Tenure Scam

The San Francisco Chronicle reports:

History instructor Lillian Taiz taught for 10 years in various college classrooms before being awarded a coveted tenured professorship at the California State University campus in Los Angeles, then worked five more years as an associate professor before securing the rank and salary of a full professor.

Christine Helwick, on the other hand, is the university system's top lawyer. She has never taught a college course in her life, but when she leaves her current job as general counsel, she has been promised a full, tenured professorship.

Helwick, who currently earns about $230,000 a year, is also entitled to one year of paid leave to prepare for her entry into the world of college teaching -- or she may simply take a job elsewhere while receiving the paid leave. She will have no obligation to return to the university.

"I was evaluated on the merits," said Helwick, who applied for tenure nine years after she became a CSU executive.

Taiz doesn't see it that way.

"It's a slap in the face,'' said Taiz, noting that the minimum requirement for most people getting tenured positions is six years of full-time work as an assistant professor. "When someone sort of waltzes in not having gone through the process, you can't help but feel that someone has made a shortcut through."

Great moments in public education.Do you get this deal in the private sector?