Utah Faculty Question Tenure Audit Timing
The University of Utah Academic Senate questioned the timing and scope of a legislative audit into how public universities handle tenured faculty.
Updated on Nov. 5, 2026 in Legislative Policy
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A legislative audit examined how the Utah System of Higher Education handles tenured faculty, identifying 40 problematic cases. The University of Utah Academic Senate met virtually Monday to question the audit's timing and scope.
Why it matters
The audit follows HB438, passed in 2024, which requires annual reviews of tenured employees and allows dismissal for incompetence, serious misconduct, or unethical behavior. Faculty concerns center on how the review process is applied across Utah's public institutions.
The audit identified 40 problematic tenured faculty cases, with seven originating at the University of Utah, according to the U's vice provost over faculty. Whether the cases reflect systemic issues or individual circumstances has not been determined, and the audit does not specifically mention the University of Utah.
The players
Richard Preiss
Preiss is a University of Utah faculty member who will serve on the task force formed in response to the legislative audit of tenured faculty.
Geoffrey Landward
Landward is the commissioner of the Utah System of Higher Education, which oversees the state's public colleges and universities.
The details
The Academic Senate discussed the audit during its virtual meeting, while the Utah System of Higher Education formed a task force in response to the findings. Richard Preiss will serve on that task force, which was established by USHE Commissioner Geoffrey Landward.
Timeline
2024: Utah Legislature passes HB438 requiring annual tenured faculty reviews.
Monday, November 2, 2026: Academic Senate meets virtually to question the audit.
2027 Legislative Session: Upcoming session where tenure questions may arise, though the U's president does not expect lawmakers to question the review process.
Legal Context
The audit examines implementation of HB438, the 2024 Utah law that created annual tenure reviews and new grounds for dismissing tenured faculty. Its findings will show how the law's allowance for school-specific review processes plays out in practice.
Tenured faculty at Utah public universities now face annual reviews and possible dismissal under HB438, with each school setting its own review process. Students and staff may see changes in how these reviews are carried out across campuses.
The takeaway
The audit's findings will likely shape how Utah's public universities implement tenure review, making the coming months a key period to watch how individual schools apply HB438.
What happens next
The upcoming 2027 Legislative Session may bring renewed scrutiny of tenure review, though the University of Utah president does not expect lawmakers to revisit the process.
Further reading
For related coverage, explore Legislative Policy on the state's higher education rules.
Source note: This article includes information reported by City Weekly.
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