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Editor for this issue: Karen Milligan <karenlinguistlist.org>
haywire.csuhayward.edu>As a lecturer in the California State University (8 yrs), an "adjunct" at California Institute of Integral Studies (19 yrs), and an I-don't-know-what at John F. Kennedy University (8 yrs), I'm what's called a "gypsy teacher" and "freeway flyer" here in No. California. Working each to the max available for me at each school, teaching 2-3 or even 4 courses at a given time (some qtr system, some semester), I make less than $25K per year, with almost no benefits. I have a renewable 2-yr contract at CSUH, but no guarantees at the private schools (except great evaluations). On the other hand, my wife is a tenured professor. This allows me to teach only courses I WANT to teach, with no administrative responsibilities whatever. My students get the best (most enthusiastic) me this way, tho I don't recommend this generally. ;-) warm regards, moonhawk <moonhawkMail to author|Respond to list|Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue
Hotmail.com>I'd like to point out that, contrary to Anthea's statement, the problem with this line of discussion is that it's only IS on the difference between the meanings of "lecturer" in different areas, with little commentary on whether or not some of the requirements being posted are reasonable given the duties and responsibilities of the positions in question. In the case of our "verbage", I think the distinction exists, as well as the differences from region to region, because some of us would rather distance ourselves from others of us. There was a time when, for example, a PhD that taught was a "professor", and an MD was a "doctor". Today, in the West, these two expressions are more or less used interchangeably; but the reasoning, in my opinion, has more to do with vanity than the positions we hold. In the classroom, there is no difference between a "professor", a "doctor", or a "lecturer" - we all get up in front of students and share our knowledge with them (hopefully well) regardless of the papers hanging on our walls. Someone once told me, and I still agree, that how we do our work has more to do with our hearts than our minds; degrees just give us a head-start. Insisting that one be addressed in a certain manner on the basis of education and financial background is arrogant, especially when being addressed in accordance with the respect one's students hold for their teacher is more rewarding. That said, there are only two real issues. First, can we make a bona fide generalization about the differences in position? Second, what duties should be expected by those who hold each rank, and what criteria are appropriate to fill each? How does an administrator fit into this mess? As I think about these questions, it occurs to me that, at the very least, a professor should be expected to spend a fair amount of time conducting research as opposed to teaching; where a lecturer should be expected primarily to teach. Administrators, on the other hand, are responsible for handling operational matters, which entails research necessitated by need, and little, if any, teaching. Professors, therefore, should be either well-experienced or have some graduate training; lecturers need only know their subjects and be decent teachers; and administrators should be good at performing routine operational tasks. "Promoting" a good teacher to an administrative position does not guarantee you'll have a good administrator, but it does mean your short a good teacher (unless the individual is to be overworked and do both jobs). Criteria for hiring, therefore, should focus on duties, and requiring "a demonstrated potential for and a strong commitment to research" is unreasonable if the reality of the job is twenty classroom hours teaching students how to say, "Please pass the salt" (which is common in Japan and Korea). I sometimes have to laugh at the posted requirements for some of these positions because I know, based on the difference between what is being asked for and what is actually needed, the employer is not going to find a suitable candidate and will probably disqualify any that should happen to apply; and I can't understand why, with all their accumulated experience and knowledge, the people who post these ads can't see that. We owe our students more than petty squabbles over titular preferences and antiquated distinctions that only serve to divide our faculties and undermine our pedagogical effectiveness. If you're a professor, thank the lecturers for teaching all those classes that you would have to teach otherwise. If you're a lecturer, thank the professors for doing all that research you would have to conduct otherwise. If you're an administrator, establish criteria related to the position your advertising and augment your team with more suitable members so that they can be more effective. We're all on the same team, we just play different positions, and everyone deserves respect on the basis of what they do; not what they've done. Sean M. Witty Kwangwoon University (an Adjunct Professor)Mail to author|Respond to list|Read more issues|LINGUIST home page|Top of issue