Just trying to Point out a few things - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Feb 25, 2005

Just trying to Point out a few things

Date: Feb 25, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Bird Dog
"http://www.usm.edu/cise/ Look at all faculty who have degrees from USM. Figure out why Scholarship's has an apostrophe in it. Read each area - you be the judge of the obvious irony."

Bird Dog,

I went into that site as you suggested, and I found a title that I have never seen before : "Professor and Director of World Class Teaching Program."

Is this someting new at USM? It the title World Class available to all departments?

Date: Feb 25, 2005

Many with doctorates don't trace their other degrees - the majority are from USM (Dana included whose major prof was CRK). Invictus, you might find that interesting since it's so wurl' class.

Date: Feb 25, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Bird Dog
"Many with doctorates don't trace their other degrees - the majority are from USM (Dana included whose major prof was CRK). Invictus, you might find that interesting since it's so wurl' class."

Unless you are part of this Dept. <IRONY>

Date: Feb 25, 2005

I once had coffee at Javawerks witih one of the former members of that department. The prof. looked across the street at the campus and said with irony, "Looks like a university . . . "

Date: Feb 26, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Bird Dog
"Many with doctorates don't trace their other degrees - the majority are from USM (Dana included whose major prof was CRK). . ."

Four Professors and Eight Associates all of whom have run the Promotion and Tenure Gauntlet?

How Did They All Do It?

Date: Feb 26, 2005

Is a person holding a specialist's degree (Ed.S.) ordinarily addressed as "Dr"? (I've never encountered that & am sincerely wondering. I know my own institution does not pay an Ed.S. at the same rate as a doctorate...)

Date: Feb 26, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
"Is a person holding a specialist's degree (Ed.S.) ordinarily addressed as "Dr"?"

I call them Mr. or Ms. regardless of the degree they hold. Mr. or Mr. is always correct, even when addessing an M.D. But I wouldn't want to call an M.D. "Mr." just before the operation

Date: Feb 27, 2005

Actually Invictus, the person you are referring to has just completed her Ed.D, I don't know why it is not updated, if you look at the top of the list she is still listed as Ms. so and so.

However, aren't a few of these folks retired? How does that work, that you retire and keep teaching?

Anyone know of a link where you can find more info about becoming tenured, etc?

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: CISE insider
Anyone know of a link where you can find more info about becoming tenured?"

My experience has been that when somebody being interviewed for a faculty position asks "What does it take around here to get tenured," that candidate is probably not a good candidate.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Search Committee
"My experience has been that when somebody being interviewed for a faculty position asks "What does it take around here to get tenured," that candidate is probably not a good candidate."

Well, it sort of depends on their tone of voice when they say it. Different institutions really do have different expectations for tenure, and it never hurts to ask. The problem is when they are implying that they are only interested in doing the minimum.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Bird Dog
"Many with doctorates don't trace their other degrees - the majority are from USM (Dana included whose major prof was CRK). Invictus, you might find that interesting since it's so wurl' class."

This might explain something that was going round last year. The rumor was that SFT was livid with Hudson because Hudson told a search committee in the School of Music that hiring one's own graduates is not good academic practice.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Search Committee

Search Committee???

What is that?

That is a thing of the past.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Search Committee
"My experience has been that when somebody being interviewed for a faculty position asks "What does it take around here to get tenured," that candidate is probably not a good candidate."

I wouldn't take that as a sign that the candidate is looking for a job where the standards of tenure are low.

In a dysfunctional department, standards for tenure are unclear, and unevenly applied.

One way for a candidate to judge how well a department functions is to ask what it takes to get tenured and note discrepancies, if any, between the answers.

Robert Campbell

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: What's Their Secret?
" Four Professors and Eight Associates all of whom have run the Promotion and Tenure Gauntlet? How Did They All Do It? "

It's all the USM degrees that are piling up in their vitaes that alarm me! If anyone thinks for any reason a major professor doesn't have a ton of influence on a new hire who was her/his doc or masters student - think again!! Dana/CRK/MR are perfect examples of academic incest.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

Also check the credentials of some of the Asst. Profs in Polymer Science - two of the recent additions got their PhDs at............yep you got it - USM Polymer Science Dept. and one was a PhD student of SFT.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
"One way for a candidate to judge how well a department functions is to ask what it takes to get tenured and note discrepancies, if any, between the answers."

A good department at a good university will make the job description quite clear to a candiate. I, personnaly, would be quite wary of a candiate that hopped from office to office during the interview visit asking what it took to get tenure.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

i would be wary of a job candidate who didn't ask about tenure. could be they're trying to get a sense of expectations compared to teaching load, resources, facilities, and the like. some entry-level candidates are coming from some very good universities and are merely comparing what they're accustomed to at their home institution and what they'll find here.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"i would be wary of a job candidate who didn't ask about tenure. could be they're trying to get a sense of expectations compared to teaching load, resources, facilities, and the like."

I would be wary to a department chair who didn't provide that information to a candiate without the candidate having to ask. A candidate who is not provided with such information during the interview should, in my opinion, return fill out the expenditure voucher and return it to the department chair with a polite "I enjoyed my visit. Enclosed is my expense voucher. I am sorry that I must withdraw my application. Thank you for inviting me to visit." Of course I realize this approach has not always been the "USM way."

Date: Feb 27, 2005

better yet--the chair ought to be able to give a candidate the department's tenure and promotion document with the criteria laid out in it.

Date: Feb 27, 2005

USM pays expenses for interviewees?

Hmmm...

/me: Makes note to apply for position at University of Hawaii...

Date: Feb 27, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Search Lite
"USM pays expenses for interviewees? Hmmm... /me: Makes note to apply for position at University of Hawaii..."

When I was hired at USM, I was informed that USM would pay the travel expenses if I was offered and accepted a position here. I don't know if that was correct or whether it was just more of the bull s*** I found out later to be incorrect.

Date: Feb 28, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Search Committee
"My experience has been that when somebody being interviewed for a faculty position asks "What does it take around here to get tenured," that candidate is probably not a good candidate."

I was serious, what does it take to become tenured, what is the diff between an associate or assistant prof? Apparently no one knows anymore....sound like it is just a matter of SFT waving his magic wand

Date: Feb 28, 2005

cise insider--it's difficult to answer your question in a general way. it depends on the department. first, of all, it probably depends on whether the department offers only a bachelors, masters, or doctoral degree, with the requirements increasing with each level. my department has a document that specifies what it takes in the areas of teaching, research, and service to get tenured. for example, research articles have to be published in regional, national, or international peer-reviewed journals (we don't count state journals).

Date: Feb 28, 2005

Well, we all know from the old FS board about Dana's two articles that basically cited the same research, but were made out to be two different studies...however, has anyone heard about her latest doctoral students' research.....almost the same exact study repeated twice more.......in NO way could this be considered doctorate level research....but guess who we are now calling Dr. ????

Date: Feb 28, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"cise insider--it's difficult to answer your question in a general way. it depends on the department. first, of all, it probably depends on whether the department offers only a bachelors, masters, or doctoral degree, with the requirements increasing with each level. my department has a document that specifies what it takes in the areas of teaching, research, and service to get tenured. for example, research articles have to be published in regional, national, or international peer-reviewed journals (we don't count state journals). "

Yes, but in Shelby's world, real scholarship doesn't count as much as bringing in money. I know a faculty member who hadn't published anything in 5 years, but had brought in grant money. She got one of those "merit" raises, when another faculty in her department who had published in international journals didn't. Guess which one has moved on to a tier 1 institution? Not Ms. Moneybags.

Date: Feb 28, 2005

arnold--as i said, it depends on the discipline.

Date: Feb 28, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"arnold--as i said, it depends on the discipline. "

Yes, and in most CoAL disciplines, publishing matters. But not at USM.