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The Daily OrangeIn her hands: Leslie Gnaegy has served three years on the Newhouse tenure committee, controlling the fate of the school's professors
By Dara Kahn
Posted: 3/20/07, 9:56 PM EST Section: Feature
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The process, which includes reviewing files, observing classes and attending meetings, is extremely time-consuming. It requires that the committee members never speak of its inner workings with anyone, and student representatives typically only serve on it for one year.
But senior Leslie Gnaegy has served on the tenure committee for three out of her four years at SU.
"I don't think there's been any student who's served on it as long," said Larry Mason, professor of visual and interactive communications and chair of the Newhouse tenure committee, who has served on the committee with Gnaegy for two years. "I have not known someone to do it even twice."
Amy Falkner, associate dean of academic affairs at Newhouse, said the tenure committee is one of, if not the most important committee in the school. The committee essentially has two main jobs: to grant or deny tenure after a professor has taught in Newhouse for six years and to conduct reviews after three years.
In both cases, the committee examines teaching credentials, research, creativity and service to the community, among other things.
"We don't want bad teachers in the classroom," Mason said. "Our students can't wait seven years for them to leave."
Gnaegy, originally from St. Louis, served on the committee for her freshman, junior and current senior year. Though unusual for a freshman to serve on the committee, Gnaegy said there was a lack of interested students. She also wanted to be on an active committee, and the tenure committee was just that - they reviewed six cases that year.
"I can give them a perspective from students," Gnaegy said. "It's nice when they bring up an issue, and I'm able to say, 'from a student's perspective.'"
Gnaegy keeps herself busy.
She is a creative advertising major in Newhouse, specializing in advertising design in the School of Visual and Performing Arts and has a minor in psychology.
Along with her academic load, Gnaegy is currently involved in the advertising club at Newhouse, and she is the creative director of the American Advertising Federation National Student Advertising Competition, which has kept her very busy.
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