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non-tenure ph.ds
L. D Mouer (dmouer@FELIX.VCU.EDU)
Tue, 19 Dec 1995 11:03:50 EST
I responded to Barbara Tsatsoulis's first posting vis-a-vis
non-tenure-track PhDs in anthropology directly to her. I see,
however, that the issue has broader interest, so I am forwarding a
copy of my note to her for responses here on the list. I hope that
it is clear that the terms "non-tenure-track" and "part-time" are
not co-extensive sets. There are plenty of full-time
"non-tenure-track" faculty, and I hope we can include them (us) in
the debate.
Forwarded message: > From dmouer Wed Dec 13 10:17:28 1995 >
Subject: non-tenure-track Ph.Ds > To: barbara@NEWTON.CECASE.UKANS.EDU
> Date: Wed, 13 Dec 95 10:17:28 EST > From: L. D Mouer <dmouer@felix>
> X-Mailer: ELM-MIME [version 1.0 PL0] > >
Dear Dr. Tsatsoulis,
Your note on Anthro-L discussed "adjunct" and "part-time" Ph. Ds,
but there is another class (of which I am a member) which you may
care to address. I am, and have been for 18 years, a "collateral"
faculty member at Virginia Commonwealth Univ. My position is, by
definition, non-tenure-eligible, although I am a full-time
teacher/reasearcher, with a twelve-month annual contract, full
bennies, etc. I direct the Archaeological Research Center, am
responsible for several hundred thousand dollars of sponsored
research annually, am a member of the faculty senate, and
otherwise I am integrated into the faculty community and culture.
Most of my colleagues do not realize I am untenured (I have Assoc.
Prof. rank, and will be going up for full prof someday in the not
terribly distant future).
Our university, and many more, has begun to rely heavily upon such
"collateral" faculty members. As a rule we earn much, or all, of
our salaries from grants, contracts, consulting, clinical
practice, etc. As a member of our faculty senate, I serve on the
tenure and promotio policy and collateral faculty committees, and
I am active in re-writing univ. policy for all non-tenure faculty,
including adjuncts. I have also been active in studying the
various effects of adjunct and collateral faculty on the tenure
system, and have been helping lead a campus-wide debate on tenure
reform here at VCU. I consider mine a success story, but I
think that the existence of faculty caste systems is a serious
problem.
Non-tenure faculty have not been through the rituals of
hiring, third-year reviews, and tenure-granting. We, therefore,
are never fully accepted into the culture of the faculty, and
university administrations continually fret about our suing them,
or bringing down the wrath of AAUP on their heads. This results in
a caste-like hierarchy, with continual attempts by the tenured
faculty and admins to keep non-tenure people "in their place."
I would like to see the debate taken to the AAA, and I'd be happy
to > contribute whatever I can to the effort.
Good luck, > >
Dan Mouer > dmouer@felix.vcu.edu >
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