4 ms·

No. She had a wealthy family.

by postalrat 3y ago

c0balt 3y ago
Either work. Though being rich is "only" useful when the family is willing to donate to the faculty/ university.
- kergonath 3y ago
  Just to be clear, donations help getting into a specific institution to study. Which does give a leg up to get a position later (most often in a different institution), but that’s a second-order effect. It does not directly help getting hired.
  - egberts1 3y ago
    Sheesh. Nepotism is raging, notably within academia settings particularly for "nepotism babies". Even University of Texas exempt anti-nepotism for many positions. https://independentprobe.com/2022/11/21/nepotism-and-undue-political-interference-take-over-william-v-s-tubman-university/ https://independentprobe.com/2022/11/21/nepotism-and-undue-p...
    - kergonath 3y ago
      What has this got to do with the topic of donations? Here the reason is completely different. Also, some university having a policy against it does not prove that it’s a widespread problem, it’s merely an indication that some problems happened that were high profile enough to make the institution react.
hackyhacky 3y ago
Very unlikely. I have never in my life heard of family wealth being a consideration in faculty hiring, and I've been on hiring committees.
- washadjeffmad 3y ago
  It's not uncommon. Growing universities with colleges that want endowments, faculty whose families are deeply entrenched in related institutions or culture, and generally prestigious and well-connected people are all necessary and make for perfectly valid candidates. Academics isn't all academics. You need people who can grow and sustain development, attract desirable talent, work at the state and local level, and pull in students. People have to manage the internal administrative duties and external involvement of each school. Plus, some people make excellent teachers and leaders but awful researchers, and vice versa. Others are mediocre but consistent, don't have higher prospects, and take on administrative burdens. There's no real "ideal professor" any more than there's any ideal human.

No. She had a wealthy family.

c0balt 3y ago

Either work. Though being rich is "only" useful when the family is willing to donate to the faculty/ university.

kergonath 3y ago
Just to be clear, donations help getting into a specific institution to study. Which does give a leg up to get a position later (most often in a different institution), but that’s a second-order effect. It does not directly help getting hired.
- egberts1 3y ago
  Sheesh. Nepotism is raging, notably within academia settings particularly for "nepotism babies". Even University of Texas exempt anti-nepotism for many positions. https://independentprobe.com/2022/11/21/nepotism-and-undue-political-interference-take-over-william-v-s-tubman-university/ https://independentprobe.com/2022/11/21/nepotism-and-undue-p...
  - kergonath 3y ago
    What has this got to do with the topic of donations? Here the reason is completely different. Also, some university having a policy against it does not prove that it’s a widespread problem, it’s merely an indication that some problems happened that were high profile enough to make the institution react.

hackyhacky 3y ago

Very unlikely. I have never in my life heard of family wealth being a consideration in faculty hiring, and I've been on hiring committees.

washadjeffmad 3y ago
It's not uncommon. Growing universities with colleges that want endowments, faculty whose families are deeply entrenched in related institutions or culture, and generally prestigious and well-connected people are all necessary and make for perfectly valid candidates. Academics isn't all academics. You need people who can grow and sustain development, attract desirable talent, work at the state and local level, and pull in students. People have to manage the internal administrative duties and external involvement of each school. Plus, some people make excellent teachers and leaders but awful researchers, and vice versa. Others are mediocre but consistent, don't have higher prospects, and take on administrative burdens. There's no real "ideal professor" any more than there's any ideal human.