Senate File 380 - Introduced SENATE FILE 380 BY ZAUN and BEHN A BILL FOR An Act relating to the establishment of tenure systems at 1 public postsecondary educational institutions. 2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA: 3 TLSB 2139XS (3) 86 kh/rj

S.F. 380 Section 1. Section 260C.36, Code 2015, is amended by adding 1 the following new subsection: 2 NEW SUBSECTION . 5. This section shall not be construed to 3 authorize the board of directors of the community college to 4 establish a tenure system for any employee of the community 5 college. 6 Sec. 2. Section 262.9, Code 2015, is amended by adding the 7 following new subsection: 8 NEW SUBSECTION . 39. Prohibit, at each institution of 9 higher learning governed by the state board of regents, the 10 establishment of a tenure system for any employee of the 11 institution. Acceptable grounds for termination of employment 12 of any member of the faculty shall include but not be limited 13 to just cause, program discontinuance, and financial exigency. 14 Each institution of higher learning governed by the board shall 15 adopt a written statement enumerating employment agreements, 16 annual performance evaluations of all faculty members, minimum 17 standards of good practice, standards for review and discipline 18 of faculty members, and policies with regard to dismissal for 19 cause, program discontinuance, and financial exigency. The 20 dean of a college under the authority of the state board of 21 regents and the president of the institution of higher learning 22 governed by the state board shall employ faculty as necessary 23 to carry out the academic duties and responsibilities of the 24 college. 25 Sec. 3. Section 262.12, Code 2015, is amended to read as 26 follows: 27 262.12 Committees and administrative offices under board. 28 The board of regents shall also have and exercise all 29 the powers necessary and convenient for the effective 30 administration of its office and of the institutions under 31 its control, and to this end may create such committees, 32 offices and agencies from its own members or others, and employ 33 persons to staff the same, fix their compensation and tenure 34 and delegate thereto, or to the administrative officers and 35 -1- LSB 2139XS (3) 86 kh/rj 1/ 3

S.F. 380 faculty of the institutions under its control, such part of the 1 authority and duties vested by statute in the board, and shall 2 formulate and establish such rules, outline such policies and 3 prescribe such procedures therefor, all as may be desired or 4 determined by the board as recorded in their minutes. 5 Sec. 4. Section 262.82, unnumbered paragraph 2, Code 2015, 6 is amended to read as follows: 7 The board of regents shall also establish a program to create 8 faculty opportunities for women educators at the universities 9 under the board’s control. The program shall include, but 10 is not limited to, the creation of faculty positions in 11 targeted shortage areas. The board of regents shall also 12 develop and implement, in consultation with appropriate faculty 13 representatives, tenure, promotion , and hiring policies that 14 recognize the unique needs of faculty members who are principal 15 caregivers to dependents. 16 EXPLANATION 17 The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with 18 the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. 19 This bill directs the state board of regents to prohibit the 20 establishment of a tenure system at the regents universities 21 for any employee of a regents university, and provides 22 that the provision in the Code which authorizes community 23 college administrations to establish quality faculty planning 24 committees shall not be construed to authorize a community 25 college to establish a tenure system for any employee of the 26 community college. 27 The bill provides that acceptable grounds for termination 28 of employment of any member of a regents university’s faculty 29 shall include but not be limited to just cause, program 30 discontinuance, and financial exigency. Each university is 31 directed to adopt a written statement enumerating employment 32 agreements, annual performance evaluations of all faculty 33 members, minimum standards of good practice, standards for 34 review and discipline of faculty members, and policies with 35 -2- LSB 2139XS (3) 86 kh/rj 2/ 3

S.F. 380 regard to dismissal for cause, program discontinuance, and 1 financial exigency. The bill provides that each dean of a 2 college at a regents university, under the authority of the 3 president of the university and the state board, shall employ 4 faculty as necessary to carry out the academic duties and 5 responsibilities of the college. 6 The bill makes corresponding changes in the Code. 7 -3- LSB 2139XS (3) 86 kh/rj 3/ 3