Notes on Fisher Files, Sequence II, Episode 8 - Getting Tenure

Here are my notes on the Fisher Files episode entitled "Getting tenure."

• Tenure is a big step because
  
  • It is a permanent position
    
  • Rejection is devastating since the people evaluating you are the people you've been working with for the last 5-7 years
    
  • Don't joke about tenure or the tenure process as it is a very sensitive topic
• Differences among universities
  
  • Some universities try to intervene early by mentoring and guiding young faculty
    
  • A few universities (not many) exert quality control at the hiring stage, so that tenure is a formality
• Thing to be clear on
  
  • As you get closer to the tenure decision date, prepare yourself for rejection
    
  • Know the rules and the procedure
    
  • Before you even accept the position, you should have found out
    
    • Is the process fair/unfair?
      
    • Who has input, who doesn't?
      
    • When does the review take place?
  • Formal rules set by American Association of University Professors (AAUP)
    
    • Professors must be evaluated for tenure by their 8th year (this is to prevent universities from stringing junior faculty along)
  • At MIT:
    
    • After 4 years, there is a review for promotion from assistant to associate professor without tenure
      
    • After 6 years, there is a review for promotion to associate professor with tenure
      
    • Leaves the 7th year for finding a new job if you are rejected
• How to get tenure
  
  • Don't consciously think about getting tenure
    
  • Keep a list of people you meet in a text file so that you can use them for references later on
    
  • Have self-respect
    
  • Be your own person and decide what you want to do
    
  • Assess the university as much as it assesses you
    
  • Use your time to do what you are excited about and build up your research group
    
  • Live your dream!!!
• Duplicity is bad and backfires
  
  • Don't choose research directions or collaborations for the sole purpose of getting tenure (people can tell and won't like it)
    
  • Don't try to solicit offers from other institutions in an effort to game the system (people will figure out what you are doing and get mad)
• Tenure criteria
  
  • Mainly based on research excellence
    
  • Show that you are a leader in your field by getting your name out
    
  • Giving review talks or writing review articles
    
  • Giving conference talks or seminars
    
  • To a lesser extent (depending on university), based on community service and teaching
    
  • In terms of teaching, people are really thinking about whether you respect the students as opposed to the quality of your teaching
    
    • Respecting students means keeping appointments, not making students feel unimportant, and grading honestly/fairly
  • Emotionally, people are thinking:
    
    • Is this a person I want to have in my department for the rest of my life?
      
    • Is this person competent in administration and will s/he pitch in?
      
    • Is this person going to choose good research topics and be a pioneer as opposed to just following the pack?
  • No shortcuts or magic formula to getting tenure (the faculty don't use a checklist)
• Community service
  
  • There are lots of jobs/committees and they (for the most part) are not fun
    
  • Find your niche: choose a job, take it over, and do it well
    
  • If you do the same job for a long time, it will get easier and take less time
    
  • If you want to make yourself stick out, choose a job that is unpopular like colloquium/seminar organization or graduate admissions
• Giving talks
  
  • Most seminar organizers are lazy and have a hard time finding speakers so take advantage of that
    
  • In July, email organizers and volunteer to give talks at good universities
    
  • Advantages of seminars over conference talks
    
    • At a conference, you are typically giving a 10-20 minute talk in a 2 hour session -- you can easily be missed
      
    • But you have a whole day at an institution for a seminar - 1 hour for the talk, dinner and appointments
  • Colloquium tenure talk
    
    • Typically you will be asked to give a colloquium on your work in preparation for the faculty voting on you
      
    • Make sure this colloquium is *really* accessible since it will be attended by faculty outside your field
      
    • Communicate clearly what you did and why it was important
      
    • Communicate clearly what students were involved and how you are connected to them (show your mentoring skills)
• As tenure review date approaches, know your time scales and options
  
  • Some people try to look for other offers at this time
    
  • Only consider offers you are serious about
    
  • Let your university know what you are doing