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Should professors who are new parents get extra time before their tenure reviews -- even if they don't take leave?
The most recent responses appear first
"As a graduate student in Higher Education, I am exploring the issues raised in this lively colloquy for a class paper and presentation. It has been fascinating to read..."
"I do not have tenure. I made decisions long ago to maximize my ability to support myself, and that did not include the luxury (and yes, it is a luxury once achieved) of becoming an academic..."
"There should be no stopped tenure clock unless the individual takes a complete leave of absence that relieves them of all duties. It is unfair to the rest of the faculty..."
"People don't like to be exploited and, just like Susan Moriarty, I feel that is exactly what the anonymous professor from Texas has done..."
"I have to say I was surprised to see such a negative assessment of the solution I described..."
"This is a sound policy, and the very least we can do to support parents who care for newborns..."
"The anonymous professor who submitted her comments on 12/3 is a perfect example of why universities should shy away from hiring faculty in her situation..."
"While I do think that stopping the clock for childbirth, as well as other responsibilities, is a good thing, what would have helped me was a semester off with pay (otherwise known as maternity leave)..."
"I agree that the 'stopping of the clock' is a great idea..."
"I have one condition before I can accept this policy..."
"Not only is the AAUP proposal fair, but it is vital to insuring equity for anyone with caregiving responsibilities in the academy..."
"It is preferable to claim that child-raising is a choice, and that no one should be burdened by another's choice..."
"As the mother of four with a dismal publication record, I believe that that institutions should be flexible..."
"I'd like to clarify a few of my remarks and add to them..."
"I applaud Professor Thornton for her candor in acknowledging that she supports this policy out of self-interest..."
"I think that it was be a wonderful idea to allow new parents a little extra time before tenure review. I recently had a baby girl and wanted to delay putting her in daycare. Since taking a full leave would have meant losing my salary..."
"I fully support the proposed policy. The fact is that the tenure process, like virtually every other professional job, is (still) based on a career model that assumes that the worker is a man..."
"A policy that any tenure-track faculty member may choose to take a year off the tenure or promotion clock for any reason at all seems to me 'fairer' than policies that presuppose..."
"Giving extra time toward tenure to junior faculty members who have to care for newborns is an excellent idea! I wish I had had that option..."
"The argument that this policy is necessary to diversify the academy is a serious one, and if it is true that women cannot get tenure in significant numbers without extra time, then the policy is worthy of support..."
"This debate seems to be boiling down to two positions..."
"I support the proposal because it is needed for fairness in treatment of all faculty, particularly women faculty..."
"Chuck Whipkey and others may object to the characterization of child-rearing as but one human pursuit among others..."
"In the lengthy and thoughtful discussions of this issue, AAUP has weighed very carefully the concerns expressed in this colloquy..."
"I strongly support this proposal, and it should be geared towards parents (not just women)..."
"The proposal is excellent and truly necessary..."
"There are several truly amazing things about this discussion..."
"The purpose of the suggested policy is not to be nice to new parents..."
"I have read with a little impatience the comments of those who apparently regard child-bearing and rearing to be simply a lifestyle 'choice' ..."
"Only in academe...' -- I have to agree with John Prentice on this point..."
"If expecting mothers get the extra time I imagine the fathers would get extra time then, as well..."
"I believe that one of the best things that universities can do is provide written policy..."
"I strongly support the new suggestions..."
"When I posted my naive applause to the AAUP proposal in favor of exploring ways in which academic institutions could assist expectant or new mothers..."
"Professor Zimmerman has mischaracterized my remarks. If he had read my initial posting, he would know that I said I don't have a problem in theory with giving parents extra time on the tenure clock..."
"Childless people once again are not given the same consideration as those who have children..."
"A number of responses to the AAUP proposal have suggested or directly argued that special provisions for people with children endorse a kind of bourgeois family values agenda..."
"I find myself somewhat baffled by the comments of Professor Zimbleman and others who argue that "stopping the clock" or otherwise accommodating parents with young children imposes an unjust burden..."
"I am so sick of people jumping on the 'anti-child' bandwagon. I do not have children, and am not sure that I ever will..."
"I suppose I can sympathize to a certain extent with Ms. Carroll's frustrations..."
"People are capable of pursuing many, many activities. Having children is a choice, one that we could expect that educated people would make only after having weighed the pros and cons..."
"I have three children, two of whom were born before I got tenure -- I was pregnant with the third when I came up..."
"It is imperative that faculty members get the opportunity to have down time when attempting to have children and applying for tenure..."
"Mr. McManus: Let us continute to reason together. It would seem we have already made some progress..."
"I adopted a child in late fall of 1999, one year prior to my tenure decision, and was offered a paid semester off starting in January 2000 for the purpose of family leave..."
"Only in academia would a debate like this boil down to harsh, shrill criticisms of "breeders" and asking those who choose to have a family to potentially sacrifice their careers..."
"Though I find her tone shrill, sarcastic, and confrontational, I find myself agreeing with Jill Carroll's underlying point..."
"Are women the only ones worried about conflicts between parenting and tenure reviews? What about men who are playing a more active role in parenting?..."
"Ms. Carroll: In a world filled with starvation, disease, poverty, and a host of other ill, can you really believe your own generalization..."
"I suppose in theory I don't have a problem with the proposal to give parents extra time on the tenure review process. But I do have some concerns, and I question AAUP's priorities..."
"When people decide to have a child, they know (or ought to) that there are going to be numerous changes in their lifestyle..."
"Ok -- let me get this straight. Patricia Moran has a husband who works all the time, does nothing at home, leaves her with the longer commute and all the domestic duties..."
"Any of us who have been parents know that you spend time and sleep in the first few months of a new born's life..."
"This should be allowed only if there is parity for other people with concerns outside of work, e.g., troubled teenagers, alcoholic spouses, sick parents, etc..."
"Among the achievements of the twentieth century is consciousness-raising in a variety of contexts. One of the most important of these is that gender-equality should be among basic principles undergirding any decent society..."
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