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Senate File 27 - IntroducedA Bill ForAn Act 1relating to the establishment of tenure systems at
2public postsecondary educational institutions.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 260C.36, Code 2019, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 5. This section shall not be construed to
4authorize the board of directors of the community college to
5establish a tenure system for any employee of the community
6college.
7 Sec. 2. Section 262.9, Code 2019, is amended by adding the
8following new subsection:
9 NEW SUBSECTION. 39. Prohibit, at each institution of
10higher learning governed by the state board of regents,
11the establishment or continuation of a tenure system for
12any employee of the institution. Acceptable grounds for
13termination of employment of any member of the faculty
14shall include but not be limited to just cause, program
15discontinuance, and financial exigency. Each institution of
16higher learning governed by the board shall adopt a written
17statement enumerating employment agreements, annual performance
18evaluations of all faculty members, minimum standards of good
19practice, standards for review and discipline of faculty
20members, and policies with regard to dismissal for cause,
21program discontinuance, and financial exigency. The dean of a
22college under the authority of the state board of regents and
23the president of the institution of higher learning governed by
24the state board shall employ faculty as necessary to carry out
25the academic duties and responsibilities of the college.
26 Sec. 3. Section 262.12, Code 2019, is amended to read as
27follows:
28262.12 Committees and administrative offices under board.
29The board of regents shall also have and exercise all
30the powers necessary and convenient for the effective
31administration of its office and of the institutions under
32its control, and to this end may create such committees,
33offices and agencies from its own members or others, and employ
34persons to staff the same, fix their compensation and tenure
35 and delegate thereto, or to the administrative officers and
-1-1faculty of the institutions under its control, such part of the
2authority and duties vested by statute in the board, and shall
3formulate and establish such rules, outline such policies and
4prescribe such procedures therefor, all as may be desired or
5determined by the board as recorded in their minutes.
6 Sec. 4. Section 262.82, subsection 2, Code 2019, is amended
7to read as follows:
82. The board of regents shall also establish a program
9to create faculty opportunities for women educators at the
10universities under the board’s control. The program shall
11include but is not limited to the creation of faculty positions
12in targeted shortage areas. The board of regents shall also
13develop and implement, in consultation with appropriate faculty
14representatives, tenure, promotion, and hiring policies that
15recognize the unique needs of faculty members who are principal
16caregivers to dependents.
17EXPLANATION
18The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
19the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
20This bill directs the state board of regents to prohibit
21the establishment or continuation of a tenure system at the
22regents universities for any employee of a regents university,
23and provides that the provision in the Code which authorizes
24community college administrations to establish quality faculty
25planning committees shall not be construed to authorize a
26community college to establish a tenure system for any employee
27of the community college.
28The bill provides that acceptable grounds for termination
29of employment of any member of a regents university’s faculty
30shall include but not be limited to just cause, program
31discontinuance, and financial exigency. Each university is
32directed to adopt a written statement enumerating employment
33agreements, annual performance evaluations of all faculty
34members, minimum standards of good practice, standards for
35review and discipline of faculty members, and policies with
-2-1regard to dismissal for cause, program discontinuance, and
2financial exigency. The bill provides that each dean of a
3college at a regents university and the president of the
4university shall employ faculty as necessary to carry out the
5academic duties and responsibilities of the college.
6The bill makes corresponding changes in the Code.
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2public postsecondary educational institutions.
3BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
1 Section 1. Section 260C.36, Code 2019, is amended by adding
2the following new subsection:
3 NEW SUBSECTION. 5. This section shall not be construed to
4authorize the board of directors of the community college to
5establish a tenure system for any employee of the community
6college.
7 Sec. 2. Section 262.9, Code 2019, is amended by adding the
8following new subsection:
9 NEW SUBSECTION. 39. Prohibit, at each institution of
10higher learning governed by the state board of regents,
11the establishment or continuation of a tenure system for
12any employee of the institution. Acceptable grounds for
13termination of employment of any member of the faculty
14shall include but not be limited to just cause, program
15discontinuance, and financial exigency. Each institution of
16higher learning governed by the board shall adopt a written
17statement enumerating employment agreements, annual performance
18evaluations of all faculty members, minimum standards of good
19practice, standards for review and discipline of faculty
20members, and policies with regard to dismissal for cause,
21program discontinuance, and financial exigency. The dean of a
22college under the authority of the state board of regents and
23the president of the institution of higher learning governed by
24the state board shall employ faculty as necessary to carry out
25the academic duties and responsibilities of the college.
26 Sec. 3. Section 262.12, Code 2019, is amended to read as
27follows:
28262.12 Committees and administrative offices under board.
29The board of regents shall also have and exercise all
30the powers necessary and convenient for the effective
31administration of its office and of the institutions under
32its control, and to this end may create such committees,
33offices and agencies from its own members or others, and employ
34persons to staff the same, fix their compensation and tenure
35 and delegate thereto, or to the administrative officers and
-1-1faculty of the institutions under its control, such part of the
2authority and duties vested by statute in the board, and shall
3formulate and establish such rules, outline such policies and
4prescribe such procedures therefor, all as may be desired or
5determined by the board as recorded in their minutes.
6 Sec. 4. Section 262.82, subsection 2, Code 2019, is amended
7to read as follows:
82. The board of regents shall also establish a program
9to create faculty opportunities for women educators at the
10universities under the board’s control. The program shall
11include but is not limited to the creation of faculty positions
12in targeted shortage areas. The board of regents shall also
13develop and implement, in consultation with appropriate faculty
14representatives, tenure, promotion, and hiring policies that
15recognize the unique needs of faculty members who are principal
16caregivers to dependents.
17EXPLANATION
18The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with
19the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
20This bill directs the state board of regents to prohibit
21the establishment or continuation of a tenure system at the
22regents universities for any employee of a regents university,
23and provides that the provision in the Code which authorizes
24community college administrations to establish quality faculty
25planning committees shall not be construed to authorize a
26community college to establish a tenure system for any employee
27of the community college.
28The bill provides that acceptable grounds for termination
29of employment of any member of a regents university’s faculty
30shall include but not be limited to just cause, program
31discontinuance, and financial exigency. Each university is
32directed to adopt a written statement enumerating employment
33agreements, annual performance evaluations of all faculty
34members, minimum standards of good practice, standards for
35review and discipline of faculty members, and policies with
-2-1regard to dismissal for cause, program discontinuance, and
2financial exigency. The bill provides that each dean of a
3college at a regents university and the president of the
4university shall employ faculty as necessary to carry out the
5academic duties and responsibilities of the college.
6The bill makes corresponding changes in the Code.
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