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People might be surprised how dumb top universities can be. When everyone is biased to thinking they're the best, it pretty easily creates tunnel vision.
by bmitc 2y ago
People might be surprised how dumb top universities can be. When everyone is biased to thinking they're the best, it pretty easily creates tunnel vision.
- ethbr1 2y agoTenure is also a blessing and a curse. It ensures academic freedom. But it also ensures someone has limited checks on their bullshit, until they retire.
- throw-the-towel 2y agoIsn't mortality supposed to be check-and-balance on the bullshit in science?
- userbinator 2y agoDid you really mean mortality as in "exercising the 2nd Amendment", or morality?
- mhuffman 2y agoI think they meant mortality as in the old guard that have power and use it to protect their point of view die off and are replaced with a new guard that does the same.
- ethbr1 2y agoDefinitely mortality. For those unfamiliar with how org structures work in academia/tenure... (at least, assume this is still true) Once attaining tenure, your promotion track focuses on faculty leadership positions. These positions are selected by a combination of administration & faculty. It varies institute to institute, but strong candidates usually have backing from both. These positions are almost always held by tenured faculty, as non-tenure is looked down upon for historical/political reasons. Note: You only need to please 2 types of stakeholders: administration & faculty. Ergo, the path to promotion becomes: - Make tenure - Politick with faculty colleagues - Politick with administration - Wait for someone to die This leads to a weird bent where your bosses (faculty) are selected for their ability to navigate political winds and say the thing that most people agree with, moreso than being disagreeably brilliant.
- seanmcdirmid 2y agoThis came more from administrators in universities and funding agencies than the professors themselves, who are mostly dragged along for the ride, or go through whatever motions it takes to get promoted or obtain an administrator position. Tenure would actually work more against administrative abuse than for it.
- mhuffman 2y ago>It ensures academic freedom. Perhaps it used to, however a tenured professor can easily be "cancelled" today if their academic research or writing strays too far from home base. Frankly, I am not sure it ever did. It seems like it might have always been used more as a threat (by retraction) than anything else.