A RECENT review of the tenure system in Nanyang Technological University (NTU) has upset several faculty members.

Some have been asked to leave when their contracts end soon, while others have not had their T55 contract (tenure to age 55) extended.

Out of the 1,500 faculty members, 600 were submitted for review. The university said only half of the 600 were awarded the new tenure to 65.

Some lecturers were unhappy over what they felt was a lack of transparency in the review.

A spokesman for NTU's human resource department said the review was 'an elaborate multi-level appraisal process including international referees (about 4,000 referee letters)'.

A large number of those who were not granted tenure were given advice on further developing their credentials for future review, said the spokesman.

The spokesman added that anyone whose contract is due will continue to be renewed 'depending on the needs of the university's teaching and research programmes'.

UNHAPPINESS

The New Paper spoke to eight faculty members, most of whom expressed unhappiness over the review - even those who were granted tenure.

An associate professor who retained his tenure claimed poor performers were retained at the expense of those who were better.

He said some of those on three-year contracts were worse off, as they would have to leave within months.

One lecturer facing this situation said he had uprooted his family from China more than 10 years ago to teach at NTU. He even took up Singapore citizenship, but will be out of a job in when his contract expires in a year.

The associate professor, who is approaching his 50s, said: 'It's tough when you are middle-aged and faced with this kind of shock.'

Another associate professor, who did not get the extension, referred to the review as 'nonsense'.

He said it was the first such exercise in his almost 20 years of working at NTU. Other lecturers confirmed this.

He received the one-page letter last week and took issue with the line: 'A thorough review on research, teaching and service has led to our current assessment that your case has yet to reach the standards set for the award of tenure at this time.'

The associate professor, whose contract ends when he reaches 55 in about five years, said: 'What does it mean that I haven't met the university's standards?

'Most of us are upset at the non-transparency of the process. We want to know what the criteria is for promotion.'

The letter, signed by the university's provost, Professor Bertil Andersson, also encouraged him to approach the chair of his school for guidance to work on areas for improvement.

It also said he is eligible to be renominated within his current employment term.

Like many others, he will be meeting individually with the division head and chair of his school next week.

He said: 'I want to ask them about the areas that I am falling back in, and where I stand. I want them to show me some numbers that will indicate my position and ranking.'

Ironically, he said, faculty members were initially optimistic about the exercise as it meant they could work till 65.

He said the news has affected morale among faculty members.

'We were happy with the previous system. Suddenly, we have a situation like this, where some of us are asked to go,' he said.

Yet another associate professor described the outcome of the review exercise as 'full of surprises'.

Although his tenure application was successful, he was shocked that some colleagues didn't make the cut.

He said: 'At first, we thought the main issue was that some candidates didn't meet the university's standards for research. But some candidates with a lot of papers published weren't successful.'

Academics' research work is measured by such indicators as the number of papers they have published and how often their work is cited.

The associate professor said it was unclear whether faculty members were assessed on teaching competence.

He said: 'I know of colleagues who are excellent teachers who weren't granted tenure.'

He said each faculty member's work is put up for review by a team of about five academics from overseas universities.

'But that's just one factor. We don't know what else matters to the university,' he said.

One associate professor who was granted tenure said he was happy because it meant having job security for the next 15-20 years.

He said: 'Most of those who got tenure are staying reserved about it, because the mood is sombre here.'

Another faculty member said there had been talk on whether the exercise would result in a shortage of teaching staff.

He said: 'Class sizes are burgeoning - some tutorial classes have as many as 40 people in them.'

'STUDENTS COME FIRST'

But the NTU spokesman said the interests of students come first.

'Along with major new recruitments targeting top international talent, NTU will ensure the education students receive continue to rise in quality and meet the highest expectations.'

The spokesman added that the Award of Tenure to 65 is meant to recognise faculty members as internationally renowned scholars who can contribute at the highest levels of teaching and research.

This article was first published in The New Paper on Mar 29, 2008.