This is the final post in Kevin Birth's series, What I Wish I'd Known about Faculty Life. Previously: Departmental Politics, Teaching the Curriculum, The Tenure Track. It was one of those gloomy days when even a cup of coffee had no warming effect. Edward and Gretchen were chatting in one of the college's cafés. Fitting the melancholy tone of the day, Gretchen was morose about Edward's impending retirement and move to a warmer climate. He had been a mentor to her – guiding her through the various minefields of … [Read more...] about What I Wish I’d Known about Faculty Life: Any Regrets?
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What I Wish I’d Known About Faculty Life: The Tenure Track, Etc.
This is the final third post in Kevin Birth's series, What I Wish I'd Known About Faculty Life. Previously: Departmental Politics, Teaching the Curriculum. Update: Kevin surprised us with a fourth post, which we'll publish next week. Behold how good and how pleasant it is: for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1, KJV) Ah springtime—the time of annual reviews of junior faculty. That time when tenured faculty give reassurance that somebody is well on their way to getting tenure. Or, more rarely, … [Read more...] about What I Wish I’d Known About Faculty Life: The Tenure Track, Etc.
What I Wish I’d Known about Faculty Life: Teaching the Curriculum, Etc.
This is the second post in Kevin Birth's series, What I Wish I'd Known about Faculty Life. Previously: Departmental Politics. HERR, mein Herz ist nicht hoffärtig, und meine Augen sind nicht stolz; ich wandle nicht in großen Dingen, die mir zu hoch sind. (Psalm 131, Martin Luther's translation) I like Luther's translation—particularly the sound of “ich wandle nicht in großen Dingen.” Luther's choice of “wandern” combined with the metaphor of “things too high for me” evokes an image of climbing a mountain that … [Read more...] about What I Wish I’d Known about Faculty Life: Teaching the Curriculum, Etc.
What I Wish I’d Known About Faculty Life: Departmental Politics, Etc.
Our recent series What I Wish I'd Known About Graduate School has been one of our most popular series to date, and it almost immediately inspired this follow-up series, What I Wish I'd Known About Faculty Life. I am pleased to introduce Dr. Kevin Birth, professor of anthropology at Queens College and one of our ESN mentors. I've enjoyed getting to know him through email, Facebook, and other online interactions, and I'm glad he offered to write these three posts. They'll be a bit different than Hannah's, as Kevin is … [Read more...] about What I Wish I’d Known About Faculty Life: Departmental Politics, Etc.
Should Faculty Challenge Students’ Religious Beliefs?
A column at Inside Higher Ed by Portland State philosophy instructor Peter Boghossian raises a good question: Should faculty challenge the religious beliefs of students? Here's how he opens his essay: Until two weeks ago, I had been laboring under the naïve assumption that one of the primary goals of every academic was to change students' beliefs when they were based on inaccurate information. I was awakened from this dogmatic slumber at an interdisciplinary faculty meeting by colleagues who reacted with dismay to … [Read more...] about Should Faculty Challenge Students’ Religious Beliefs?