

The bill would establish “acceptable grounds for termination of employment of any member of the faculty.” The list of possible causes for termination include just cause, program discontinuance and financial exigency.

“My thoughts are obviously to end tenure," Zaun told the Register on Wednesday. "I think the university should have the flexibility to hire and fire professors and then I don’t think that bad professors should have a lifetime position guaranteed at colleges. It is as simple as that.”

Read more: http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/education/2017/01/12/iowa-lawmaker-looking-end-tenure-public-univerisities/96460626/