Had lunch with a law lecturer today. The philosopher type, she hated the administration work she was responsible for. She couldn't file very well, missed communique deadlines, got names wrong - the works.
Still, she's given a leading administrative position (in addition to her lecturing hours), one slightly (but clearly) above the average lecturer.
Note: The higher position in an educational institution involved greater administrative responsibilities. From concocting lesson plans to storing them. From creating new presentations to ensuring they're properly compiled. From tutoring students to checking that their numbers and presence at classes tally. From opening up students' minds to handing out their student numbers.
No one denies the importance of the latter group of tasks; a college couldn't run without them (and all credit to the able souls who allow the lecturers to lecture and students to get to classes). The concern, though, is that promising educators and thinkers may be promoted to a higher level at odds with their expertise. Even worse, if this is the career pathway for someone in education, institutions should at least separate the thinkers from the managers, the academics from the organisers.
Some dream up new pathways; others break them. None is inherently better than the other, but confusing the two tends to create more frustration and far lower effectiveness. Don't force your Heidegger enthusiasts to manage the folders and no need to get your logistics expert to learn Wittgenstein.
No one denies the importance of the latter group of tasks; a college couldn't run without them (and all credit to the able souls who allow the lecturers to lecture and students to get to classes). The concern, though, is that promising educators and thinkers may be promoted to a higher level at odds with their expertise. Even worse, if this is the career pathway for someone in education, institutions should at least separate the thinkers from the managers, the academics from the organisers.
Some dream up new pathways; others break them. None is inherently better than the other, but confusing the two tends to create more frustration and far lower effectiveness. Don't force your Heidegger enthusiasts to manage the folders and no need to get your logistics expert to learn Wittgenstein.
thanks for the comments, todd.
ReplyDeletehey, i like that 'matrix' thing you've outlined - maybe all lecturers should be slotted in the boxes somehow. then again, this kinda stuff should be made clear right from the interview, right? **then again** one could also say that multi-tasking is a 'necessariy' in today's "fast-paced" world and thus people are EXPECTED to know admin stuff too - in which case my days are numbered (grin)