Tenure and Promotion
These two words are hot topics in higher education. I have tenure; I have received a promotion to associate professor; I hope one day to be full professor, if I stay in my job after earning the doctorate. But . . .
Tenure and promotion may just be a scam. "It only matters if you don't have it," as a colleague said about the doctorate, may be true of tenure and promotion. Tenure does not mean permanent job security; when we get promotions, our salaries increase just a bit, and we can't get these promotions but every six or seven years, if that. So who made up this system?
Tenure is a carrot held out to professors that may really be a disincentive to look for better positions. If you don't have it at your current institution, it's harder to get a job elsewhere, so you had better fly the coop before it's too late.
Maybe this will get me in trouble! But my views are not shared by others, certainly not. All I am saying is that a better system may be doable, perhaps one with more promotional levels but not tenure in the old sense.
Tenure and promotion may just be a scam. "It only matters if you don't have it," as a colleague said about the doctorate, may be true of tenure and promotion. Tenure does not mean permanent job security; when we get promotions, our salaries increase just a bit, and we can't get these promotions but every six or seven years, if that. So who made up this system?
Tenure is a carrot held out to professors that may really be a disincentive to look for better positions. If you don't have it at your current institution, it's harder to get a job elsewhere, so you had better fly the coop before it's too late.
Maybe this will get me in trouble! But my views are not shared by others, certainly not. All I am saying is that a better system may be doable, perhaps one with more promotional levels but not tenure in the old sense.
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