_c0mment ,
gg editorial

Why and how
do we tenure?

Allaying fears and preparing for the worst should be
contradictory motives, but President Turner seems to have
combined the two into his recent statement on tenure issued
to the faculty,

In six pages, couched in vagueness, Turner outlines some
of his thoughts on the future of tenure policy in the future of
the college Only one idea emerges as a new, clearly defined
policy statement. Turner believes that sixty six and two«
thirds should be the maximum percentage of tenured
faculty.

The question of tenure presently concerns many academic
institutions such as Grinnellr The issue should concern
administrators, faculty, and students also, since tenure
directly affects their education. This makes it relevant to
discuss and ask questions about Turner’s essay in hopes of
stimulating campus interchange about tenure, as well as the
whole area of faculty employment

Turner has presented to the faculty a “guideline for
planning" tenure, to solve certain problems he sees resulting
from a highly tenured faculty. The problems are getting
”new blood" into the faculty, maintaining ﬂexibility for new
curricular directions, and a possible financial crisis at the
college. ,

We agree with Tumer'that “new blood" provides op-
portunities for new academic approaches. Continuing a step
further, we think “new blood" also offers different faces,
personalities, and philosophies to stimulate the college
environment. Grinnell particularly needs this stimulation
due to its isolated location.

A morale problem, though, might arise from limited tenure

possibilities. The newer junior faculty members, with no'

chance for tenure, could be less interested and involved in the
college Also, senior faculty might interact less with the
temporary junior facultyr

Options that provide curricular ﬂexibility must be
maintained but at the same time, senior faculty must not be
ruled out as initiators of such options. Also, junior faculty
members might be hesitant to participate in special or in-
terdisciplinary programs which would not aid them in ob:
taining another job. '

Lower enrollment is a valid reason for limited tenure.
College finances would be severely strained if salaries of a
highly tenured faculty had to be paid from a dwindling
tuition fund.

We heartily agree with Turner when he states that tenure
must be granted for excellence of performance rather than
failure to find reasons against granting tenure. We also
mncur that senior faculty should be encouraged to continue
their “professional development”

Although Turner’s discussion of tenure is a healthy start,
it is vague and superficial. Many other questions about
tenure need to be explored. Turner needs to clarify his
position. Perhaps his direction will not be clear until late
spring when the Executive Council takes up promotions.
Hopefully, the issue will receive more indepth questioning
before then. We could begin with perhaps the most basic
question: Why have tenure at all?

The Scarlet and Black, January 23. HHS—p. A

SPEAKER?
MSFEAKER?!
MN Ian/ alike Mia/map
loll/E A SPEAA’EKZ’!

Why all the wasted food?

by Bob Aldrich

Yes, yet another column for you,
dear reader to be subjected to, a
series of commenls on any variety
of subjects than i happen to pick up
off the street. There is an inherent
danger in going to an “academic"
school, and that is to be swallowed
up, losing perspective on what we
are doing. This Will be one attempt
to clarify and take a critical look at
what goes on around us.

The Saga food service is one of
those institutions mat is generally
accepted along with registration,
red lape and Iowa winters—
tolerated. gripcd about, but mostly
just there. What we neglect lo look
at, though, is not the lood we eal,
but the food that we Waste. Quad-
hall diners alone manage daily to
fill up lwo or more large garbage
cans with wasted food.

Why?

There are several rational-
izations. The first is that
“the food is bad—how could
anybody eat this stuff?” Fine,
except if the food is bad, Why take
it in the first place? True, there is
an occasional meal that is

unusually poor, but for the most
part the meals are at least
palatable. And even il they aren’t,
it makes no sense to waste the food,

A second common occurance is
simply that people take more than
they are able to eat. TWO desserts,
salad, bread, vegetableseall of
which could be saved from waste
with a little more forethought and a
lime less greed.

Point of view

But why all of this talk about
wasted food? Haven‘t we heard
enough about the ”starving
children in Europe," Biafra or
India? Probably so; apparently too
much, for it has a negligible effect
on the way we eat. The media has
shellrshocked us. Starving children
and bloated bellies are no longer a
concern. Besides, what do our
eating habits have to do with

them? Nothing, if we choose. On
the other hand, if we wasted 1e55,!
Saga would buy less, and ther ‘
would be that much more [bad to go
around.

Perhaps it is ludicrous to look at
one food service in a small college"
and think of it in terms or globaI
food concerns and policies. But
isn’t it even more ludicrous to be
indifferent to a very real plight,
real even if we can‘t entirely un
derstand it?

The point of all this is not to begin
rasling tomorrow and in run
around frantically scraping up
money, all the while trying to
appease a guilty conscience. This
is nothing more than a suggestion
to use our common sense
prevent needless waste.

We needn't always measure the
worth of our actions by the'r
quantitative results; a change lb
attitude along with a correspon1_
ding decline in food waste would be
a considerable change. And
change, any change, can only
begin with the individual. ‘ ‘

Whal appears helore yuu l5 an open spate, ii is an open space lor the lree expressvon of opinions on any issue, he lhoy

political. social or philosoph'

he may mm; or sad. caushr or displaying opvhnisnn. This space is RESERVED in our

readers—me svudehls. lhe building and grounds workers. lhe lacully. and lho administrative slow for melr presentation pl
minus as may see u ll ls nol mended in be an exlended lower in me editor, inn 3 place for viewpoinls, yislas, inspiranons.
nmvucahve'hougm, copy should he submitted lo lhe ’Srarlet and bland by 5:00 Tuesday evening lor publicalmh in Friday's
paDEr. Vour conmhunons are welcomed; otherwise "US will remain but open space.

The Euilors

 

