Incentives, Performance, and Academic Tenure

To the Editor.— In a recent issue of Pediatrics,1 the editors of several pediatric journals express disgruntlement with the practices of submitting articles reporting the same data to more than one journal, or "self-plagiarism," and of dividing studies into numerous short reports or "least publishable units." To combat these practices, they infarmally" inform one another about suspected duplication. All well and good, I suppose, and occasionally authors probably have had their hands slapped. But, the crux of the matter, really, is contained in paragraph 1, sentence 5: "We suspect that these practices are based on the desire to expand one's list of publications so as to enhance one's reputation and the chances of achieving promotion and academic tenure."

Download Full-text

An Abiding Affection

10.1093/oso/9780197531679.003.0002 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 7-14

Author(s):

Thomas E. Schindler

Keyword(s):

New York ◽

Early Life ◽

Biblical Hebrew ◽

Laboratory Research ◽

South Bronx ◽

E Coli ◽

Academic Tenure ◽

K 12 ◽

Richard Feynman ◽

Mycology Laboratory

This chapter provides a brief outline of Esther Zimmer’s early life. Born in 1922 to immigrant Jewish parents who had moved from Manhattan’s Lower East Side to the South Bronx, she demonstrated a talent for languages at an early age, learning biblical Hebrew from her grandfather and later distinguishing herself in Spanish and French. Despite her professors’ expectations that she become a foreign language teacher, Zimmer chose to become a scientist. Her love affair with microorganisms began in the mycology laboratory of the New York Botanical Gardens, her abiding affection for bacteria, especially E. coli K-12, memorialized in the beach house named Kappa Dodici, Italian for K-12. For Esther, this particular bacterial strain displayed the treasures of bacterial sex uncovered by her research. Esther cherished the joy of discovery far beyond academic tenure or recognition. Like renowned physicist Richard Feynman, her prime motivation for doing laboratory research was “the sheer pleasure of finding things out.”

Download Full-text

Considering a new platform for academic campus interviews: Entering the virtual world

Qualitative Social Work ◽

10.1177/1473325020981072 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 147332502098107

Author(s):

Kelly Lynn Clary

Keyword(s):

United States ◽

Virtual World ◽

Lived Experiences ◽

The United States ◽

Tenure Track ◽

Spring Semester ◽

Virtual Campus ◽

University Environment ◽

Search Committee ◽

Academic Tenure

As a May 2020 Social Work PhD Graduate, I spent the spring semester interviewing for academic tenure track positions. When COVID-19 reached the United States, the interview process quickly changed course. My in-person campus visits became 8-hour long virtual interview days, which were quite exhausting. Since I completed five in-person campus visits and two virtual interviews, I compiled my lived experiences. As a “now” normal emerges and institutions must be more financially aware and uphold social distancing guidelines, in the reflexive essay I provide suggestions for improving virtual campus interviews—for both the candidate and the search committee. Some suggestions for the search committee include not using an 8-hour interview day, offering a delivered lunch for the candidate, and assembling the virtual visit to incorporate the school and University environment. For the candidate, I propose to dress as if one is on-site, integrate self-care throughout the day, and request a meeting with only students. I hope my experiences will motivate others who faced similar situations to consider their virtual interview experiences and further produce suggestions for their institutions.

Download Full-text

Academic Tenure: Its Recipients and Its Effects

The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science ◽

10.1177/000271628044800109 ◽

1980 ◽

Vol 448 (1) ◽

pp. 86-101 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Lionel S. Lewis

Keyword(s):

Academic Tenure

Download Full-text