Faculty members were on hand at the Government of the Student Body meeting Wednesday night, when the senate discussed a resolution to support a portion of the faculty petition, specifically the evaluation of the ISU administration’s current tenure policy.

After listening to faculty input, the senate voted to delay further discussion on the resolution until ISU President Martin Jischke or Provost Rollin Richmond could contribute to the debate.

According to the petition, “the Government of the Student Body, voicing the opinion of ISU students, believes that President Martin C. Jischke’s current tenure policy rewards research at the expense of undergraduate education.”

Several senators agreed research seems to be stressed over teaching ability when faculty members are considered for tenure.

“I think sometimes when the administration tells us their main priority is teaching, it might be just lip service,” said Wade Demmer, RCA. “Research is really important for a university, but in the long run, the students aren’t always getting a good education.”

Suzanne Guess, temporary instructor in the English department, described the working conditions for members of the “Kleenex,” or temporary, faculty members.

“Anything we do in terms of continuing education comes out of our pocket,” she said. “The university doesn’t value teaching enough to give me the resources to do my job effectively.”

She pointed out that conditions for temporary faculty in the English department — such as 10 people to a single telephone line, a class load of 80 students, and 100 temporary faculty members and graduate students competing for access to six computers and one printer — are university-wide problems.

Guess said that as a temporary teacher, she works under a term limit of five years. Although she has been recognized with two teaching awards for excellence, she is “out the door” in five years.

“Don’t get me wrong; I love to teach,” she said. “But I go nowhere when I don’t get the chance [to do research].”

David Gradwhol, supporter of the petition, said he thinks teaching and research both are vital for a university.

“I believe that teaching and research can be integrated,” said Gradwhol, professor emeritus of anthropology. “I think it is very hard today to get tenure on the basis of teaching.”

Bill Kunerth, supporter of the petition, said the dissent from faculty members is not a new development.

“We’ve been concerned with these issues for 10 years, and we see them escalating,” said Kunerth, professor emeritus of journalism and mass communication.

However, Jim Hutter, associate professor in political science, urged senators not to support the petition, which he said is “misdirected and counterproductive.”

Instead, he said, students need to get involved and offer proposals.

“If you want to be involved, you have to take some responsibility,” he said. “If you want improvement, propose. Don’t criticize.”

The senate invited the faculty members to next week’s meeting to express their opinions when senators reconvene with members of the administration to discuss the resolution.