The Indiana House of Representatives is advancing a bill to the Senate that would radically change tenure at public universities.
The vote passed 67-30 on its third reading Tuesday.
As written, Senate Bill 202 would make teaching “diverse viewpoints” in class a requirement for tenure: job protection for professors that prevents them from being fired at will. It would also require a post-tenure review every five years, similar to systems in Florida, Georgia and other states.
Senate Bill 202 says what constitutes “diverse viewpoints” is up to the board of trustees.
It is one of the most hotly contested bills in the 2024 session. Academics across the state and Democratic lawmakers contend that its changes to tenure effectively gut protections for teachers and open classrooms to political oversight.
Republicans argue the intent is to make conservative students feel more comfortable speaking on campus, not to stifle free speech. The bill does limit what speech by professors outside the classroom could be penalized by a university, although many academics contend that’s what tenure already does.
State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) who works at the IU Media School delivered a scathing critique.
"Quite honestly, I think the thing that frustrates me and angers me a bit is it insults many of the people I represent," he said. "People who have dedicated their lives to researching, to discovering knowledge and imparting that knowledge to students who want to learn."
State representatives have amended the bill in its journey through the House, removing proposed changes to Boards of Trustees that would have given appointments to the legislature. But despite amendments proposed by Democratic lawmakers, its language on tenure remains unchanged.
If the Senate approves of those amendments, it will head to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk.
