I agree with just about everything in the article posted by Marsha
Woodbury with the following exceptions/additions.
1. The tenure/circumcision metaphor: Primitive tribal rite-yes,
permanently disfiguring-no. Given that circumcision of women (still
practiced, if hard to imagine) is more damaging to women than men,
this might be a better metaphor than I first thought.
2. Teaching and inservice unimportant - no. My experience is that teaching
and service to the University (committees, outreach, recruiting) is
important even at ESUs (Enormous State Universities). It is best to have
something to put in every box. Still, for young assistant professors, it
is better to be a bad teacher or to have done too little committee work
than to have published too few papers. At smaller universities and colleges
with teaching emphasis, it would be better to publish less and teach better.
3. Find out what the real rules are. Publishing enough might mean
1-2 papers per year some places and 4-5 others. A senior colleague will
know the real rules and should be able to provide a rule of thumb based
on experience. This goes for teaching evaluations and committee work, too.
I am always surprised that new faculty don't ask these questions. Of course,
the answers should be confirmed with another colleague (never trust one
opinion).
J.R. <Dick> Pratt BITNET:pqq at psuvm INTERNET: pqq at psuvm.psu.edu
7 Ferguson Bldg.
Penn State FAX 814/865-3725
University Park, PA 16802 814/865-6942
