Sunday, 9 May 2010

Work

At my work, they are making some significant changes in the tenure code (i.e. the requirements to get a permanent gig).

Since we're still debating things, I ask questions. Such as: why is research on pedagogy not considered for tenure? What does it mean to publish in your "field"? What do you mean by "field"?

But every time we (and by we I mean I because no one else without tenure asks any questions... pussies) ask a question about some aspect of it in the meeting, people get all offended. Just tonight someone said that these questions are "way out of line."

They say "you have to TRUST the institution... the institutional culture is that most people get tenure.... in reality the code wont affect you..."

But I just got here. I don't even know the institution. Can't I just ask a bloody question?
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5 comments:

Rad said...

Asking a question? Ack, that's totally out of line! Out of order!
Dude, what's up with the folks at your institution? Sound so sensitive and defensive! Not at all like my... wait, oh yeah. Sounds like professors all right.

9 May 2010 at 11:21
S- said...

What they are saying is that it all about ethos. If they like you and/or value the work you do, they will keep you, and use (or bend) the "rules" to explain it. If they don't like you, they will find a way to use the rules to justify their decision. The rules are to simply provide a thin overlay of objectivity. So teach the way you think is best for students and don't be fussed about the rules.

10 May 2010 at 00:55
adimica the beautiful said...

So I read your posts sometimes in Google Reader, where there's a "like" option. Apparently, you can see it here. So "like," ok?

BTW, we did this last semester, too, and I asked questions. And I got frowns, too. But mostly patronizing attitudes like, "well, you know..."

10 May 2010 at 10:25
Dorky Medievalist said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
10 May 2010 at 17:10
Dorky Medievalist said...

This is ridiculous. I don't allow students to respond to discussion in my classroom in this way so how is it appropriate for faculty to behave this way? Isn't the academy about discussion? You have reasonable and important questions and you should at least be allowed to ask them, even if those with tenure think they are largely moot. Don't they remember what the tenure process is like?

That said, I was told quite clearly (quantitatively speaking) what was necessary for tenure by the Chair of our department when I arrived. I have also been through a number of tenure applications for colleagues in my department (we all vote on the application) and that was really the best (and most terrifying) education. Even though the language of our collective agreement is unclear ("substantial" record of research--what does that mean?), it became clear that publication in the "field" (the field you were hired to teach in) in top journals counted for more than publication on pedagogy. For my institution, a book is not necessary (though it helps) but another colleague of mine was told at her MLA interview that a book was necessary for tenure. She got the job, and at least now she knows.

Maybe you could make your questions about numbers of publications, book or no book, (quantitative) and see where that gets you?

10 May 2010 at 17:12

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