Now, I have to admit, before I continue this article, that I know next to nothing about tenure and its process as it relates to college professors.

But what I do know is that in my time at Elon, two professors that I admired and respected were denied tenure and will not be a part of the Elon that I experienced. This is a shame for students in the future, and I felt I had to say something about it.

Last year, a great professor, an entertaining, hilarious man who knew how to teach creative writing in an engaging an enlightening way, was denied tenure.

This came as a shock to many of us English majors, and we all felt very sorry for Elon English majors in the future.

This guy helped me to finally decide on a major because his class was taught so well. I am not going to mention his name, because it doesn’t matter anymore- he’s not here and he’s not coming back.

This year, the same thing has happened, only now to a professor in the communications department, where I am just now completing my requirements for a minor.

This professor (I’m not going to mention his name to stay consistent and also because most people probably know who I’m referring to) is liked by virtually every student he has had.

Few people ever had any complaints about him. He’s a good man and a good professor, and Elon was lucky to have him on staff. Now, he too has gotten the boot and students like myself are left wondering what exactly the deal is.

I have not asked anyone in the department directly how this happened, but I’ve talked to other perplexed and irritated students who have.

It seems that tenure is a complicated and confusing element of a college professor’s career, but no one can seem to reveal the information on why exactly this particular professor will not be at Elon next year.

It’s very strange. I wish him the best of luck and hope that his efforts to find a new job won’t be too difficult, but the prospects, I can only imagine, are frightening and daunting with the economy as it is.

As a graduating senior looking back on four years here, I have to say that one of the greatest things about this school are its teachers.

There are some really intelligent, phenomenal professors at this school, who really care about their students.

Especially in the English department. I will never regret choosing that major after interacting with the staff of people who run it.

What sets this school apart, aside from the propaganda, the wealthy alumni and the aesthetic look of the campus, are its great professors. Such a small school is lucky to have so many great employees. This has been, and will continue to be, a large part in what is keeping this school on the rise.

But, despite this, I have had some absolutely terrible professors, as well. Not many, but there are two or three professors I have had who are complete jokes, boring, pointless drivel spewers, and should have been denied tenure a long time ago (obviously, I’m not going to mention their names).

In every class I’ve taken at Elon, I’ve had to fill out a student evaluation of the class, like every other student.

This seems like a good idea- what does a class mean, in essence, if it means nothing to the students?

But I don’t think these evaluations are properly considered.

They can’t be, because I know that what I’ve thought of every class I’ve taken has been similar or exactly like what other students thought.

Yet the lousy teachers remain and two great teachers, as of next semester, will be officially gone. Doesn’t anybody read those evaluations?

Or does it not matter what the students think as long as our parents keep dumping money into the Elon pipeline to keep the bricks cemented in place and the grass spray painted green?