The main change in Senate Bill 1159 will change the performance evaluation of a tenured faculty member from six years to four years. The bill further clarifies and restricts reasons for revocation:
(5) a faculty member be subject to revocation of
tenure or other appropriate disciplinary action if the governing
board determines that:
(A)the faculty member is incompetent or has
engaged in [incompetency,] neglect of duty, sexual harassment,
fiscal malfeasance, plagiarism, or conduct involving moral
turpitude; or
(B) [or] other good cause exists for the
revocation or disciplinary action [is determined to be present].
Senate Bill 1623 is far more reaching, stating:
SECTION 1. Section 51.942, Education Code, is amended byadding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:(c-1)For purposes of Subsection (c)(5), good cause forrevoking the tenure of or otherwise disciplining a faculty memberincludes the faculty member's initiation of a civil suit against astudent enrolled at the institution, regardless of whether theclaim is subsequently litigated or dismissed.
Call the Texas Senate Committee on Higher Education at (512) 463-4788, as well as your Texas legislators provide your opinion on these changes in tenure. To find out who your Texas Senator and Representative are, click here.
