Is it time to put an end to tenure? http://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/05/books/review/Shea-t.html?src=me
Dang, sounds like my dream job! "Or maybe they stop doing research altogether (who’s going to stop them?), dropping their workweek to a manageable dozen hours or so, all while making $100,000 or more a year." Actually tenure does produce some lousy teachers in our K-12 school system. I have seen a number of teachers that needed to go, but it was almost impossible to get rid of them. With tenure, you have to do something heinous to get fired, and these teachers never did those sort of things; they were just lousy teachers.
Yea, we teachers have started, but the kids come back tomorrow. And yea, I have a job, but I actually have to work at it. I like the sound of only working a few hours a week and making 6 figures much better! On a serious note, people think teachers have easy jobs, but in most cases, it's not true. We only teach 6 hours a day, but it takes another 3 hours to prepare. Think of the time it takes you to prepare for a 1 hour presentation, multiply that times 6. Then add in grading papers and entering grades. Most teachers work 9 hour days, sometimes more. In the summer, we all have to work other jobs to make ends meet. I am fortunate to have already established a successful business which takes a lot of my time and more than makes up for the poor pay. That's probably a lot more information than anyone cares to know, but I spout this little speech off every time I get the chance.
This is one reason why folks from traditional schools are presently attacking DL only schools and their programs as inferior. Their jobs are all threatened.
If the attacks were only directed at DL doctorate level programs I might agree with your argument, but I can't see why tenured track faculty would be threatened by bachelors and masters DL programs. I think a great deal of tenured track faculty truly believe these are inferior programs. Colleges and universities with heavy research focuses, which make up a great deal of top tier universities, place so much weight on publishing and research and very little on teaching for tenure track faculty. I don't see how the particular delivery of a course would threaten the faculty at research institutions as long as the system continues to place emphasis on research and publishing. I do wonder how tenured/tenured track faculty teaching DL courses justify instructing in these programs if they feel they are inferior to their B&M counterparts. In terms of staff positions, regardless of whether a program is taught in person or online the program will still require student and academic services, career services offices, etc. Clerical staff might be the ones with the greatest risk of losing their jobs if a dramatic shift occurred and you don't hear them making a lot of noise in opposition of DL.
Depends on the ethic of the teacher or professor as to the validity of tenure. Of all of the times I've heard people with tenure speak of "the tenure", I've never heard anyone say they're grateful to have it because it allows them to speak with a clear voice to teach what is required without fear of retribution or research things that may be considered strange without fear of retribution. What I've heard is "I'm guaranteed a job" or "now I don't have to travel around" or "now my income is secure." Worse, in some cases I've seen middle school teachers and high school teachers use their own version of tenure to espouse politics or policy in classes that really shouldn't have any bearing on the topics taught. (there's a difference between teaching about differences and grading in favor of personal preferences in politics or policy.). So for the people who have the right outlook, who are doing edgy research or being responsible with presenting both or all sides of issues in teaching, I have no issue with tenure. I wouldn't mind seeing the purely entitled or irresponsible reviewed, tarred and expunged from the profession and their tenure as quickly as possible. Perhaps there can be a social douchebag rule? Oddly, I've never heard anyone who is widely respected in their field ever speak about tenure. It's only those in chase or those I haven't respected.
