Higher Ed 101: Tenure Explained

Tenure is a defining feature of U.S. higher education, but these days the practice is in decline and under attack by critics. On this episode, Jeff and Michael talk with Jacques Berlinerblau, a Georgetown University professor who has written extensively about the tenure system, for an explainer on its colorful origins as well as a look at the dramatic changes that seem to be coming. This episode is made with support from Ascendium Education Group. Chapters 0:00 - Intro 2:50 - The Colorful History of Tenure 8:14 - A Distinctly American System 9:14 - How Tenure Works 13:26 - What Is the Legal Nature of Tenure? 14:46 - Which Types of Colleges Use Tenure? 16:19 - Is Tenure Different in Different Disciplines? 18:52 - How Difficult Is It For Colleges to Dismiss a Tenured Faculty Member? 20:40 - Can Tenured Departments Be Eliminated for Lack of Student Demand? 22:57 - Complaints Against the Tenure System 24:43 - A Turning Point in the 1990s 31:43 - A Renewed Campaign to Erode Tenure 34:31 - How Professors Are Partly to Blame for Tenure’s Woes 37:33 - Will Only Elite Universities Keep Tenure? 38:49 - Are Younger Faculty As Excited About Tenure? 41:48 - What Can Professors Do in the Face of Tenure’s Erosion? Relevant Links: “ 1915 Declaration of Principles on Academic Freedom and Academic Tenure, ” and a history of the American Association of University Professors. “ 1940 Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure, ” from the American Association of University Professors. " Professors Lay Dying: Selecting a College Amidst an Educational Crisis, " by Jacques Berlinerblau “ They’ve Been Scheming to Cut Tenure for Years. It’s Happening ,” by Jacques Berlinerblau in The Chronicle of Higher Education. “ Laboratories of Autocracy: A Wake-Up Call from Behind the Lines, ” by David Pepper. “ The War on Tenure, ” by Deepa Das Acevedo Connect with Michael Horn: Sign Up for the The Future of Education Newsletter Website LinkedIn X (Twitter) Threads Connect with Jeff Selingo: Dream School: Finding the College That's Right for You Sign Up for the Next Newsletter Website X (Twitter) Threads LinkedIn Connect with Future U: Twitter YouTube Threads Instagram Facebook LinkedIn Submit a question and if we answer it on air we'll send you Future U. swag! Sign up for Future U. emails to get special updates and behind-the-scenes content.

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Higher Ed 101: Tenure Explained is an episode from Future U Podcast by Jeff Selingo and Michael Horn.

This episode is 00:46:17 long.

This episode was published on Mar 3, 2026.

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