When Slaughter received tenure at the University of Chicago in the fall of 1992, their life stabilized enough for them to become engaged that November. Slaughter came to HLS as a visiting professor the next spring. The two married in September 1993.

"[The] tenure offer from HLS [come] through the day before our wedding-about 15 minutes before we were leaving for the wedding rehearsal," Slaughter recalls, adding that she had completely forgotten that the HLS faculty were voting on her that day, so engrossed was she in her wedding plans.

The issue of Moravcsik's professional position, however, was still unresolved, while he continued at Harvard as an associate professor. In early 1994, the political science department at the University of Chicago offered him an assistant professorship. After weighing the options for a a couple of months, the couple chose Harvard,even though the chance of Moravcsik gaining tenureat Harvard were lower than at the University ofChicago.

The couple says they were aware of the risksthey were taking, but preferred Harvard over theUniversity of Chicago due to Harvard's greaterresources.

TO TENURE OR NOT TO TENURE

Kenneth A. Shepsle, chair of the Governmentdepartment, says that the couple's predicament isnot new, and that their problem is not common todual career couples in any profession. Whileacknowledging that Harvard has not completelysolved the problems of dealing with spouses oftenured professors, he insists that Harvard isworking on a alleviating the situation as much asany other university.

"Harvard measures up very well against otheruniversities," says Shepsl.

Elizabeth A. Kellogg, an associate professor ofbiology, says she sympathizes with Slaughter andMoravcsik's predicament. Kellogg, who was recentlydenied tenure, is married to Peter F. Stevens, atenured professor in the Biology Department.Kellogg says she has sacrificed a great deal to betogether with her husband.

"It would take pages to describe the variousavenues I've explored to find a position at someinstitution around here that would allow me to doresearch," she writes in an e-mail, "We have facedthe fact that there are places that want me butnot him, and Harvard wants him but not me."

President Neil L. Rudenstine says he doesn'tknow or take into account a professor's maritalstatus for making internal tenure decisions.

"Even if I did know, would you want me to doone thing for someone because they're married andanother thing to someone because they're notmarried?" he asks.

The Faculty does have staff who deal withspousal issues for those academics who joinHarvard from other universities.

But Kellogg says this is not enough.

"The biggest single thing Harvard could do fortwo-career couples would be to permit facultyspouses after a reasonable review process to haveoffices, adjunct professorships and PrincipalInvestigator (PI) status on grants. This isstandard at most institutions in the country," shesays. "At the moment, though, there are no optionsat all for faculty spouses. Either both must beaccept for tenure, both must leave the University,or one must leave academia, unless one can find ajob in another university in the Boston area."

Kellogg says that eventually, the best optionfor her husband and her might be to leave Harvardtogether.

LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE