[1]
Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 13:45:31 -0400 (EDT)
From: bortzjl@conrad.appstate.edu
Martin Needels of Southeast Missouri State is mostly right. At so-called
comprehensive regional universities there is little support for research.
Most administrators have not done research. They receive relatively high
salaries from the university and hand out heavy work loads to underpaid
faculty. If faculty don't do research, they have no job mobility and
therefore no alternative but to accept more work with less pay. It
creates an unhappy but unrebellious faculty, who are viewed as an
expendable resource. Many faculty survive because they love teaching and
research and can withstand being institutionally unappreciated. Many
faculty do not survive. The system could be better but state government
and university administrators have little incentive to improve it.
[2]
Date: Fri, 29 Sep 1995 13:36:40 EDT
From: "Hughie Lawson, Murray State" <hlawson@racer1.mursuky.edu>
While I see where Martin Needels is coming from, I still think that
professional programs ought to be rationed in relation to the job
market.
My solution is that the university placement offices keep objective
records on the placement of grads of all prof. programs, grad and
undergrad.
The information from such records should be considered in the
evaluation of chairs and deans. Moreover, if say history
overproduces, it should lose resources that ought to be transferred to
other units that are doing better. This is no more than good
stewardship of resources. It would also give students accurate
information that they ought to have in choosing programs.
Graduate training is not liberal-arts education. It is professional
training IMHO.
Hughie Lawson <hlawson@racer1.mursuky.edu>
Murray State University
Murray, Kentucky 42071