Thirteen Gavilan College faculty members can finally rest this
week following a four-year evaluation process determining their
employment status. This month, the 13 received tenure at the
college.
Thirteen Gavilan College faculty members can finally rest this week following a four-year evaluation process determining their employment status. This month, the 13 received tenure at the college.
“I’m exhausted,” said Robert Beede, an instructor of Digital Media at Gavilan. “The thing is – (tenure is) hanging over your head all the time. It’s great to get this stress off your shoulders. It’s been a lot of late nights and long summers.”
Beede and company received the good news earlier this month after the board of trustees approved the recommendations for tenure: The holy grail of job security.
Tenure is when a faculty member is guaranteed permanent employment until retirement, unless the individual is dismissed under specific provisions in the employee’s contract.
Beede teaches future Hollywood filmmakers, graphic designers and photographers in his digital media courses. During the course of his 3 plus years at Gavilan, he developed and outlined 15 classes in the program, as well as landing grant money to build a new computer lab.
“We use the same equipment that Hollywood uses – it’s very advanced. We could edit a Hollywood movie in there,” Beede said.
Despite the program’s expansion, Beede continues to surge forward with his expectations. “We’re just getting started. Students need to realize we live in a technological society – we got to get going.”
Gavilan College follows California state education guidelines which require a tenure review of its employees after four years of service, President Steven Kinsella said.
A Tenure Review Committee made up of the employee’s dean, supervising administrator and two faculty members, is formed within the first year of employment. And each year beginning in September, the committee assesses the employee’s performance based on student and administrative evaluations as well as the employee’s self-evaluations and committee observations.
The process ends in February with the committee either recommending continued employment of the individual to Gavilan’s president, or recommending termination. This occurs every year for four years, until the staff member is either granted tenure, or released if it is denied.
Once tenured, faculty members at Gavilan undergo evaluation at least once every three years, but are almost guaranteed job security. “They usually keep getting better and better,” he said.
This year, 14 faculty were up for tenure review, and 13 received it. Gavilan head women’s softball coach Tim Kenworthy was not offered tenure. In a letter to the editor, Kenworthy stated it was because he had vocalized disparities in the athletic program.
n By kristen munson
staff writer
Thirteen Gavilan College faculty members can finally rest this week following a four-year evaluation process determining their employment status. This month, the 13 received tenure at the college.
“I’m exhausted,” said Robert Beede, an instructor of Digital Media at Gavilan. “The thing is – (tenure is) hanging over your head all the time. It’s great to get this stress off your shoulders. It’s been a lot of late nights and long summers.”
Beede and company received the good news earlier this month after the board of trustees approved the recommendations for tenure: The holy grail of job security.
Tenure is when a faculty member is guaranteed permanent employment until retirement, unless the individual is dismissed under specific provisions in the employee’s contract.
Beede teaches future Hollywood filmmakers, graphic designers and photographers in his digital media courses. During the course of his 3 plus years at Gavilan, he developed and outlined 15 classes in the program, as well as landing grant money to build a new computer lab.
“We use the same equipment that Hollywood uses – it’s very advanced. We could edit a Hollywood movie in there,” Beede said.
Despite the program’s expansion, Beede continues to surge forward with his expectations. “We’re just getting started. Students need to realize we live in a technological society – we got to get going.”
Gavilan College follows California state education guidelines which require a tenure review of its employees after four years of service, President Steven Kinsella said.
A Tenure Review Committee made up of the employee’s dean, supervising administrator and two faculty members, is formed within the first year of employment. And each year beginning in September, the committee assesses the employee’s performance based on student and administrative evaluations as well as the employee’s self-evaluations and committee observations.
The process ends in February with the committee either recommending continued employment of the individual to Gavilan’s president, or recommending termination. This occurs every year for four years, until the staff member is either granted tenure, or released if it is denied.
Once tenured, faculty members at Gavilan undergo evaluation at least once every three years, but are almost guaranteed job security. “They usually keep getting better and better,” he said.
This year, 14 faculty were up for tenure review, and 13 received it. Gavilan head women’s softball coach Tim Kenworthy was not offered tenure. In a letter to the editor, Kenworthy stated it was because he had vocalized disparities in the athletic program.
Kristen Munson covers education for the Dispatch. Reach her at km*****@************ch.com or at 847-7097.
