Faculty and Academic Institution: A Covenantal Relationship

Abstract

Over the past few decades universities and academic health centers seem to be shifting from faculties composed predominantly of tenured or tenure-track faculty members to faculties who are increasingly made up of nontenure track or part-time members. This trend may have deleterious effects on the academic endeavors and other activities of the institution. This paper examines the nature of the relationship between faculty members and the educational institutions focusing on whether the relationship is contractual or covenantal. The authors conclude that the nature of the relationship is primarily covenantal and offer proposals to extend this relationship to faculty members who are either part-time or not on the tenure track.