Oklahoma scraps tenure for faculty at regional public and community colleges: Here's what changes

Faculty members at Oklahoma’s regional public universities and community colleges can no longer be granted tenure, following an executive order issued by Governor Kevin Stitt that took effect Thursday.

The order directs public regional universities to stop offering new lifetime tenure appointments. Instead, institutions must hire faculty on fixed-term, renewable contracts. Renewals will be based on performance, student outcomes, alignment with Oklahoma’s workforce and economic needs, and institutional service.

Faculty members who already hold tenure at these institutions may retain it. According to Inside Higher Ed, 761 faculty members at Oklahoma regional colleges held tenure in 2024, while 412 were on the tenure track. The same prohibition on new tenure appointments applies to Oklahoma’s 13 community colleges.

What changes for regional and community colleges

The executive order does not fully extend to public research universities. Faculty at institutions such as the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University may still receive tenure or tenure-track appointments. However, they will now be subject to post-tenure reviews every five years or fewer and may be dismissed for sustained failure to meet performance standards.

Research universities treated differently

In the order, the state argues that Oklahoma has a responsibility to manage public funds and ensure accountability and measurable outcomes in higher education. Speaking to the conservative Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs, Stitt said that taxpayer-funded jobs should not be exempt from regular performance reviews, Inside Higher Ed reports.

The governor’s case against tenure

Tenure researchers and higher education scholars dispute the governor’s underlying premise that tenure reduces productivity. Deepa Das Acevedo, a legal anthropologist at Emory University, told Inside Higher Ed that research does not support the idea that job insecurity leads to higher academic output. Studies across disciplines, she said, show that tenure does not have a measurable effect on research productivity.

What research says about tenure and performance

The move places Oklahoma among a growing number of Republican-led states examining or weakening tenure protections. While similar efforts in states such as Texas and Florida have often resulted in diluted reforms, Oklahoma’s approach could encourage other states to pursue stronger measures.

Could other states follow?

The American Association of University Professors condemned the executive order. In a statement, AAUP president Todd Wolfson said the decision undermines academic freedom and could harm faculty recruitment and retention across the state.

Why research campuses were spared a full ban

The order arrives as tenure continues to decline nationally. Data from a 2023 AAUP study show that only 23% of US faculty held full-time tenured positions in fall 2023, down from 39% in 1987. Over the past two decades, contingent appointments have increased sharply, while tenure-track roles have declined.

Beyond faculty employment, the governor issued a second executive order directing the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to develop a performance-based funding model for public colleges and universities. The plan is intended to maximize the state’s return on higher education spending and is due by October 1, with implementation expected by the following academic year.

Stitt also asked the regents to study the feasibility of a 90-credit bachelor’s degree, including its academic, fiscal, workforce and accreditation implications.

A broader rethink of higher education outcomes

For now, the immediate effect of the tenure order will be felt most directly at regional universities and community colleges. The longer-term impact will depend on how institutions adapt to contract-based hiring, expanded reviews at research universities and broader shifts toward performance-linked funding across Oklahoma’s higher education system.
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