I know how it feels because I've been there. I was an adjunct professor for seven years and then denied tenure. The reason I was given was cutbacks in higher education but I found that hypocritical considering the enormous budget my university's athletic department had. If this continues, I'm afraid that our nation will soon no longer be a world leader in higher education and research.
I am retired from 45 years as a college professor, having held tenure twice, once at a private institution and subsequently at a New Jersey state university. Pablo's tenure process seems to me to have been remarkably legitimate, involving ongoing evaluation of his teaching and research and a final decision based more or less on objective factors. In my experience, the tenure process was entirely political. Evaluation of my teaching was pro-forma, and nobody on either my department tenure committees or the institutional tenure committees ever read my publications. I barely achieved tenure at the state university because i had alienated a good many colleagues with my conservative social and political views. I think it very unlikely that anyone who held such views today will achieve tenure in a humanities department at most American universities. I do wonder whether my experiences or Pablo's is more typical.
It is not a job for life. Although it is very secure, there are instances where you can lose the tenured job. First, the school may get rid of the position. Second, the school or university itself may dissolve. Third, one can lose tenure for criminal activity. Fourth, one can lose tenure for refusing to teach. (This can come up in the context of refusing to teach a course that no one else can teach when the need is sudden, like if another professor dies or suddenly retires.)
I have not made up my mind yet if tenure is good or bad. However it definitely creates fear among those who want to receive tenure. And fear motivates people to take relentless action. The obvious downside is that many tenure trackers get burned out along the way
Competitive U.S... must take it easy. I love what did I do as grad student in Texas; this is the real world buddy it is our task to FIX it... apparently I lost everything, these two little angels included; maybe I am crazy because I feel great taking over the challenge. CHEERS!!!
They need to get rid of tenure. No job for life thinking for anyone in government. Not judges, not school teachers, not anyone. Many times they deny tenure to thwart the unions. This goes on a lot in public schools, particularly large urban schools. If there was not a tenure system, this professor guy would probably would have kept his job. This is a great video, it has a lot of honesty in it.
Many school systems hire younger teachers from programs like America’s Choice, or Teach for America, or some other groups and develop a reciprocal partnership to get a financial, federal kick-back in funds. Why keep an experienced senior teacher making an up-graded salary when they can hire an inexperienced young teacher and pay that person much less? Also, by firing a senior teacher, they can save the system money by not paying benefits like health insurance and life insurance. Unfortunately, money is more important to them than cultivated education. So aside from 14th amendment violations practiced by some preferential principals, money is another motive for firing tenured senior teachers. If these senior teachers do not retire, or resign then, they are issued unsatisfactory evaluations, or their working environment is made uncomfortable. . . In other countries, experienced, senior teachers are greatly valued and respected for their knowledge. Perhaps that is the reason that “U.S. students’ academic achievement still lags that of their peers in many other countries.” www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/02/15/u-s-students-internationally-math-science/... UNSCRUPLOUS: having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair. . .CONSTANCE JEANNE SAMMARCO pro se, Appellant, uses her first amendment U.S. constitutional rights to offer her opinion to expose the Incompetency of The Prince George’s County Board of Education (PGCPS BOE) in their deliberate deceptiveness, in their deliberate failure to state pertinent facts, and in their deliberate untrue statements that supported their false allegations of her unsatisfactory evaluations issued by Principal Nakia Nicholson of Fairmont Heights High (FHHS) for two consecutive years that ruined her credibility and caused her job dismissal…The following is the APPELLANT’S “feedback”(which is 50% effective of all communication) on The Maryland State Board of Education’s Opinion No. 15-01:constancejeannesammarco.com/
He simply faced reality when it was too late. He received some signals along the way but only umility can make you pay attention to those signals. This is the risk of being too comfortable with your goals and abilities. He underestimated the systems, overestimated himself or both. C'mon, really? Instead of talking about therapy when it is too late, make sure you get the job done. Competition in research industry or academia is key. While you are focusing on your task you should always keep in mind there are a lot of excellent people outside the door that want your same position. You get some warnings. And the possibility to act accordingly is given to you. If you don't align promptly you are out. I think it is fair.
I know how it feels because I've been there. I was an adjunct professor for seven years and then denied tenure. The reason I was given was cutbacks in higher education but I found that hypocritical considering the enormous budget my university's athletic department had. If this continues, I'm afraid that our nation will soon no longer be a world leader in higher education and research.
Bernard Ignatius Grayson the athletic department is largely funded by donors and boosters - separate and unrelated from your experience.
I am retired from 45 years as a college professor, having held tenure twice, once at a private institution and subsequently at a New Jersey state university. Pablo's tenure process seems to me to have been remarkably legitimate, involving ongoing evaluation of his teaching and research and a final decision based more or less on objective factors. In my experience, the tenure process was entirely political. Evaluation of my teaching was pro-forma, and nobody on either my department tenure committees or the institutional tenure committees ever read my publications. I barely achieved tenure at the state university because i had alienated a good many colleagues with my conservative social and political views. I think it very unlikely that anyone who held such views today will achieve tenure in a humanities department at most American universities. I do wonder whether my experiences or Pablo's is more typical.
Gave me a lot of info about how academia works. Nice video clip. Keep up the good work.
Pablo has a big heart. I am amazed that he is still friends with the Chair that denied him his support.
It is not a job for life. Although it is very secure, there are instances where you can lose the tenured job. First, the school may get rid of the position. Second, the school or university itself may dissolve. Third, one can lose tenure for criminal activity. Fourth, one can lose tenure for refusing to teach. (This can come up in the context of refusing to teach a course that no one else can teach when the need is sudden, like if another professor dies or suddenly retires.)
I have not made up my mind yet if tenure is good or bad. However it definitely creates fear among those who want to receive tenure. And fear motivates people to take relentless action. The obvious downside is that many tenure trackers get burned out along the way
when you got the lectureship after non tenure did the university decrease your salary?
this tenure thing makes things too hard for lecturers.
A very good video indeed, I wonder why there are so few subscribers.
Competitive U.S... must take it easy. I love what did I do as grad student in Texas; this is the real world buddy it is our task to FIX it... apparently I lost everything, these two little angels included; maybe I am crazy because I feel great taking over the challenge. CHEERS!!!
So much informative a phd candidate. Thanks for the video.
They need to get rid of tenure. No job for life thinking for anyone in government. Not judges, not school teachers, not anyone. Many times they deny tenure to thwart the unions. This goes on a lot in public schools, particularly large urban schools. If there was not a tenure system, this professor guy would probably would have kept his job. This is a great video, it has a lot of honesty in it.
There is nothing else I want to do but teach and research history. But that's not going to happen. So I'm done, the final exit
Crash81!! Sad
This is a very fascinating video. I wonder if you could update it for the COVID era. 👊😊👊
Many school systems hire younger teachers from programs like America’s Choice, or Teach for America, or some other groups and develop a reciprocal partnership to get a financial, federal kick-back in funds. Why keep an experienced senior teacher making an up-graded salary when they can hire an inexperienced young teacher and pay that person much less? Also, by firing a senior teacher, they can save the system money by not paying benefits like health insurance and life insurance. Unfortunately, money is more important to them than cultivated education. So aside from 14th amendment violations practiced by some preferential principals, money is another motive for firing tenured senior teachers. If these senior teachers do not retire, or resign then, they are issued unsatisfactory evaluations, or their working environment is made uncomfortable. . . In other countries, experienced, senior teachers are greatly valued and respected for their knowledge. Perhaps that is the reason that “U.S. students’ academic achievement still lags that of their peers in many other countries.” www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2017/02/15/u-s-students-internationally-math-science/... UNSCRUPLOUS: having or showing no moral principles; not honest or fair. . .CONSTANCE JEANNE SAMMARCO pro se, Appellant, uses her first amendment U.S. constitutional rights to offer her opinion to expose the Incompetency
of The Prince George’s County Board of Education (PGCPS BOE) in their
deliberate deceptiveness, in their deliberate failure to state pertinent
facts, and in their deliberate untrue statements that supported their false
allegations of her unsatisfactory evaluations issued by Principal Nakia
Nicholson of Fairmont Heights High (FHHS) for two consecutive years that
ruined her credibility and caused her job dismissal…The following is the
APPELLANT’S “feedback”(which is 50% effective of all communication) on
The Maryland State Board of Education’s Opinion No. 15-01:constancejeannesammarco.com/
Sounds like candidates need a good pair knee pads to receive tenureship.
It’s a racket because universities want adjuncts to do their work while keeping their salaries high
He simply faced reality when it was too late. He received some signals along the way but only umility can make you pay attention to those signals. This is the risk of being too comfortable with your goals and abilities. He underestimated the systems, overestimated himself or both. C'mon, really? Instead of talking about therapy when it is too late, make sure you get the job done. Competition in research industry or academia is key. While you are focusing on your task you should always keep in mind there are a lot of excellent people outside the door that want your same position. You get some warnings. And the possibility to act accordingly is given to you. If you don't align promptly you are out. I think it is fair.
You are right. It was fair.
Join the rest of the world who don’t have a guaranteed job for life.
academia isn't worth it