We're having a quiet holiday - visits with the kids and grandkids, plans to visit the miniature railroad at the Carnegie Science Center and maybe see the baby penguins at the National Aviary.We know how blessed we are to have two good, full-time jobs with excellent health benefits, to have employed children and two healthy grandsons, with a third to arrive in February.
We'll have a wonderful dinner tonight at my friend Dana's as we have for over 10 years.
My Christmas Wishes for the academic world?
- Full-time, tenure-track positions for those who desire them and are qualified for them.
- Decent pay and benefits for those who want to remain part-time, for whatever reason.
- An academic system that would nurture and encourage talented teachers to stay in the profession.
- Jobs outside the academic system for those who would contribute more there.
- Peace on earth; goodwill towards all humankind (Why not? It's no wilder a dream than the rest of the list!).
Why do you care?
ReplyDeleteBecause I spent seven years as an adjunct, teaching at three institutions, six courses a semester, and sometimes as many as five locations. And - because caring is the right thing to do. If the system doesn't change, our college and university system will die. And that matters.
ReplyDelete"Why do you care??!!??" What kind of a question is that! My goodness... we need people who care to remind many of us of what we refuse to really see or decide to not understand. Keep writing, Max, keep writing! I agree totally that the current academic system is in desperate need of reform or at least rethinking when it comes to the folks who teach the next generation -- the adjunct teachers need a higher level of recognition!
ReplyDeleteyou tell 'em, gene!
ReplyDelete