Tenure is wasted on professors who don't speak their minds.
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I mean, some profs just want to figure out molecular structures and prove theorems about prime numbers and stuff
Sure, but chemists and number theorists don't need tenure to do their work. Rolling contracts would suffice. The whole point of tenure is protection against outside society's intellectual and moral fads and witch-hunts. If unengaged with outside society, no need for tenure.
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I think that's incorrect. Tenure also *theoretically* allows profs to take more long-term risks with their research. It's theoretically worth it to have some profs who never succeed at anything, and yet get rewarded. Not sure if that's how it works in practice...
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Another useful function of tenure, true. But not the original rationale, and not the current function that's most under threat. I'll try to write something soon about the functions of 21st century tenure.
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Unless it allows openness of scholarly pursuits. Topics that might be harder for someone with no job security to negotiate.
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Yes, that's another function. I should write something about this soon....
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