To start with, many may ask: what is tenure? Tenure is when a professor becomes a permanent member of the faculty. Whenever a new professor is hired they are generally hired under a probationary period. At the end of the probationary period, the dean of the department that he or she works in reviews the professor’s record. The tenure process here at LSSU begins after the Provost makes a recommendation to the president, who also considers the recommendations of the department dean as well. After the president considers the recommendations, he/she brings the recommendations to the board of trustees who ultimately make the final decision on whether the professor receives tenure or not. Once the decision to grant tenure is decided, the faculty member cannot be fired without cause. This process has been historically been used so that once the professor is granted tenure he/she has job security and academic freedom. This also helped if a professor took a controversial position in the classroom, or in there scholarly writing. It was created to give professors the freedom needed to push the envelope but still have the job security in case they happen to press a few buttons.  

Professor Kimberly Muller has been here at LSSU for five years now. She teaches a wide range of mathematics courses here at LSSU, and does research on functional analysis. Muller graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics from Hardin-Simmons University in Texas, and received her Master’s degree in Science and PhD in Mathematics from the University of North Texas. Professor Muller received tenure during the most recent round of applicants, being approved at the last Board of Trustees meeting. When asked how she feels about receiving tenure, she responded “I am very happy that I have been granted tenure. I have enjoyed my time at LSSU.”

Professor Russell Searight a psychology professor here at LSSU, and has been teaching here since the fall semester of 2007. Professor Searight received his Bachelors degree in Psychology from Butler University in Indiana.  He received his first Masters degree from Saint Louis University with a PhD in clinical Psychology. Then about eight years ago he went back to school and received his second Masters degree in Public Health from the Saint Louis University School of Public Health. A few classes that he teaches are: Lifespan Development, Abnormal Psychology, Family Therapy, Health Psychology, and personality. He has also written two books and co-written another. He is in the process or writing another book on Applied Health Psychology. Professor Searight had this to say about being granted tenure here at LSSU “I was very pleased to be granted tenure. This is the second time that I have received tenure—I received tenure in 1992 at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville where I was on the faculty for about 8 years. I then was on the faculty of Saint Louis University’s School of Medicine as well as a faculty member in a Family Practice Residency program for about 18 years. This was the position I held immediately prior to coming to LSSU.”

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