The Faculty of Trinity College believes that the safeguarding of tenure is of crucial importance to good governance and the protection of academic freedom. In particular, it is essential that neither the awarding nor the withholding of tenure be involved in any manner with disciplinary action. In May, 1992 the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees "suspended" the award of tenure to a member of the Faculty accused of an illegal act. At its meeting of January 19, 1996 the Board of Trustees voted unanimously to endorse verbatim the following principles and positions:

Tenure and discipline are separate matters.

The action of the Executive Committee in "suspending" tenure in response to the particular circumstances that occurred in May, 1992 should not be regarded as a precedent for mixing tenure and discipline.

The Faculty Manual details procedures for discipline, which are the same for tenured and non-tenured members of the Faculty.

The Faculty also endorses these three principles and positions.

(Passed March 12, 1996)