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I don't agree with this as a state policy, but I don't know if it is as disastrous for UT as Aaronson makes it out to be. The academic job market is an absolut

I don't agree with this as a state policy, but I don't know if it is as disastrous for UT as Aaronson makes it out to be. The academic job market is an absolute fucking bloodbath. Plenty of very qualified up and coming researchers struggle to get TT positions at major research universities. If they stay in academia, many postdoc for an absurdly long time or settle for career stagnating instructor positions (even though their focus had been research), or maybe just become a researcher within someone else's lab. An actual professorship at UT even if it were not possible to be tenured would surely be preferable to those options I'd think. I guess it comes down to how badly you think the current system is performing at selection. But the competitiveness is absolutely insane, that part is objective.

jacobr1 3y ago
> An actual professorship at UT even if it were not possible to be tenured would surely be preferable to those options I'd think. And also it includes a gamble that texas will reinstate tenure.
arghnoname 3y ago
I got a PhD in computer science and considered going into academia, though I ultimately decided against it because there is only so much scratching and clawing that I am willing to do. I was a decent researcher and to be honest, not having tenure at an good institution at all (as opposed to two tier TT and non-TT jobs) would have been kind of a plus. I probably would have gotten tenure, but I got so damned sick of chasing yet another brass ring. I don't have tenure at my current industry job (it does pay better, granted) and I don't worry about this at all. I do my job well enough that I don't really worry about getting fired. What I cared about: quality of the institution (conferences, publications, collaborators, students, facilities), location, department, subarea expertise, service burden, reciprocal respect, salary that buys you a decent life, and ample opportunity to be successful. Tenure? That's nice, but the main advantage cited for it (ability to say controversial things) is long gone anyway. Profs gotta behave themselves regardless.
- ModernMech 3y ago
  Agreed, I explicitly decided on a non-TT role because the tenure carrot isn’t juicy enough anymore. The non-TT role where you get a salary good enough for 12 months but you only have to work 9 just can’t be beat.

jacobr1 3y ago

> An actual professorship at UT even if it were not possible to be tenured would surely be preferable to those options I'd think. And also it includes a gamble that texas will reinstate tenure.

arghnoname 3y ago

I got a PhD in computer science and considered going into academia, though I ultimately decided against it because there is only so much scratching and clawing that I am willing to do. I was a decent researcher and to be honest, not having tenure at an good institution at all (as opposed to two tier TT and non-TT jobs) would have been kind of a plus. I probably would have gotten tenure, but I got so damned sick of chasing yet another brass ring. I don't have tenure at my current industry job (it does pay better, granted) and I don't worry about this at all. I do my job well enough that I don't really worry about getting fired. What I cared about: quality of the institution (conferences, publications, collaborators, students, facilities), location, department, subarea expertise, service burden, reciprocal respect, salary that buys you a decent life, and ample opportunity to be successful. Tenure? That's nice, but the main advantage cited for it (ability to say controversial things) is long gone anyway. Profs gotta behave themselves regardless.

ModernMech 3y ago
Agreed, I explicitly decided on a non-TT role because the tenure carrot isn’t juicy enough anymore. The non-TT role where you get a salary good enough for 12 months but you only have to work 9 just can’t be beat.