|
Alumbrado -> RE: University Students: Test Question (3/8/2008 7:26:45 AM)
|
quote:
ORIGINAL: MollHackabout
Look, I'm not completely ignorant as to the operation of universities. Maybe things are different here, and I know my federal grant money (SSHRC) limits the amount of time I am allowed to TA, even as a lowly PhD candidate. What I'm suggesting actually isn't criminal fraud - what I am suggesting is taking profs away from the upper-level classes that they so adore, and maybe have them spend some time with the kids who are probably having the toughest time. And, you know, maybe hire more faculty, particularly where staff salaries are being partially provisioned through grants, rather than bringing in grads.
There are faculty with a workload along the lines of:
Running a grant as the PR, overseeing the work of several grad students, teaching grad courses, perhaps serving as editor of a peer reviewed journal, running panels or even sections at conferences, sitting on dissertation committees, sitting on university committees, making time for their own publications, consulting on textbooks, consulting to outside agencies, and keeping the school happy with fresh grant money... is any that really less important than making sure that no TA ever teaches a 101 class?
Because don't forget, that "...I have never had a grad student teach any class. I will drop like a hot rock if I find out they are a grad student." and " ...I also would drop and add a different class if I discovered a grad student was teaching the course " and "... I did not sign up for college to be taught by a self important student. I came to college to be taught by a PROFESSOR. If faculty is too busy to teach, then make them unbusy. Research in the end is something that should be a reward, not a right. " are the assertions which I have been addressing.
I said that the above sentences indicated that those posters still held high school expectations of being babysat until rewarded with a piece of paper.
I also notice that no one has answered as to why they would rather have someone with no real experience, just a title, who was a grad student until 6 months ago teaching them, instead of a TA with say a 20+ year career and a master's or even PhD in the discipline.
As far as solutions, schools having enough spare faculty so that every undergrad gets taught only by PhDs. that would indeed be fantastic.
(And it does appear that your school is different from my experience... it was considered the norm for those admitted to doctoral candidacy to teach 3 classes or the equivalent in order to get the maximum stipend, since they were no longer taking coursework.)
|
|
|
|
