Abstract
This essay explores the challenges of securing academic tenure for technical theatre directors, arguing that their contributions to university theatre programs are both scholarly and indispensable yet often undervalued due to the process-oriented and collaborative nature of their work. The author situates the discussion within broader tensions between artistic practice and institutional evaluation, noting that the original purpose of tenure (protecting academic freedom) has shifted toward ensuring job security in a climate of fiscal restraint and accountability. Technical directors, whose expertise encompasses both artistic and managerial domains, are frequently excluded from tenure eligibility because their work produces few tangible artifacts comparable to publications. The essay proposes alternative evaluative criteria that emphasize performance quality, safety procedures, resource management, and reliability in meeting deadlines, all of which can be systematically documented. It further argues that collegiality and the ability to collaborate effectively with production faculty must be considered essential tenure criteria due to the inherently cooperative nature of theatrical production. The essay concludes that while imperfect, such criteria provide a defensible academic framework for recognizing the technical director’s contributions as legitimate grounds for tenure within higher education.
Recommended Citation
HopKins, Mary Frances
(1986)
"Tenure for the Technical Director,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 57, Article 19.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol57/iss1/19
