From the dean of the School of Arts and Sciences to the dean of the Law School, job security is virtually guaranteed.
The same could be said for any of the deans of Penn's 12 schools, as well as the four undergraduate deans.
Former Dean of Admissions Lee Stetson didn't have that same luxury.
Unlike Stetson, other top-ranking deans are all tenured faculty members, enjoying protection from summary dismissal at the hands of administrators for taking unpopular stances or criticizing the University.
Even President Amy Gutmann and Provost Ron Daniels have tenured academic appointments - Gutmann's is in the Political Science department, and Daniels is a Law professor.
Stetson, on the other hand, spent 29 years as Penn's dean of admissions as an at-will employee, meaning he could be fired for almost any reason and could leave any time he wished.
Employees in most professions are typically hired on an at-will basis as well.
But in academia, professors are granted tenure to protect them from being forced to leave by the University - a right not enjoyed by at-will employees.
As stated in the University's faculty handbook: The "system of tenure is the preeminent means of fostering and protecting academic freedom of the faculty in teaching and in scholarly inquiry."
Though it is possible to fire a tenured professor, a formal process must be followed in order to do that. Charges must be presented before a tribunal of fellow academics, and the professor at risk of dismissal has the right to legal counsel and to contest any charges.
"Anything you say or do within the classroom . would not lead to even the beginning of [this] process," said Larry Gladney, a Physics and Astronomy professor and chairman of the Faculty Senate.
Even former Marketing professor Scott Ward was only fired after his 2006 arrest for child pornography because he had officially retired but was teaching on an annual appointment and thus did not have tenure.
He was, however, allowed to stay on in 1999 when he was still a tenured faculty member, even after entering an Alford plea in his trial for child sex crimes that acknowledged sufficient evidence for conviction but did not constitute a confession of guilt.
The situation for an at-will employee is totally different.
Barring certain discrimination restrictions - people can't be fired on account of their race or age, for example - an employer is free to lay off an at-will employee at any time and without any reason.
"You can call them at-risk employees," said Dennis Kuhn, a Villanova professor of business law.
And for faculty members, Gladney says, there may be certain restrictions in professors' employment contracts that restrict their right to resign when they want.
Restrictions like that are found more often in schools like the Medical School, where professors, often associated with the Penn Health System or the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, can have responsibilities to their patients that they must fulfill.
Gutmann and University spokeswoman Lori Doyle have refused repeated requests for comment as to why Stetson abruptly left his position as dean of admissions at the beginning of the semester.
Gutmann would only say that it was "better for him to step down now," and she has refused repeated requests to elaborate.
Stetson and his family have also refused repeated requests for comment.
Doyle has also refused to comment as to the nature of any severance package that Stetson received on his departure.
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I am fairly sure that actually neither the President, the Provost nor the Deans have tenure in their positions. They do have contracts, but I am fairly sure that the Trustees have the right to terminate those contracts at any time. What those officers have is FACULTY tenure, which could allow them to stay on as a member of the faculty, if they want to stay. But I am almost certain that the Trustees have the full legal ability to fire a President, Provost or Dean. The situation regarding the Dean of Admissions is like that for the Director of Athletics or Executive Vice President -- contract officers without FACULTY tenure. Stephen J. Marmon C'71, WG'81
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I appreciate your on-going stories about Dean (he's still "Dean" as far as I'm concerned)Stetson. Each nugget adds information, which is good, solid journalism. I think it is likely that --- in exchange for a generous severance package --- the university is forcing him to remain "silent;" he cannot comment in any way, or he will lose the package. If he had done something really bad, illegal or compromised himself, I still do not believe he would have made an appearance at the Texas meeting, even though he did withdraw from the AP talk. Within the past year, our family had a major, major complaint with the applications/admissions process --- it was "real," too. We met him when he visited our hometown within the past year. He listened to our complaint, and (trust me!!) I let him "have it." He listened as if he really cared. Our student is now at Penn, thriving, and very active on campus. If he reads this, he will likely recognize my comment, and remember my family: I want him to know that our family will always be forever grateful to him for listening to us. Very few people realize Dean Stetson is a Vietnam Veteran, and his undergraduate degree (I believe) is from a public university. This gives him a humility, understanding, and a dignity that few have, especially in a position such as his. His efforts over the past 29 years put Penn "on the map," which we all know. With all her fancy degrees and academic pedigree---which I do respect and appreciate---the University president doesn't realize that you do not treat people like this. Had he not been so instrumental in sculpting such an extraordinary student body over the years, the President would never have been attracted to Penn, and she needs to remember that. She needs a dose of humility, and humanity.##
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Dear Parent, Your explanation clearly is a possibility. It is also possible however that the Dean was dismissed for an act or omission that would be an embarrassment to the Univ. and that neither the Dean or the Univ. want to publicize. Sooner or later this story will break. Meanwhile, its clear that neither party is interested in it breaking otherwise there would have been a leak of some sort by now. [QUOTE id="78794417-9d6f-440b-9698-15cb60bfbcb8"]I appreciate your on-going stories about Dean (he's still "Dean" as far as I'm concerned)Stetson. Each nugget adds information, which is good, solid journalism. I think it is likely that --- in exchange for a generous severance package --- the university is forcing him to remain "silent;" he cannot comment in any way, or he will lose the package. If he had done something really bad, illegal or compromised himself, I still do not believe he would have made an appearance at the Texas meeting, even though he did withdraw from the AP talk. Within the past year, our family had a major, major complaint with the applications/admissions process --- it was "real," too. We met him when he visited our hometown within the past year. He listened to our complaint, and (trust me!!) I let him "have it." He listened as if he really cared. Our student is now at Penn, thriving, and very active on campus. If he reads this, he will likely recognize my comment, and remember my family: I want him to know that our family will always be forever grateful to him for listening to us. Very few people realize Dean Stetson is a Vietnam Veteran, and his undergraduate degree (I believe) is from a public university. This gives him a humility, understanding, and a dignity that few have, especially in a position such as his. His efforts over the past 29 years put Penn "on the map," which we all know. With all her fancy degrees and academic pedigree---which I do respect and appreciate---the University president doesn't realize that you do not treat people like this. Had he not been so instrumental in sculpting such an extraordinary student body over the years, the President would never have been attracted to Penn, and she needs to remember that. She needs a dose of humility, and humanity.##[/QUOTE]
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As a long-time alumni interviewer, I'm as bewildered by this story as everyone else. The question which remains unanswered in this article, however, is whether administrators who were not tenured faculty--or admissions directors at other schools--have either tenure or long-term contracts. I would think that class of non-faculty would be the proper one to look at in evaluating whether the "at will" relationship was really unusual.