Results show that although the overall rates of clock-stops were much larger at the research-intense university, the characteristics of who was most likely to accept or opt out of the first tenure-clock stop were similar at both universities. Ethnic minoritized faculty at both universities had greater odds of accepting the clock-stop. Results also showed that at both universities, women were somewhat more likely to accept the first tenure clock extension, and exploratory follow-up shows this gendered decision manifested differently depending on field of study. Relatively few faculty accepted the second tenure clock-stop. Our findings provide a portrait of who accepts or declines tenure clock extensions with important implications for downstream effects on equity within the academy.

Smith, J.L., Vidler, L.L. & Moses, M.S. The “Gift” of Time: Documenting Faculty Decisions to Stop the Tenure Clock During a Pandemic. Innov High Educ (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10755-022-09603-y