If tenure is gone, the transition to a (low-paid) industry branch is complete. I think that's when I'll figure out if I have outside options in other industries.
Death of tenure @ Kansas
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One of the reasons I chose this career over other things I could do that pay more is the security of tenure. Particularly for state universities, abrogating contracts is a serious issue and I'm not sure "special COVID exigency" will win in court if a university wants to lay someone off in winter 2022.
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One of the reasons I chose this career over other things I could do that pay more is the security of tenure. Particularly for state universities, abrogating contracts is a serious issue and I'm not sure "special COVID exigency" will win in court if a university wants to lay someone off in winter 2022.
Kansas regents obviously don't know how their own business works. All a school need do is claim financial exigency, and it can lay off tenured people with no need for any exemptions from accreditors or courts. That would be the far smarter route. Basing layoffs on the regents' decree is just asking for trouble.
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Not speaking specifically to Kansas, but as a new AP at a bloated R2 in a decent location (close enough to a major metro), I have published more in 2 years than my entire department combined over that time frame. I am the only department member interested in quality research and teaching. They know it too, and luckily they support me... but undoubtedly the university and the students are being shortchanged by a system where the majority of faculty all but acknowledge they are deadwood the second tenure hits.
From the university and student standpoint, were the institution to cut or force the retirement of just 20% of the worst performing professors (99% will be already tenured of course) and replace them with new APs over 5 years, it would be a huge win. The research output at the university would balloon as new faculty hired in this market would bring 10x the research output of their replacements, and students would work with younger more enthusiastic teacher/scholars. The university would also save an absurd amount of money paying these APs 50% to 75% less than these deadwoods.
Just saying...
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^so if we could just guarantee that the 20 percent culling would be a one time thing....
Ha! I mean it is the obvious retort. One could argue that a one time culling might be sufficient incentive to make sure tenured professors at respected universities decide to publish more than one book chapter every 5 years post-tenure... but I might be wrong.
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Not speaking specifically to Kansas, but as a new AP at a bloated R2 in a decent location (close enough to a major metro), I have published more in 2 years than my entire department combined over that time frame. I am the only department member interested in quality research and teaching. They know it too, and luckily they support me... but undoubtedly the university and the students are being shortchanged by a system where the majority of faculty all but acknowledge they are deadwood the second tenure hits.
From the university and student standpoint, were the institution to cut or force the retirement of just 20% of the worst performing professors (99% will be already tenured of course) and replace them with new APs over 5 years, it would be a huge win. The research output at the university would balloon as new faculty hired in this market would bring 10x the research output of their replacements, and students would work with younger more enthusiastic teacher/scholars. The university would also save an absurd amount of money paying these APs 50% to 75% less than these deadwoods.
Just saying...You can encourage older faculty to retire, thereby opening up space for more active APs, without ending tenure. The Cal States have several perks for faculty who "retire early" that seem to work. My experience is that the deadwood are happy to leave for a bump in their pensions.
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KU will be fine. K-State, probably. Wichita State, maybe. If you teach at Pittsburg State, Emporia State, or Fort Hays State, start packing boxes.
This is basically completely backward. KU's chancellor is the driving force behind this policy. KU is the most financially overextended campus, and the campus facing the biggest budget shortfall. Most of the other schools have said they will not implement this policy.
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Remember when Kansas cut taxes so much it destroyed state government in what Gov. Brownback called "a real life experiment"?
Good times!I do remember that. It happened just as I was beginning my career as a professor in Kansas. Several of the Regents who approved this new termination policy were Republican members of the state legislature at that time. The Board of Regents is an ideological body made up of politicians, not people with any expertise or interest in higher education.
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The Board of Regents is an ideological body made up of politicians, not people with any expertise or interest in higher education.
That’s normal though. It’s either politicians or (potential) donors, always. Some schools might save one seat for a faculty member or a student member, but I don’t think that’s too common.
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Students are getting used to being online only. It's strange right now but nearly everyone in K-12 has spent some time online, and they'll adapt. It's a lot cheaper to run a virtual campus than to maintain facilities. The old timers won't like it, but they'll come around eventually.