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[confusedacademic]

I am really fortunate to have had an upwardly mobile academic career without a Ph.D.  Right now, I'm a dean at a community college.  I don't love my job (and probably don't want to stay in the position until anywhere close to retirement), but I'm very well compensated. 

I currently am considering a job offer to be a registrar at a university.   It is not necessarily my dream job, but it would position me very close to a university where I would like to pursue a Ph.D. in my chosen field.  (It is not a possibility to do so where I currently live.)   Plus, I'm very excited about living in the new area.  The only problem is the pay (approx. $23,000 lower than my current position).  Plus, my significant other would also take a pay cut (not as big as mine, but still significiant).

Any advice?

[zharkov]

Two important questions:

1.  Does this PhD program encourage (not just allow, but encourage) part time study for working students?  Trying to learn and succeed in a PhD program for traditional age (20 something) full time students, when you are a 30 or 40 something working professional is a recipe for failure.

2.  How much will your new employer chip in to your PhD tuition?  (Assume you won't get any funding from the program itself.)  This is certainly something you can (and should) negotiate*.  It is not unusual for universities to have what I will call discretionary tuition benefits, not really in an HR handbook, but which will pay for things like doctoral tuition.  (Maybe all, maybe half.)

*And naturally, you'll want to read Getting to Yes as part of your preparation for negotiating.

[hegemony]

And what is your idea of what to do with the PhD?  Is it in a field where the only career choice is academics?  Or would it help you rise in administration?

[infopri]

1.  Does this PhD program encourage (not just allow, but encourage) part time study for working students?  Trying to learn and succeed in a PhD program for traditional age (20 something) full time students, when you are a 30 or 40 something working professional is a recipe for failure.

I think zharkov actually raises two separate issues here, even if that wasn't his intention.

The question about part time is an important one.  My doctoral program initially did not allow part time study.  Starting with my cohort, they softened on this issue for a few years--and every single part-time doctoral student ended up not completing the program.  So, they went back to full-time only until they were able to design an alternate-track program specifically for part timers.  Because it's still so new, the jury is still out on whether the program will succeed.

The other issue zharkov raises here has to do with age.  I'm going to suggest that age isn't really an issue, except in fields where real-world experience is a plus, giving older students an advantage.  But the full-time versus part-time issue is, again, a big deal.  The part timers who dropped out of my program simply didn't have the time to keep up the pace, and they also missed important opportunities because they just weren't around enough to take advantage of them.

I'm not sure what the best decision for you is, but I do wish you good luck, either way.

[educator1]

Many years ago I was a Registrar at a large, regional state Uni. and was able to complete a Phd. program while working full time. I had a cooperative dept at the local private R-1. It took me nine years to complete the program and defend my dissertation.
However, it was a blessing that I was not in a significant relationship at the time. The workload of a Registrar's position (at my school it included Registration and Records. Admissions, and Financial Aid) is huge and the time demands of a Phd. program are huge. Your significant other needs to be exceptionally supportive to lose around 30K in joint income and a significant amount of your time.

[spyzowin]

I am really fortunate to have had an upwardly mobile academic career without a Ph.D.  Right now, I'm a dean at a community college.  I don't love my job (and probably don't want to stay in the position until anywhere close to retirement), but I'm very well compensated. 

I currently am considering a job offer to be a registrar at a university.   It is not necessarily my dream job, but it would position me very close to a university where I would like to pursue a Ph.D. in my chosen field.  (It is not a possibility to do so where I currently live.)   Plus, I'm very excited about living in the new area.  The only problem is the pay (approx. $23,000 lower than my current position).  Plus, my significant other would also take a pay cut (not as big as mine, but still significiant).

Any advice?

Is there a difference in the way the jobs are classified? EG Deanships are usually on some sort of contract, either year to year or in the case of some schools, a 3 year or a 5 year contract.  The Registrars I know, on the other hand, are permanent members of the the university, and have a sort of tenure.

I'd always side in favor of job security over everything else. I'd take a $23k pay cut to have the ability to sleep at night (well, I am tenured, so that's possibly hyperbole).