There are have issues regarding faculty in higher education, specifically aimed at the purpose of faculty members, and if their roles as faculty are over rated. In this paper I will talk about different information that I have researched about faculty and their truths, and myths. This paper will explain and give examples of the fabrications that faculty jobs are not as important as other jobs. This paper will also talk about what is the truth regarding faculty in higher education and how the two compare. Faculty Narrative and Counter Narrative
The purpose of this paper is to describe the dominant and controlling narrative of faculty life as constructed by those outside of higher education. This research will represent information that from documents written by those outside of higher education about faculty life, many popular movie clips, a CNBC report about least stressful jobs, and other popular sources describing faculty life. The work of faculty is practically limitless. Faculty are employed to teach classes, be available for advising students, and serving on departmental committees with other faculty.
Faculty members are expected to keep up with developments in their fields by engaging in original research. The faculty are expected to participate in activities, read and understand the most current research and studies produced by their associates. There is always a new information to find, information that will help further educational learning, and issues to discuss. Faculty members are the teaching staff at a particular university or other teaching areas.
People from the outside the teaching system have a difficult time understanding the steps that are followed to lecture in the higher education system daily. The faculty are not just standing in front of that classroom randomly talking. This type of profession requires not only disciplinary expertise acquired through many years of education, but also being able to accomplish course preparation, grading of assignments, along with development and the extensive use of technology (Cole, 2011) Being an instructor requires making lesson plans, and explaining them in a way that is easily understood.
When teaching, faculty meet with students concerning requests for make-up exams to being available for extensive mentoring and advising (Marlin, 2012). In regards to higher education, teaching is only one of the faculties responsibilities. Instructors are required to conduct research and provide other service (Olson, 2016). Research sometimes requires publishing and this alone can take up a lot of their time. To fulfill these responsibilities, faculty consistently report working 48-52 hours per week on average (Burns, 2015).
One myth that instructors face is the publics misconceptions about faculty and working during the summer. Often times this work for which they are typically uncompensated for, are saved for summer school teaching or grant-funded activities (Burns, 2015). Yet for all this professional effort, the 2009-2010 average salary for faculty in four-year institutions in the United States was $74,600, according to the United States Department of Education (Education Corner, 2014).
Again, the same argument attempted to convince donors and officials of its reality with different testimonials. So then why despite these efforts, does this myth remain so persistent, and what needs to be said to convince the public about the actual workload of faculty (Marlin, 2012) The public seem only familiar with certain teaching responsibilities, and so the knowledge is not there to help, but there are more important issues involved (U. S. News & World Report LP. , 2016)
The majority of faculty in higher education is extremely hardworking, and their workloads in these current budgetary circumstances are only increasing (Olson, 2016). Some people who are looking in from the other side say that faculty are overworked and underpaid, especially given that class sizes and research expectations have increased, while salaries over the past few years generally have not (Lorin, 2014). As leaders in higher education there needs to be an explanation, to continue to explain and defend the work of faculty (Hutchenson, 2016).
There are myths about the quality of higher education in the United States. The first of these is that teachers at the elite institutions of higher learning don’t care about undergraduates and care less about teaching them (Marlin, 2012) Another myth is that academic tenure is basically used as a protective shield to protect faculty that are under performing (Merriam, 2014). Outsiders say that tenure is just a word that can be thrown around by faculty members from inappropriate and abusive power both inside and outside the university (Marlin, 2012).
Another myth is about tenure and how it claims that tenure status is too expensive for universities, trying to prove that it is wasteful, unproductive, and used for lazy faculty members (Olson, 2016). According to the Washington Post, “abolition of academic tenure is essential, they assert, if we are to solve today’s “crisis” in higher education” (Olson, 2016). There is also controversy regarding excessive concentration on research, and how it pulls away from the values of the universities.
A negative critics assert that if we are going to promote good teaching at our universities we ought to separate the teaching and research missions into separate institutions. The myth continues that the cost of education at the “elite colleges represents nothing more than gauging a willing and poorly informed public – and that the price charged by these elite colleges and universities simply is not matched by the quality of education their students receive” (Olson, 2016). One myth is that undergraduate students receive poor educations and are extremely dissatisfied with the way they have been treated.
Even in regards to Ivy League Schools or private universities, its said that they guarantee that the education is taught better at these schools then smaller universities. According to the Huffington Post, it states that ivy league schools may not be a better education so to speak, that it’s not for the education that students get, but for the reputation its degree gives one from those school (Burns, 2015) The purpose of tenure is to safeguard academic freedom, which is an essential situation for all who teach and conduct research in higher education (Hutchenson, 2016).
When faculty members can lose their positions because of their speech or their publications, they cannot properly fulfill their full responsibilities. The AAUP insists that all full-time faculty members are to be considered eligible for tenure and supports tenure for part-time faculty members whose duties consist of teaching or research conducted at a professional level (Hutchenson, 2016). There are a lot of speculators who are on the outside looking in who think that tenure is a lifetime job guarantee. They think that tenured faculty are exempt from ever losing their job.
Tenured faculty don’t work very hard is another myth that outsiders speak of, and when they do work they spend too much time doing meaningless research and too little time teaching (Olson, 2016). Professors say they need to have tenure to have academic freedom which sounds too much like the freedom to do or say whatever they want, no matter how radical or inconsequential (Olson, 2016). Another myth talks about how the Constitution protects academic freedom, that you don’t need tenure for that, also speak of all professors have tenure (Cole, 2011).
This is not true because approximately one-third of all college and university faculty members are tenured (Hutchinson, 2016). More and more colleges are relying on part-time or temporary non-tenure-track faculty to teach undergraduate (Burns, 2015). When a tenured professor retires or a new position is created, too often the new position is not put on the tenure track. Colleges say this gives them greater flexibility to meet student needs. But the real reason is to save money, and the real effect is to lower standards (Hutchinson, 2016).
Tenure is “simply a right to due process; it means that a college or university cannot fire a tenured professor without presenting evidence that the professor is incompetent or behaves unprofessionally or that an academic department needs to be closed or the school is in serious financial difficulty (Hutchenson, 2016). Nationally, about 2 percent of tenured faculty are dismissed in a typical year (Hutchenson, 2016). Faculty members remain accountable after achieving tenure. Tenured faculty for colleges and universities are valued for promotion, and salary increases (Hutchenson, 2016).
On average, faculty work 52 hours per week, full-time, tenured faculty must serve on academic committee, four-year colleges and universities, conduct research as well (Hutchenson, 2016). According to Forbes Magazine, faculty have one of “The Least Stressful Jobs” (Cole, 2011) This states another myth. This Forbes article suggested that college jobs are some of the least stressful jobs that are available, but this is not true. Other myth states that faculty benefits cost are expanding.
The reality is the costs for faculty benefits are not significantly increasing, showing that less than 31 percent of the average two- and four-year public institution budget goes to faculty salaries (Marlin, 2012). And the cost of benefits as a percentage of compensation has increased by just over 1 percent a year for the past five years. (Marlin, 2012). When conducting the faculty interview one of the main topics that was discussed explained that the relationships with administrators in a great bonus while teaching.
It’s always nice to have that support system from other faculty and administrators. The whole purpose of teaching to make an impact on the people you are teaching. Being both a faculty member, teaching business classes, and working full time as an accountant for the university, the relationship with others is great thing for a professor. Knowing the ins and out for different positions give a good guideline that can be beneficial. Being able to use this is an advantage. I think one of the first things that may help improve the academic profession is a higher pay.
Another issue that we discussed earlier in the semester was about research requirements, so they can spend more time actually teaching the students, and helping them engage in the lesson. I think letting them have a voice will help them feel more appreciated. They know they can voice their opinions and not get repercussion on it. I think providing training to students will not only give the students a successful future, it can help raise the school on the school. Making college a more positive experience would help. Making sure the college system is doing everything it can to make the best atmosphere for students is key.
