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Post by wondering45... on Feb 13, 2016 17:31:08 GMT -5
Much of the discussion surrounding moving from one institution to another is on "moving up," from a more teaching oriented institution to a research institution. I am currently an assistant professor at a research oriented institution, but am realizing this may not be the life for me. The pressure to publish for tenure is starting to get to me and I miss teaching undergraduates (I currently have only graduate students). After being bred to research, research, research, I am wanting to make the move to an institution focused more on teaching. I know it will come with a pay cut compared to my current institution, but doing something I would enjoy would trump that. Has anyone else ever felt this way?
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Post by yes on Feb 13, 2016 21:43:31 GMT -5
Much of the discussion surrounding moving from one institution to another is on "moving up," from a more teaching oriented institution to a research institution. I am currently an assistant professor at a research oriented institution, but am realizing this may not be the life for me. The pressure to publish for tenure is starting to get to me and I miss teaching undergraduates (I currently have only graduate students). After being bred to research, research, research, I am wanting to make the move to an institution focused more on teaching. I know it will come with a pay cut compared to my current institution, but doing something I would enjoy would trump that. Has anyone else ever felt this way? First of all, beware the "grass is greener" temptation. The limited studies I've seen on the issue all suggest that in terms of hours worked there isn't much difference across institutional types. Additionally, teaching institutions aren't necessarily just giving away tenure either. Would you be any less stressed if your tenure is riding on undergraduate student evaluations? Or "being seen around the community" as many liberal arts professors report feeling pressure related to it? Or, to point to another recent post here, having to do mountains of service? I am not trying to suggest that it is harder to get tenure at research institutions, but at least those come with better pay and you are the one who controls your research (I am facing the double whammy of being at an institution where student reviews count for tenure and as the low man on the totem pole I am the one who always teaches stats). Second, that sort of feeling is common enough that it has led to a scatterplot post: scatter.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/the-mythical-job/and common enough that my teaching oriented institution is ultra skeptical of research folks wanting to move down. Lot's of people talking the good game about teaching more and giving back and then letting us know at the start of summer that they've changed their minds, that that 20k pay cut and that heavy intro-theory rotation aren't what they wanted. |
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Post by thanks on Feb 17, 2016 23:12:33 GMT -5
I appreciate your comments. Working as many hours as I do now wouldn't bother me, particularly if I was at a job I enjoyed. Tenure at the mercy of undergrad evals is definitely something I would be concerned about though, especially if I was, like you, having to teach courses that aren't too popular among students. You also bring up a good point about SC's being weary of applicants from research institutions - I have been thinking about this more recently as I plan on going back on the market this fall. Any advice on how to try and assuage their fears of this happening?
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