And another instructor who criticized her has resigned. Faculty members have long accused President Coleman of penalizing those who disagree with her and of trying to eliminate the faculty's role in decision making. The issue, of course, is not the personality of President Elizabeth Coleman. The actions of the board of trustees and of President Elizabeth Coleman have been grossly unfair to the faculty of Bennington College. More significant, perhaps, the events at Bennington College have importance extending far beyond the campus of a single institution.
Tenure is under attack today on many fronts.
Sometimes the attack comes subtly through alternative inducements or simple attrition. The continuing tragedy of Bennington College illustrates the consequences of the loss of tenure. Tenure is not an end in itself. Rather, it is the means to secure the faculty voice in the essential academic matters of the institution and in the formulation of fair and equitable policies and procedures. Fundamentally, tenure assures freedom of teaching and research, and of internal and extramural activities.