Leaving Tenure....

[Like2Ski]

I am a tenured Associate Faculty member at a SLAC and I teach in an online graduate program. I've been at this college for 5 years and was awarded tenure a few years ago...I'm walking away from it, and here's why.

1) The program has extremely lax admission standards and it is known to be extremely easy. The average student GPA is 4.0, and that's not due to the quality of the students' work. If a professor awards a grade of lower than an A, then students often write long emails about how "devastated" and "crushed" they are, especially being a "4.0" student. They might also take the liberty of complaining to the dean at will about "unfair" grading if they receive grades of say a B or, heaven forbid, a C (even though they really should have earned less). The dean takes the side of the students...probably because the college is largely tuition driven and the online program has been the cash cow for the college. The trade off is a professor's integrity. It's difficult, if not impossible, to maintain integrity as a professor, and actually "teach", in these conditions. This has resulted in a "rub" between admin and the faculty for most of the time I've been at the college and has only increased.

2) Despite being the college's cash cow, the online program is treated with great disregard by the admin (other than the revenue) and the online professors are often not treated as "real professors".

3) I enjoy doing things that are more focused on research, data analysis, and problem solving. I am not saying that I don't enjoy teaching anymore, but at the same time, the unprepared grad students, long hours grading, and hand-holding that is part of this program's "culture" has become too much to bare.

4) Option A, would be to take the easy route and not change anything, after all, I'm tenured. However, after much reflection, I've come to the conclusion that I can't see doing this for the next 20 years of my life. There needs to be an Option B. I've secured another job at a college that is administrative.

Some people might think I'm crazy to come to such a decision amid this crisis that we are in. But, the crisis is going to have a significant impact on SLAC's around the nation, and my college was in a deficit before COVID-19. I can only imagine that things are going to get even worse for this college in the coming year.

[polly_mer]

Some people might think I'm crazy to come to such a decision amid this crisis that we are in. But, the crisis is going to have a significant impact on SLAC's around the nation, and my college was in a deficit before COVID-19. I can only imagine that things are going to get even worse for this college in the coming year.

I don't think you're crazy especially since you've already got a new professional-class job before quitting.

Things will absolutely get worse at an institutions as you describe in the coming year, especially if the college administration didn't invest significant resources into making online a great experience for students and there's nothing unique enough about your program to be competitive for students when even more online choices are available and money is tight.

Congrats on getting out while the getting was good!  Check in at the 2020 Job Cohort thread for discussion related to adjusting to new jobs.

[Ruralguy]

I don't think its crazy.

I won't make any assumptions about the state of your institution because it doesn't really matter. If you don't want to be doing it, then one option is to do something else!

I will tell you a secret though (sshhhh, don't tell anybody): There are plenty of people at small schools (or at least at mine) who nominally love teaching, but have been part or fill time administrators for many years, sometimes a decade or more. So maybe they love teaching, maybe they don't, but they have certainly been doing admin for a long time! Some are even very good at it. An occasional administrator is good at teaching, admin, research, and has a decent personal/family life going on. They actually all seem fairly balanced.

[apostrophe]

Sounds totally sane.

[lightning]

I am a tenured Associate Faculty member at a SLAC and I teach in an online graduate program. I've been at this college for 5 years and was awarded tenure a few years ago...I'm walking away from it, and here's why.

1) The program has extremely lax admission standards and it is known to be extremely easy. The average student GPA is 4.0, and that's not due to the quality of the students' work. If a professor awards a grade of lower than an A, then students often write long emails about how "devastated" and "crushed" they are, especially being a "4.0" student. They might also take the liberty of complaining to the dean at will about "unfair" grading if they receive grades of say a B or, heaven forbid, a C (even though they really should have earned less). The dean takes the side of the students...probably because the college is largely tuition driven and the online program has been the cash cow for the college. The trade off is a professor's integrity. It's difficult, if not impossible, to maintain integrity as a professor, and actually "teach", in these conditions. This has resulted in a "rub" between admin and the faculty for most of the time I've been at the college and has only increased.

2) Despite being the college's cash cow, the online program is treated with great disregard by the admin (other than the revenue) and the online professors are often not treated as "real professors".

3) I enjoy doing things that are more focused on research, data analysis, and problem solving. I am not saying that I don't enjoy teaching anymore, but at the same time, the unprepared grad students, long hours grading, and hand-holding that is part of this program's "culture" has become too much to bare.

4) Option A, would be to take the easy route and not change anything, after all, I'm tenured. However, after much reflection, I've come to the conclusion that I can't see doing this for the next 20 years of my life. There needs to be an Option B. I've secured another job at a college that is administrative.

Some people might think I'm crazy to come to such a decision amid this crisis that we are in. But, the crisis is going to have a significant impact on SLAC's around the nation, and my college was in a deficit before COVID-19. I can only imagine that things are going to get even worse for this college in the coming year.

Congrats. But, how did you get tenure so quickly? Did you have a shortened clock from _______?

[Hibush]

The move seems well thought out, and serves your long-term career goals.

As much as a tenured faculty position is seen as a desirable goal, they are not alike. This one does not sound like it has much of the traditional value, so you are not giving up much.

[stemer]

While I wholeheartedly wish you well, I would have advised you to "try out" administrative duties while on tenure before making the jump. Higher education administration has its own set of bulls**t and required compromises that may make your well-thought out reasons to leave tenure pale by comparison.  Best of luck and report back!

[mamselle]

Yes, I think people have sometimes been able to arrange a year's leave of absence while trying out a different situation, haven't they?

I was thinking the same thing...

M.

[Like2Ski]

While I wholeheartedly wish you well, I would have advised you to "try out" administrative duties while on tenure before making the jump. Higher education administration has its own set of bulls**t and required compromises that may make your well-thought out reasons to leave tenure pale by comparison.  Best of luck and report back!

I have for the past few years (wear multiple hats at SLAC), and it's the type of work I prefer.

Yes, I think people have sometimes been able to arrange a year's leave of absence while trying out a different situation, haven't they?

I was thinking the same thing...

M.

My current/old college does have a leave policy, but it's a case-by-case basis. Do I tell them what I'll be doing for the year? They would suspect it anyway, but do I just say "personal reasons" or do I actually spell out my intentions of trying out a different place? What's the standard practice?

[Stockmann]

Not crazy. I quit a tenured position because of a toxic work environment and a generally dysfunctional institution. Like you, I found a job before quitting (I handed in my notice on the same day the job offer became firm). If it's crazy, then you're not the only one.

[fast_and_bulbous]

Congratulations. I left tenure as full about 5 years ago and things are much better for me. The last thing you want to be is an angry bitter associate for life. And tenure just ain't what it used to be.

I considered administration but ended up going all research and it's worked out well. I do a bit of (academic staff) service, though, can't help myself, and do direct/advise grad students. I never hung my identity on being a college professor so the transition to researcher was easy.

[tuxthepenguin]

Congrats on the new position. I tried to leave my tenured position but for other reasons (mostly family) none of the offers would have worked.

[Ruralguy]

OP,

As for the leave, just work out some way to say its personal. If that doesn't work, go for the truth,and if that doesn't work, just go.

Like Tux, I tried to leave, mostly before tenure, but also after, and now because of family, that's mostly stopped (my wife also tried, and mostly stopped).

[stemer]

While I wholeheartedly wish you well, I would have advised you to "try out" administrative duties while on tenure before making the jump. Higher education administration has its own set of bulls**t and required compromises that may make your well-thought out reasons to leave tenure pale by comparison.  Best of luck and report back!

I have for the past few years (wear multiple hats at SLAC), and it's the type of work I prefer.

Yes, I think people have sometimes been able to arrange a year's leave of absence while trying out a different situation, haven't they?

I was thinking the same thing...

M.

My current/old college does have a leave policy, but it's a case-by-case basis. Do I tell them what I'll be doing for the year? They would suspect it anyway, but do I just say "personal reasons" or do I actually spell out my intentions of trying out a different place? What's the standard practice?

You can say that you are interested and exploring a move to higher ed administration for a year and you have been offered a specific opportunity to do so. Given that your SLAC would probably replace you for a year with a cheap Visiting or a string of slave labor ... I mean Adjuncts, I doubt they will object much.  If it pans out and you end up liking it, you can then do the right thing for your department colleagues ( no matter how toxic they may be) and indicate you are not coming back so they can have a search. If you realize that administration day-in and day out doesn't suit you, no harm, no foul, you return to your tenured appointment and start looking for other options. Good luck!

[Ruralguy]

Depends on the SLAC. If its one that's hurting, they might not be able to fund a replacement, or even overloads for existing dept. members, making the prospects for granting leave not so great.
However, they might be better off than that. OP implies no, they aren't so well off (even some not-so-rich SLACs no better than to operate in the red).

Regardless, it can't hurt to ask. if they say no, or you decide not to do it, you either stay and have a job or go and have a job.