'U' ponders its love-hate affair with tenure
The following introduction to the
tenure system begins the Daily's
week-long look at one of the most
enduring, and controversial, in-
stitutions at the University.
By LEONARD BERNSTEIN
and MARY FARANSKI
First in a five-part series
To Russell Bidlack, dean of the
library science school, it is "security of
employment" based on peer
judgernent. To M. J. Sinnott, associate
dean of the engineering college, it is
nothing more than "a name on the
door."
To Shaw Livermore, former chair-
man. of the Faculty Senate Advisory
Committee on University Affairs
(SACUA), it is the ability to pursue new
ideas without fear of harrassment from
outside. And to Literature, Science, and
Arts school Dean Billy Frye it is,
among other things, only "the en-
titlement to a hearing under (Regents
bylaw) 5.09 before a dismissal."
Such widely-varying definitions of the
same institution - tenure - may be
some indication why the system is so
t
c
controversial. There is even less consider to be tenure's flaws.
agreement on whether it works. In theory, the tenure process works
WHILE NO ONE interviewed smoothly. When John Postdoctorate -
suggests abolishing the tenure process a bright, promising, young academic -
- under which faculty and ad- is hired by the University as an
~ ~v93j
tenured, professors to give him some
idea of his progress. When his testing
period is up, he will either succeed and
become a tenured associate professor
after his seventh year, or fail and be-
come an academjic without an
academy.
THE MERE fact that John was
eligible for the tenure review in the first
place meant he was over one hurdle.
According to Frye, 10 per Bent of the
LSA faculty are hired on the "non-
tenured track", meaning there is no
chance they Will even receive a tenure
review. Those professors will teach
here for six years at most.
Included in that 10 per cent are
visiting professors and others who in-
tentionally choose temporary appoin-
tments.
What of John's chances of realizing
his dream? In 1978 and 1979, less than 50
per cent of the LSA faculty members
considered for tenure were ultimately
approved by"the college. In 1976 and
1977, just over half the assistant
professors considered were approved
by the college.
IF JOHN were teaching in almost any
See 'U', Page 8
ministrators determine which
professors will stay at the University
and which ones must go elsewhere - its
critics have a lengthy list of what they
assistant professor, he begins the road
to a tenure review six years away.
At least once during those six years,
he will be evaulated by senior, that is
LSA-SG i g aiiRttl
ELECTIONS
See ditoial ageSee Today for details
See editorial page
Niety Years of Editorial Freedlom
Vol. LXXXX, No. 68
Ann Arbor, Michigan-Wednesday, November 28, 1979
Ten Cents
tight Pages
Iranian militants
mine U.S. Embassy
From AP and Reuter
TEHRAN, Iran-Islamic militants
said yesterday they have rigged the
U.S. Embassy to blow up on command.
Iranian armed forces also went on alert
as the country seethed with rumors of
an impending U.S. attack and warnings
that American agents were plotting to
infiltrate the embassy.
On their 23rd day in captivity,
President Carter called the treatment
of the 49 American hostages a disgrace,
asserting that they had been punished
for speaking and even threatened at
gun point.
CARTER MADE his remarks to a
group of community leaders from New
Hampshire, Vermont and Maine. "The
hostages are not being treated well," he
said. "They have been kept bound, now,
with hands and feet tied for 23 days.
"They have not been permitted to
they have been punished," Carter said.
He stated that the hostages had not
been permitted to leave the embassy
building to get any exercise or to bask
in the sun and had not been allowed to
take baths or change clothes since they
were seized on November 4.
REPORTERS WERE not permitted
to attend the President's meeting with
the community leaders. His remarks
were taken from a tape recording made
by one of the guests, who is a represen-
tative for WGIR, an NBC network af-
filiate in Manchester, New Hampshire.
Carter will hold a news conference on
the Iranian situation at 9 p.m. today in
the East Room of the White House,
press secretary Jody Powell announ-
ced.
In Tehran, student militants issued a
statement yesterday saying they had
planted mines throughout the embassy
nm~1n1d dthai imnta chmld
They said "dirty" American agents
were plotting to infilitrate the embassy
to "free or harm the hostages." The
agents might destroy the embassy wall
to let the ever-present Iranian mobs
surge in, or spread rumors that the em-
bassy had been attacked, thus luring
the crowds in, the militant's statement
said.
IRAN'S MILITARY commanders,
responding -'to Ayatollah Ruhollah
Khomeini's appeal for Iran to prepare
to fight the "satanic" U.S. superpower,
declared their forces were on alert and
"ready to defend Iran with the last drop
of their blood."
See IRANIAN, Page8
Ar roto speak a work. When they have spoken, compouLIUnaliir suppiri
IRANIAN STUDENTS contined their demonstration outside the locked gate of the American Embassy yesterday to say 'Good morning' or 'Good luck,' not try to enter the area.
where they are holding 29 American hostages.
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RICH PROF, POOR PROF:
Why do some make more than others?
"1 ' school said recentl. also influence salary levels.
I
One full professor in the German department-
is paid $23,053. An associate economics
professor, though, makes $52,400. And a medical
school professor earns $120,000 - $45,000 more
than the two combined.
Why are these three University employees
separated into such widely varying financial
categories?
THEIR SALARIES - along with those of
15,000 other University employees - can be
found in the 417-page University Faculty and
Staff Salary Record, open this .week to public
view for the first time by order of the state
legislature.'
But the answer to the question is not in the
document, designed simply to reveal a Univer-
sity employee's salary and the portion of that
salary paid by taxpayers and students. It doesn't
hint at the policies used to determine who will
earn how much from the University - policies
This story is based on reporting by Daily.
staff writers Mitch Cantor, Julie Enge-
brecht, Alison Hirschel, and Howard Witt.
with curious names such as "merit increases,
"practice plans," and "administrative differen-
tials."
Among the most important factors deter-
mining salary levels for instructors and resear-
chers at the University is the merit-based salary
system. In general, the merit system rewards
excellence in teaching and research with high
salaries.
BsUT GENERAL statements end there.
Because the University operates under a decen-
tralized system that allows individual schools
and departments great independence in
decision-making, each unit of the University
determines its own standards for merit in-
creases. In some schools, individual department
heads make salary decisions, sometimes in con-
junction with departmental executive commit-
tees, while in other schools deans decide on merit
increases.
Theresis no single formula used for deter-
mining salaries. "Merit based increases are not
made in a mechanical way - I can't say I value
teaching X per cent, research Y per cent, and
service Z per cent. The process is much more of
a Gestalt," Terrance Sandalow, dean of the law
THE MERIT-BASED salary system
necessarily results in different salaries paid to
individuals of the same professorial rank. In
fact, data showing the wide range of salaries
paid to faculty members within individual
departments, as well as across departmental
and school lines, have been published by the
University for years. Mean, median, minimum,
and maximum salaries for all ranks of faculty
are published in the University's annual
"Analysis of Salaries Paid to the University of
Michigan Instructional Staff."
The individual, name-linked salary infor-
mation released Monday, however, allows closer
scrutiny of the salary system.
It has long been understood, for example, that
some rising assistant professors - called
"stars" by some colleagues - have been lured to
the University with salary offers more lucrative
than those paid to some older, senior professors.
The salary list will make it easier to discern the
workings of the "star system."
WIDELY VARYING salaries are not only a
function of the merit system. Practical con-
siderations such as a professor's marketability
In general, law and medical school professors
make more than English and history professors
because the former command higher salaries
outside the academic world. To attract a
qualified lawyer or doctor to the University
requires a relatively high salary.
That's not to say lawyers and doctors earn as
much at the University as they could in private
practice, both Sandalow and medical school
Dean John Gronvall point out. "There's no way
we can compete with salaries in regular prac-
tice," Sandalow said. "We have students m ho
will graduate this year who will start at salaries
reasonably higher than some of their
professors," he added.
BECAUSE THE University cannot afford to
pay salaries that are equivalent to those paid in
the private sector, it must strive to keep up with
peer institutions.
Although they are willing to earn less than they
otherwise could in private practice, law
professors are unhappy that medical school
professors earn more on the average, Sandalow
said.
There is, however, justification for the dif-
See DETERMINANTS. Page 8
Cattt(le
.. . resigns treasurer post
Four MSA
oficers
Sresign
positions
By TOM MIRGA
Four members of the Michigan
Student Assembly (MSA) announced
their resignations last night, citing a
variety of personal reasons for their
decisions to leave the organization.
The members who announced their
resignations were Connie Bridge, Riase
Jackpor, Jane Moore and Treasurer
Brad Canale.
*ISA ALSO agreed last night that
special attention must be given in the
future to its ongoing course evaluation
project and increased campus safety.
In additional action, the Assembly:
" lent its support to increased fun-
ding for all college governments and
will take the issue up with the Regents
in the near future;
* agreed to undertake a project in
See FOUR, Page 2
Record
inflation
predicted
by gov't
From AP and Reuter-
WASHINGTON - The sharpest rise
in housing costs in three decades
pushed consumer prices up another one
per cent in October, all but guaran-
teeing the worst inflation rate for a
single year since 1946, the government
said yesterday.
Rapidly rising prices for energy
slowed significantly during the month
and food price increases showed a
modest slowdown. But moderation in
those areas was offset byra 1.5 per cent
jump in housing prices - the steepest
monthly increase since 1947, the Labor
Department said.
SO FAR IN 1979, consumer prices
have risen 11 per cent, and government
economists predicted inflation was cer-
tain to top 13 per cent for the year, the
highest rate since war-time wage and
price controls were lifted in 1946.
"You can say with certainty ... that
the inflation rate will be about 13.5 per
cent or higher for the year," said
Theodore Torda, a senior economist at
the Commerce Department.
Torda and Robert Russell, director of
the Council on Wage and Price
Stability, said they see no signs that in-
flation will slow in the coming months.
In fact, the rate could accelerate when
new consumer price figures are repor-
See OCTOBER. Page 2
Cavanagh
dies at 51
DETROIT (UPI) - Jerome
Cavanagh, mayor during Detroit's
darkest hours-the bloody race riots
in 1967-died of a heart attack
yesterday in Lexington, Ky. Hewas
51.
Once called the "boy wonder" of
Michigan politics, Cavanagh served
as mayor from 1962-70. He was just
33 when he scored an upset victory
See OFFICIALS, Page 2
t.avanagn
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co Ib.
efi"
r
for in-state residents attending state and land grant univer-
sities this year is $2,333, up from $2,221 for 1978-79. For out-
of-staters, total charges jumped from $3,451 to $4,667. In-
state underclass students pay $3,348 to go to the University,
live in.a dorm and eat, not counting about $220 for books and
supplies for the school year. University juniors and seniors
pay $3,500, plus the same $220. Those who travel to Ann Ar-
bor across state lines pay $5,784 in their first two years and
$6,064 for the second two, again not counting the $220. F]
STPI 1 s
Going Gatoring
Tickets to the Gator Bowl football game between Mich-
igan and North Carolina are on sale at the Athletic Ticket
Office 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. For $12.50 you can buy
a pass to watch the Dec. 28 game in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Alumni Association's tour to the bowl is priced at $399,
including charter jet transportation from Detroit Metro
Airport Dec. 26 and returning Dec. 29, a mixer, a Marching
Band concert, a game ticket, transportation in Florida, and
hotel accommodations. F]
at an Olympics of the Absurd in his native eastern France,
Quinquandon ate 12 dozen snails in a leisurely 11 minutes,
30 seconds (about one every five seconds) for what was
claimed to be a world record. Think of Marc as you con-
template another sweating bird next Thanksgiving. 0
On the inside
A look at the current status of the U.S. space shuttle
program is on the editorial page... for the final results of
the Michigan-Michigan State wrestling match see the spor-
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