Trustee-Faculty Agreement

The Board of Trustees has accepted a revised agreement on academic freedom, tenure, and responsibility, earlier approved unanimously by the Dartmouth faculty. It replaces a trustee- faculty pact in effect since 1960. The new agreement establishes faculty responsibility in matters of disciplinary action involving faculty members, and delineates terms of appointments, including tenure, with greater precision.

The compact separates the responsibility for charges and action on the charges in cases involving possible disciplinary action by creating a facultyelected Council on Academic Freedom and Responsibility to hear the cases.

Under the new procedure, appropriate committees will be designated by the faculties of arts and sciences and of each of the graduate schools to examine allegations which might result in disciplinary action against faculty members and to decide if further action and formal hearings are warranted. If a committee decides affirmatively, the charges will then be considered in a hearing by a panel of five members chosen by lot from the 18 members of the Council. After formal proceedings, this panel will present its recommendations to the President of the College, who in turn will transmit the report and the record to the Board of Trustees for final action.

Previously, the Committee Advisory to the President performed the dual role of examining allegations and, after hearings, recommending action to be taken upon them.

The agreement also requires that a notice of non-reappointment must be given at least six months before the terminal date. In the case of faculty members who will have had at least three years' service with the College, one year's notice must be given. The agreement also stipulates mutual responsibility, emphasizing that faculty members must accord "reasonable time for the College to make necessary adjustments" when asking release from appointment agreements.