As a six-year veteran adjunct at a community college and a newly-minted PhD, this post really resonated with me. As I've been attempting to navigate the hellscape that is the full-time academic job market, I'm noticing this emphasis on teaching-focused positions creeping into four-year colleges and universities also, where 4/4 teaching loads (or more) are the norm and don't even include opportunities for tenure. I'm confident that I'm a better educator because of my scholarship, which I'm sure we can all agree keeps our skills sharp and our minds open to changes in the discipline. To make time for my research, I take on less adjunct work and am financially more insecure as a result. But let's be honest, new grads like me have little choice. We've created a system in which "publish or perish" is expected but rarely rewarded with the time or resources required. Faculty (with the help of strong unions) really need to push back against this trend, not just for themselves but for their students too.
As a six-year veteran adjunct at a community college and a newly-minted PhD, this post really resonated with me. As I've been attempting to navigate the hellscape that is the full-time academic job market, I'm noticing this emphasis on teaching-focused positions creeping into four-year colleges and universities also, where 4/4 teaching loads (or more) are the norm and don't even include opportunities for tenure. I'm confident that I'm a better educator because of my scholarship, which I'm sure we can all agree keeps our skills sharp and our minds open to changes in the discipline. To make time for my research, I take on less adjunct work and am financially more insecure as a result. But let's be honest, new grads like me have little choice. We've created a system in which "publish or perish" is expected but rarely rewarded with the time or resources required. Faculty (with the help of strong unions) really need to push back against this trend, not just for themselves but for their students too.