the holding of an office or the right to permanent employment
from Latin tenere 'to hold'
Tenure means you get to hold onto your job!
Women academics face higher tenure bars and longer evaluation periods; motherhood penalty disproportionately affects tenure outcomes for women relative to men.
When assessing tenure cases, audit criteria for gender-neutral standards; recognize that caregiving responsibilities burden women more, affecting research output metrics.
Women scholars like Jennifer Light and others have documented systemic tenure bias—intentional support for women's advancement strengthens institutional integrity.
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