MIT News Office Statement — Feb. 5, 2007
MIT News Office Statement — Feb. 5, 2007
Professor Sherley’s case was assessed and decided on the merits.
MIT’s tenure process is extremely rigorous; less than half of the Institute’s many talented junior faculty members are promoted to tenured positions. MIT has a well-established policy for reviewing and granting tenure to faculty and for handling grievances that arise from negative tenure decisions; the process is thorough and extensive, and we are confident it was followed with integrity in this case.
MIT is intensely committed to developing all reasonable supports to create an environment that will allow every faculty member to reach his or her full potential. At the same time, maintaining the rigor and integrity of the tenure process is at the heart of MIT’s academic excellence.
We understand that Professor Sherley disagrees profoundly with the decision in his tenure case, and that his disagreement raises difficult issues for many in our extended community, most especially Professor Sherley’s family, colleagues, and friends.
We hope those who hold diverging views on the issues Professor Sherley has raised will nonetheless speak and act in the spirit of mutual respect and dialogue that is a hallmark of the Institute’s culture.