tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post3626087784294840338..comments2024-03-25T02:33:41.590-05:00Comments on FemaleScienceProfessor: Spelling it OutFemale Science Professorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15288567883197987690noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-26419323853884004242010-09-21T13:17:19.132-05:002010-09-21T13:17:19.132-05:00In the ultra-specific case, it sounds as if a help...In the ultra-specific case, it sounds as if a helpful letter would talk up the journals on the candidate's CV as much as the actual person.<br />Re: Anonymous - since academic professorships are prized positions, there has to be some way of deciding who gets them. The system that has developed is heavily influenced by Western ideas about fairness, specifically meritocracy.Materialisthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17212265123565984739noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-40864709304190728722010-09-21T12:45:08.381-05:002010-09-21T12:45:08.381-05:00I recently wrote a letter for a P&T evaluation...I recently wrote a letter for a P&T evaluation that was maddeningly vague. The solicitation basically said, "Prof A is up for P&T, and we would like your evaluation." It did NOT ask whether I would recommend promotion; it asked for an evaluation of Prof A in terms of research quality and promise. It sounded like they just wanted an ordinary letter of recommendation. Prof A was also up for early tenure, but no mention was made of this, and I do not know whether this institution offers two chances or not. <br /><br />Basically, I got the message that I needn't spend too much time because they would simply do whatever they want with the promotion and couldn't give two hoots what I think.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29059245.post-1264231010958505612010-09-21T08:13:12.813-05:002010-09-21T08:13:12.813-05:00Colleges spend a lot of time and energy rating peo...Colleges spend a lot of time and energy rating people. Students are rated. Professors are rated. Colleges are rated. I wonder what a Buddist college would be like, which didn't emphasize ratings, or what an anthropologist would make of all this.<br /><br />A kind of anarchy seems to prevail in academia. Each Professor has their own way of doing things. Someone once told me about an experiment a math department did where all the professors were asked to grade the same paper. The result was each professor graded the paper differently.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com