When history professor Andrew Isenberg was denied tenure a few weeks ago despite support from his department, several of his students began a campaign to protest the decision.
Isenberg, who is a recipient of the 2001 President's Distinguished Teaching Award and a faculty member since 1997, teaches the history of the American West. He also serves as the history department's representative for undergraduates.
Slim chances
"The fact that there are so many students that are willing to work toward helping me is inspiring," Isenberg said, while noting that there was only a "slim, slim possibility" that the efforts would succeed in changing the decision.
President Tilghman said that she could not discuss Isenberg's particular tenure case or the process. She said, though, that despite efforts by students to protest the decision, only Isenberg himself can appeal the denial of tenure.
In the University's tenure process, individual departments collect information about scholarship, teaching and University citizenship and vote on each candidate, Tilghman said.
If the departmental vote is positive — as Isenberg says he knows his was — a brief containing extensive commentary from the chair is forwarded to a University-wide review board, called the Committee of Three.
The Committee of Three
The Committee of Three — six faculty members and the senior deans and provost — read the entire file and make a recommendation to the University president, who makes the final decision on granting tenure.
History department chair Robert Tignor declined to comment specifically about Isenberg's case, but said the process is unpredictable.
"These things do happen," Tignor said. "Our recommendations are sometimes turned up or down."
"I am never surprised at anything that happens. Only the very best people get promoted," Tignor said.
U-Councilor Brandon Parry '06, who is taking Isenberg's American West class this semester, raised the issue during Sunday's USG meeting.
Parry said he wants to make tenure his pet project for next year, seeking to make the process more "transparent."
"I would like to see student approval and teaching quality considered," he said. Parry also suggested the creation of an alternate, non-tenure track to keep good teachers not granted tenure at the University.
Student Involvement
Students involved in the campaign efforts on Isenberg's behalf had only praise for his teaching abilities.
"I took AMS 201: American Places in the fall with Professor Isenberg, who was also my preceptor," said Erik Linstrum '06, one of the students spearheading the efforts on Isenberg's behalf. "It was the best experience I could have asked for in my first semester."
After hearing about Isenberg's denied tenure, Linstrum said he emailed others in his precept and began working with other concerned undergraduate and graduate students on a petition "to protest the decision on the strongest terms."
"We want to take this as an opportunity to connect this situation to a greater issue, the importance of taking ability to teach undergraduates as a deciding factor for tenure," Linstrum said.
"His lectures are really engaging, he is charismatic and really knowledgeable about his stuff," Parry said. "He really gets you involved with learning the material."
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