It may seem self-evident, but it’s nevertheless a matter of state law that teaching is an “essential responsibility,” along with research, for members of the University of California’s faculty and “a primary responsibility” for those in the California State University system.

Those declarations are the legal criteria upon which faculty members are to be hired, promoted and given the much-coveted status of “tenure” in both institutions.

OK so far. After all, what’s more fundamentally important for any public institution of higher education, not to mention the taxpaying public, than teaching and research?

via Dan Walters: Bill adds a new factor for gaining California university tenure.