THE TENURE PROCESS AND YOU.

This paper is an attempt to in form young sociologists in academic institutions about issues of tenure. Although there is room for debate concerning the nature of tenure, a basic conception of tenure is presented here which we believe is defensible under any set of economic or political circumstances. The misconceptions about tenure by young sociologists and the misconceptions about fundamental responsibilities of department chairs often lead to dissatisfied sociologists, demoralized departments, and hated administrators Sociologists should be aware of the way tenure is implemented at their institutions. Chairs not only should be informed but also should inform their department members about the tenure process. The paper is the result of experiences gained by the authors while serving on the Committee of the Freedom of Research and Teaching of the American Sociological Association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]