Innovative Higher Education, Vol. 24, No. 1, Fall 1999 Post-tenure Review: National Trends, Questions and Concerns Christine M. Licata and Joseph C. Morreale ABSTRACT: Evaluation and development of tenured faculty, commonly referred to as post-tenure review, is one of the most controversial policyinitiatives of this decade. Reac- tion to these policies has been mixed. The authors discuss the evolution of such policies, 1 review current practices, describe common approaches, and summarize unifying prin- ciples that lead to successful implementation. Lingering questions regarding impact, outcomes, cost, and benefit are explored. History and Development Current interest in post-tenure review is intense. Rooted primarily in the public sector, but also clearly evident in private institutions, this heightened attention comes principallyas a result of growing pres- sures for increasedaccountability and quality (as detailed in Margaret Miller's article). While most institutions have policies to evaluatetenured faculty for purposes of salary and merit adjustments, promotion, teaching awards, sabbaticals, grants, and graduate faculty status, post-tenure review, as we know it today, goes well beyond these traditional review meth- ods. In today's climate,post-tenure review usually means a systematic, comprehensive process, aimed specifically to assess performance and/or nurture faculty growth and development. Normally, it is either part of cl 1999 Human Sciences Press, Inc. Christine M. Licata is Associate Professor and Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at Rochester Institute of Technology/National Technical Institute for the Deaf. She re- ceived a B.S. and M.S. from Canisius College and a doctorate in Higher Education from George Washington University. Dr. Licata also currently serves as Senior Associate with the American Association for Higher Education, where she provides leadership for the New Pathways II post-tenure review initiatives. She has written and presented exten- sively on issues of senior faculty review and development. Joseph C. Morreale is Asso- ciate Vice President for Planning, Assessment, Research, and AcademicSupport at Pace University. He received the B.A. in Economics and Mathematics from Queen's College of the City University of New York; the M.S.Ed, in Higher Education Administration from SUNY, Albany; and the M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from SUNY, Buffalo. His special interests in the field of higher education are strategic planning, faculty development, and assessment. 1 Based on data collected and reported in Licata, Christine M. and Joseph C. Morreale, Post-Tenure Review: Policies, Practices and Presentations. AAHE Working Paper 12. March 1997. 5