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[hinterland]

I am a visiting assistant professor at a state university, and my contract has been renewed annually for several years. Recently my department head announced his retirement. Two other tenured faculty in the department have asked if I would like to be nominated to serve on a 3-4 person hiring committee. I politely declined for many reasons. One of the faculty scoffed when I declined, replying that it would look good on my resume when applying for jobs. First and foremost, this type of service could not be put towards promotion and tenure since my position is on a year-to-year contract. Secondly, I teach more classes than the tenured faculty. This additional work would be overwhelming burden.

I am interested in other thoughts or viewpoints on this topic. Was I right in declining? Should visiting assistant professors serve on hiring committees? And if so, should compensation for this type of service be provided? Thank you for any advice you can offer on the matter.

[shrek]

I think you did the right thing, it does take a lot of time. OTOH you can learn A LOT from being on such a committee. But, if you don't have time, you don't.

[systeme_d_]

In my opinion, your department should not have even asked.  VAPs need to be protected from service so that they may spend their time becoming a better candidate for TT positions.

Shrek is correct in that being on an SC teaches you a lot (especially when you are on the market yourself), but your non-teaching time needs to be spent on wiser things, like publishing and applying for jobs.  Publications will help your CV a whole lot more than SC service will.

[larryc]

Hell no you should not have to serve.  However they may hold it against you anyway.

[der_gadfly]

Although not asked to be on a hiring committee, I was asked to attend a planning meeting. Personally, I did not mind because:
1. I am interested in that stuff.
2. It is only a few meetings.
3. I have no REAL responsibility there.

If asked to do anything else, I will decline.

I do not feel it is appropriate to use a carrot (TT slot) that is really only a hologram.

[sir_lancelot]

You DO learn a lot about how the business works and you get good ideas for your own applications. I think it is a good idea to be on the decision-making side of anything you also apply for (grant reviews, panels, search committees etc.) at least once.

Yes, time is a problem. Yes, you could be publishing in that time. But still. And it's a limited amount of time.

[neutralname]

Of course you were right.  What were they thinking in asking you?  It's not an honor to be asked to read through hundreds of applications and get involved in political infighting.  It's not as if you represent an important constituency for the department.  I can understand grad students being included on search committees, or being involved in the hiring process, but not VAPs.

[clean]

replying that it would look good on my resume when applying for jobs

Others' experience may not reflect my own, but IMHO service is rarely of value at your current position, but it has NO market value anywhere else.  That you are on the Faculty Senate may or may not help you where you are, but it is worthless in your next job. 

If your current position is Teaching, not research or service, then it is not going to help you even there!

[oatmeal]

I would urge you to graciously decline the invitation. Will you be a voting member? Even if you are, it is a lot (A LOT) of work and you are looking for jobs yourself. However, do attend the meetings, if you can, so you can see how a decision is made but I would urge you not to serve. Best of luck!

[larryc]

You DO learn a lot about how the business works and you get good ideas for your own applications. I think it is a good idea to be on the decision-making side of anything you also apply for (grant reviews, panels, search committees etc.) at least once.

Yes, time is a problem. Yes, you could be publishing in that time. But still. And it's a limited amount of time.

Actually this is a really god point. Hiring committees are largely drudgery for those of us who have served on more than a few. But if you haven't, it could be an enormously valuable experience. Could you negotiate your role in advance? "I would love to serve but I am so busy! I will attend the meetings but not write any memos or anything. Would that be OK?"

[joesephpeabody]

No offence intended towards you, but the only reason that I can think of that they would ask you to participate in this committee would be that the tenured/tenure track faculty were not willing to adequately prioritize the responsibility.

JP

[john_proctor]

I wouldn't have asked you.

Indeed, I might well have assumed you would be a candidate.

[tee_bee]

I wouldn't have asked you.

Indeed, I might well have assumed you would be a candidate.

Chime. And VAPs are exploited enough anyway. If I were a faculty member I'd raise a huge stink if we tried to put a VAP on a search committee. What stake do VAPs have in the process? The "it's a learning experience" thing is true, but so is a crushing teaching load, no travel support, etc. The scoffing professor simply doesn't get it.

[der_gadfly]

Chime. And VAPs are exploited enough anyway. If I were a faculty member I'd raise a huge stink if we tried to put a VAP on a search committee. What stake do VAPs have in the process? The "it's a learning experience" thing is true, but so is a crushing teaching load, no travel support, etc. The scoffing professor simply doesn't get it.

I think that the learning experience is very key: moreover, if a VAP has the desire to participate, and puts in the time, what business is it of anyone else's if they participate? Is it not the role of an institution of higher education to promote learning? If so, then does this not also apply to our junior faculty who may some day be senior faculty? What 'stake' do they have? why not ask the person? Perhaps they have no 'power', but certainly they have interest and from my seat, they also have legitimacy.... this makes them a stakeholder.

I say, let the VAP decide if they wish to participate and do so with full enthusiasm.

[tee_bee]

Chime. And VAPs are exploited enough anyway. If I were a faculty member I'd raise a huge stink if we tried to put a VAP on a search committee. What stake do VAPs have in the process? The "it's a learning experience" thing is true, but so is a crushing teaching load, no travel support, etc. The scoffing professor simply doesn't get it.

I think that the learning experience is very key: moreover, if a VAP has the desire to participate, and puts in the time, what business is it of anyone else's if they participate? Is it not the role of an institution of higher education to promote learning? If so, then does this not also apply to our junior faculty who may some day be senior faculty? What 'stake' do they have? why not ask the person? Perhaps they have no 'power', but certainly they have interest and from my seat, they also have legitimacy.... this makes them a stakeholder.

I say, let the VAP decide if they wish to participate and do so with full enthusiasm.

There are a lot of service activities we don't ask junior faculty and VAPs to do because, whether the scholar wants to be on the committee or not, it is burdensome, and it takes time away from doing, in particular, the research work that the VAP should be doing to find work in the tenure track and strip the V from the AP. Unless the VAP enjoys permanent adjunct status which, judging from the threads in this section of the forum, is not a common position. Furthermore, the prospect of the VAP's being a potential candidate is real, although easily addressed by not putting the would-be candidate on the committee. Finally, there is something to be said for having only TT faculty on search committees because, presumably, they have more of a stake in the outcome than the VAP who will eventually leave.

Finally, what sort of shirking is going on the department that would suggest the need for a VAP to serve on a S.C.? None of these issues speak to the intelligence and insights that a VAP could offer--indeed, their status on the job market might make them a strong member of the committee. But there are other things to be considered, as summarized here, and as noted by others.

Yes, we are institutions of higher learning. But in all our teaching and mentoring, we do suggest that people establish what's important now. And, for most VAPs, what's important is producing research. I would be much more prone to interview a candidate with a few publications than I would someone who's done less research and more service. Whether anyone admits it, this is broadly true among most faculty.