Re: land grants - tenure vs. change?
E. Ann Clark, Associate Professor (ACLARK@crop.uoguelph.ca)
Tue, 12 Dec 1995 00:43:15 EDT
Joel et al. I'd sure like to think you are right, but not much sign
of it here. I do seem to recall that my old alma mater - UC Davis -
had a policy of not hiring back their own progeny, while the converse
would be the norm at other places, including my current department.
In your earnest hope for a few "changlings" to stir things up, give
thought to their "effectiveness" if/when they do get hired. If you
don't "fit in", it can be bloody difficult not just to get tenure and
remain employed but to find collaborators for research and teaching
initiatives. There is an enormous amount of negative inertia built
into academic structures. Tenure "protects" you - yes - but it
doesn't guarantee you freedom to pursue your interests if funding
cannot be secured to pay for the research, if facilities and other
resources are not allocated to support your interests, and if you
don't have the personality to keep bucking the trend, year after
year. Ann
ACLARK@crop.uoguelph.ca
Dr. E. Ann Clark
Associate Professor
Crop Science
University of Guelph
Guelph, ON N1G 2W1
Phone: 519-824-4120 Ext. 2508
FAX: 519 763-8933