A few weeks ago, the Modern Language Association released a report calling for changes in the tenure process for language and literature faculty. The report was a stirring call to action, and the members of the MLA quickly sprang into action, doing what faculty do best: arguing about stuff.
[A]lthough no one is challenging the main approach of the MLA panel, there are serious quibbles. At a session Thursday, for example, a dean questioned a proposal to give tenure candidates more of a say in which outside experts will analyze their work. And there was grumbling from some rhetoric and composition faculty members that the ideas in the report didn’t reflect their professional realities.
(Actually, the article is much more positive than that excerpt suggests. Still, it’s such a typical academic reaction: “We see that there is a problem. Let us form a panel to squabble over the details!”)
It is funny. Similar things happen in business, though. When I was a postdoc at Lucent I felt like the company was run like this: http://www.mrchuckles.net/i/b2/dilbert-meeting.gif
Hey! That’s my line from 20 years ago, when I worked for a large national company! I want credit and I want residuals!
And yes, this is definitely true and funny.
“serious quibbles”
Academia in a nutshell.