June 19, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



893 



that inasmuch as college salaries are relatively 

 low owing to the assumed permanency of 

 tenure, that it must therefore be guaranteed 

 as a matter of justice. Another cites fifteen 

 years of unsatisfactory experience with annual 

 elections. Only two correspondents favor 

 sinnual elections, one of whom says, " it works 

 no disadvantage " and the other writes, 



I favor the system except as to the higher ad- 

 ministrative ofSeers for purposes of discipline and 

 good service. I think the administrative officers 

 Bhould be allowed to feel secure in order that 

 definite plans and purposes can be worked out. 



There seems, however, to be nearly unani- 

 mous opposition to these views. 



Several institutions observe annual elec- 

 tions, but practically guarantee indefinite 

 tenure. Thus in Ohio the state constitution 

 prevents any legislature from appropriating 

 beyond its life and the university trustees 

 hold that they can not legally contract beyond 

 their appropriations. Hence appointments 

 are made every year. However, the trustees 

 have also passed a resolution stating that it is 



their desire that teachers should remain securely 

 in their tenure of office and that the legal annual 

 election was not to be interpreted as any uncer- 

 tainty of mind on the part of the board of trus- 

 tees. 



Appointments are annual at Cornell Uni- 

 versity, but 



it is the established policy of the university that a 

 man once installed continues indefinitely. 



The notice of appointment also states that 

 the salary is contingent upon the appropria- 

 tions. It will hardly be questioned that at 

 these two institutions professors enjoy perma- 

 nent tenure, though technically elected annu- 

 ally. However, in some other institutions 

 claiming to employ the same system, the situa- 

 tion is not as clear. One president writes: 



All the other members of the staff are technically 

 reappointed for the year when the budget for the 

 coming year is made out. Any one not reap- 

 pointed at this time (June) is continued on the 

 payroll until the first of September, giving him 

 three months' notice. Usually when the employ- 

 ment of any one is to be discontinued we notify 

 him sometime before June that if the budget is 



approved we will not recommend his reappoint- 

 ment. 



One can not help but feel that where insti- 

 tutional traditions are not firmly established 

 or where frequent changes may occur in the 

 governing board, a system of annual elections 

 must tend to militate against permanency of 

 tenure and to make removal easier. Even the 

 necessary annual budget may sometimes have 

 a similar effect if the governing board does 

 not clearly understand that its adoption in- 

 volves merely a statement and not a reap- 

 pointment. The inconsistency of the policy of 

 some institutions was clearly indicated by one 

 president who stated that his professors en- 

 joyed indefinite tenure, but who held that to 

 terminate a professor's service " he should not 

 be reappointed and the reason should be given 

 him." Boards have been known to secure re- 

 movals by the simple process of dropping 

 names from the budget. 



It is difficult to see just what advantage 

 accrues from or what necessity exists for 

 annual elections. Were the position of the 

 Ohio trustees tenable, most state institutions 

 would be forced to elect annually, for both 

 state and federal appropriations may legally be 

 withdrawn at any time. Is not, however, a 

 professorial position analogous to one held 

 under the U. S. civil service? A civil service 

 appointee enjoys an indefinite tenure during 

 good behavior and is protected against re- 

 moval except for good cause; but at any time 

 Congress may fail to appropriate funds for 

 a given salary or may abolish a position. 

 Have not the trustees of state institutions the 

 right to make permanent appointments, quali- 

 fying them with a statement that in so far as 

 salaries are derived from appropriations they 

 are dependent upon them? "Would not such a 

 system conduce to greater permanency of 

 tenure ? 



Professorial appointments for trial terms 

 of from one to three years followed by indefi- 

 nite appointment is a different matter and 

 may often be a desirable system. It is evident 

 that our larger institutions can command the 

 services of our best men and can so determine 

 the worth of a prospective candidate as to 



