Across the country, states like Texas, North Carolina, and Florida have sought to weaken or eliminate tenure in public higher education.

Now, Nebraska is considering Legislative Bill 551, a bill that would abolish tenure at public colleges and universities statewide. Supporters argue that tenure hinders flexibility, protects underperforming faculty and suppresses ideological diversity.

Opponents warn that eliminating tenure would do the opposite — driving top faculty away, stifling open debate and weakening Nebraska’s ability to compete in research and workforce development.

But this debate misses a fundamental issue: What is tenure actually based on? Many outside academia don’t realize that tenure and promotion still overwhelmingly prioritize research publications above all else — especially at research universities.

A professor who publishes in prestigious academic journals is well-positioned for tenure, while those who develop innovative teaching methods or spend years working with Nebraska businesses, schools or farmers often find their contributions undervalued — or only possible as uncompensated extra work.

Different Priorities

The public and academics want one thing. The system rewards another.

Ask the average Nebraskan what they think university professors should be doing, and the answer is clear: teaching students well, conducting research that solves real-world problems and contributing to their communities. Faculty want the same. But the tenure system isn’t designed to fully reward this kind of work.

Many of Nebraska’s biggest challenges require long-term, collaborative research that isn’t possible under short-term contracts or shifting political pressures. Tenure provides faculty with the stability to take on ambitious projects, build lasting partnerships and pursue solutions that take years to develop.

The problem isn’t tenure itself. It’s that outdated policies fail to recognize and support the full range of scholarship Nebraska actually needs.

Reforming How We Reward Faculty Work

If Nebraska lawmakers want higher education to be more accountable and engaged with the state’s needs, they should focus on how faculty — through shared governance and disciplinary expertise — define and uphold academic excellence.

Research is a core function of universities, driving innovation and global competitiveness. But faculty contributions go beyond research alone. The best universities also recognize scholarship that applies expertise to real-world challenges, improves student learning and fosters interdisciplinary collaboration.

This isn’t a new idea. In 1990, Ernest Boyer redefined scholarship beyond research publications, recognizing four essential forms: discovery, integration, application and teaching.

In fact, University of Nebraska’s Board of Regents policies endorse this broader vision, directing each campus to balance scholarship in ways that align with its mission. National organizations, including the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and Campus Compact have developed models for evaluating faculty work beyond traditional research.

These frameworks align with the ongoing efforts of faculty and staff committed to community engagement and outreach but need greater visibility and institutional support.

Finding Ways To Work Together

Modernizing tenure policies to reflect Nebraska’s needs benefits everyone. It ensures universities remain accountable and engaged with real-world challenges, strengthens institutions’ ability to attract and retain top-tier faculty and allows faculty to align their work with their professional commitments and the state’s priorities in workforce development, education and public health.

To make this a reality, university leadership and faculty must take the lead. Academic freedom and shared governance demand that faculty — not politicians or administrators — define how scholarly contributions are assessed.

Faculty senates and academic units must revise tenure guidelines to reflect universities’ public missions, while university leaders must prioritize and improve the implementation of policies that recognize applied and engaged scholarship. Policymakers should focus on tenure reform that strengthens faculty contributions rather than dismantling a system essential to Nebraska’s future.

The Bottom Line

The public is right to demand that universities deliver value. But eliminating tenure won’t make faculty more accountable. It will just make it harder for Nebraska’s universities to do their job.

Rather than gutting tenure, Nebraska should strengthen it — by ensuring it rewards faculty for the teaching, research and service that make the biggest difference for students and the state’s future. Universities must follow through on policies that reward these contributions so faculty are not forced to choose between serving Nebraska and advancing in their careers.

The best defense of tenure isn’t just opposing bad policies. It’s actively shaping a system that upholds academic integrity, strengthens student learning and expands Nebraska’s ability to tackle its biggest challenges.

Deryl Hatch-Tocaimaza is a researcher of higher education administration and a faculty member at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln. The views expressed in this column are his own.

This story was published by Nebraska Examiner, an editorially independent newsroom providing a hard-hitting, daily flow of news. Read the original article: https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/03/25/dont-kill-tenure-make-it-work-for-nebraska/

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