Popular Poli Sci prof denied tenure

and Jeremy Reiss Although the Political Science Department has engaged in some intense faculty recruitment this semester, it may be back to square one next fall with the threatened departure of one its most popular lecturers in International Relations. Political Science Professor Daniel Deudney, who lectures to approximately 400 students each semester on international relations theory and global environmental politics, was denied tenure last spring in what his colleagues call a"shocking" decision. The Provost's Staff committee rejected Deudney's bid for tenure in a closed session last May, although he was unanimously approved by the department and recommended by the School of Arts and Sciences Personnel committee. The department plans to submit a formal request for reconsideration in January, Political Science Department Chairperson Ian Lustick said. Although Lustick added that he is "optimistic" about the outcome, he said it is "very unusual to appeal the decision successfully." If the committee upholds the decision, Deudney will be forced to leave the University at the end of the academic year. Deudney refused to comment yesterday. Faculty members and students speculate that the initial denial hinged on publication statistics. Although Deudney won the University's Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching last year and the American Political Science Association's Best Article in History and Politics award in 1995, he has yet to publish any of his six manuscripts in-progress. The tenure committee considers a professor's scholarship, teaching and service when making judgement calls, Political Science Professor Avery Goldstein explained. "Dan's a brilliant scholar, star teacher and wonderful colleague," Goldstein said. "The decision was a no-brainer." Political Science Professor Jack Nagel said he suspects that Deudney's "teaching was not given any positive weight," even though in recent years the administration has placed more "emphasis" on teaching ability. In the 1996 edition of the Penn Course Review, 245 students gave Deudney a mean rating of about 3.6 out of four in his International Relations Theory and Practice course. In highlighting Deudney's accomplishments as compared to other tenured Political Science professors, a graduate student who requested anonymity said he suspects that "at least five members of the tenured faculty haven't contributed anything in the last 25 years." "Think about how terrible Penn will look when [Deudney] leaves and starts publishing like a madman," he added. Goldstein said that losing Deudney "will be a devastating blow to our department's efforts to improve." As part of a recruitment initiative under the Agenda for the College of Arts and Sciences, drafted last year, the department has been actively recruiting senior scholars in American Democratic and Legal Institutions. Although Lustick said in September that the department has a "fairly strong base" in international relations, several graduate students yesterday expressed concern that Deudney's potential departure may disrupt the stability of the discipline, with one saying Deudney is a "big draw" for prospective graduate students and faculty. And Political Science Professor John Ikenberry said "Dan is one of the primary reasons I came to Penn," adding that "Penn should be doing everything it can to keep him here." Goldstein said that if the administration continues to dismiss "animated, engaging" professors, it will "erode the attractiveness of the department." Lustick stressed that "[Deudney] is consistently ranked as one of the top professors in the department" for his intimate seminars and large lectures. College senior Meredith Hertz said students benefited from Deudney's varied experience on Capital Hill, where he spent three years as legislative director for former U.S. Sen. John Durkin (D-N.H.) and served as a consultant for the State and Defense departments.