Right, you are highlighting part of why Christian college faculty, if they leave (or are cut) most often leave for a different career entirely... because they normally cannot land another academic job at all (especially these days, when other Christian colleges are rarely hiring given the financial pressure they are all under). The demoralizing effects on faculty of being stuck like this are profound (and which eventually trickle down to how students feel about their university, since study after study tend to show that their professors are what CCCU colleges tend to love most about their school). But note: this wouldn't be as big of a problem if administrators made it a priority to make it so their faculty LOVE the place where they are working (e.g. by paying them adequately so they can actually support their families without needing outside work to get by; or by giving an occasional release so they could do some scholarship and publishing instead of the weak "1 quarter sabbatical every 6 years" that my own institution gives). I once was in a meeting where our CFO mentioned that our average full-time faculty member stays 18 years, and he meant it as a problem, namely why faculty salaries must be kept so low... but my first thought was, "Why is no one asking why our faculty -- who normally start a TT position at age 28-30, and typically get tenure -- only stay for an average of 18 years, when one could normally stay on for 30 or even 40 years??"
What's worse is with the emphasis on STEM to the neglect of the humanities, things are even worse for those in the liberal arts. I was fortunate (after migrating from Greenville to Azusa to N'west Nazarene. . . and finally to Saint Louis Univ) to have had some experience in teaching and admin and online and research. So it was more dumb luck that I was able to work my way out of the CCCU system. . . My teaching suffered b/c I felt compelled to write, but that may have saved me, despite the fact that the admin didn't care about it. In the end, those who can leave, do. Those who can't, are stuck.
This likely needs a post of its own! I’ll try to get to it later next week.
Also, I was surprised to see a bunch of extra likes, comments, and subscriptions this morning. Then I saw that KSP had restacked and it made more sense!
Very true, John, although I'm not sure there's much that cash-strapped institutions can do about it. They can't afford to hire more faculty, so the ones who are there need to continue teaching for all they're worth. It's why I need Houghton to keep hanging in there!
Secular schools are no better, they just hire adjuncts or require the other faculty to teach overloads. I adjuncted at a CC for 10+ years. The admin loved us until we unionized and demanded to be treated like human beings. They got rid of all the history adjuncts and gave our classes to non-history tenured faculty. When th
You're definitely on track here, John. I left NNC/NNU after 2 years because I wanted to research and write--to publish essays and books. That drive meant virtually nothing at the two Nazarene colleges where I taught. I loved them but couldn't publish (not enough time and almost no backing to be a publishing scholar) if I stayed. One thing you didn't mention: publishing at most evangelical schools does little to advance one's career or salary. One is usually promoted because of years of experience and good teaching. Evangelical universities should encourage research and publication, and advancement and salary enhancement are two ways to back that encouragement. An excellent piece.
My career began in secular higher education after a MS but went into ministry after five years. It was a call to ministry in a church setting after a street and house church approach. My perspective on higher ed teaching is similar to teaching in a Christian school. The time and money to do research is limited if at all and most schools are shrinking dramatically.
The salad days of a high view of higher ed are gone.
Right, you are highlighting part of why Christian college faculty, if they leave (or are cut) most often leave for a different career entirely... because they normally cannot land another academic job at all (especially these days, when other Christian colleges are rarely hiring given the financial pressure they are all under). The demoralizing effects on faculty of being stuck like this are profound (and which eventually trickle down to how students feel about their university, since study after study tend to show that their professors are what CCCU colleges tend to love most about their school). But note: this wouldn't be as big of a problem if administrators made it a priority to make it so their faculty LOVE the place where they are working (e.g. by paying them adequately so they can actually support their families without needing outside work to get by; or by giving an occasional release so they could do some scholarship and publishing instead of the weak "1 quarter sabbatical every 6 years" that my own institution gives). I once was in a meeting where our CFO mentioned that our average full-time faculty member stays 18 years, and he meant it as a problem, namely why faculty salaries must be kept so low... but my first thought was, "Why is no one asking why our faculty -- who normally start a TT position at age 28-30, and typically get tenure -- only stay for an average of 18 years, when one could normally stay on for 30 or even 40 years??"
Absolutely
John:
What's worse is with the emphasis on STEM to the neglect of the humanities, things are even worse for those in the liberal arts. I was fortunate (after migrating from Greenville to Azusa to N'west Nazarene. . . and finally to Saint Louis Univ) to have had some experience in teaching and admin and online and research. So it was more dumb luck that I was able to work my way out of the CCCU system. . . My teaching suffered b/c I felt compelled to write, but that may have saved me, despite the fact that the admin didn't care about it. In the end, those who can leave, do. Those who can't, are stuck.
I thought about highlighting STEM but settled on the size of general education as a substitute.
Yes, why the lab coat? I do use a picture of me with a lab coat!
Related: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bryanpenprase/2024/12/02/the-mega-universities-disrupting-higher-education/
This likely needs a post of its own! I’ll try to get to it later next week.
Also, I was surprised to see a bunch of extra likes, comments, and subscriptions this morning. Then I saw that KSP had restacked and it made more sense!
😃
Very true, John, although I'm not sure there's much that cash-strapped institutions can do about it. They can't afford to hire more faculty, so the ones who are there need to continue teaching for all they're worth. It's why I need Houghton to keep hanging in there!
Secular schools are no better, they just hire adjuncts or require the other faculty to teach overloads. I adjuncted at a CC for 10+ years. The admin loved us until we unionized and demanded to be treated like human beings. They got rid of all the history adjuncts and gave our classes to non-history tenured faculty. When th
You're definitely on track here, John. I left NNC/NNU after 2 years because I wanted to research and write--to publish essays and books. That drive meant virtually nothing at the two Nazarene colleges where I taught. I loved them but couldn't publish (not enough time and almost no backing to be a publishing scholar) if I stayed. One thing you didn't mention: publishing at most evangelical schools does little to advance one's career or salary. One is usually promoted because of years of experience and good teaching. Evangelical universities should encourage research and publication, and advancement and salary enhancement are two ways to back that encouragement. An excellent piece.
“One is usually promoted because of years of experience and good teaching.”
Maybe even mediocre teaching.
My career began in secular higher education after a MS but went into ministry after five years. It was a call to ministry in a church setting after a street and house church approach. My perspective on higher ed teaching is similar to teaching in a Christian school. The time and money to do research is limited if at all and most schools are shrinking dramatically.
The salad days of a high view of higher ed are gone.
Absolutely