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[ugubayfal]

> Oops, there goes that data of which you speak - right down the dumper.  Could you post your survey results
> from which this data is derived?  These blatant unsubstantiated assertions do not serve science very well.

Generalizations drawn from my lifelong experience:
1) Chiquita Banana was wrong when she said "you should never put bananas in the refrigerator."
2) Ivy League graduates get better jobs than community college graduates.
3) Congolese have darker skins than Norwegians.
4) Marines swear more than clergymen.
5) Seven Sisters graduates swear better than Marines.
6) Beer should be served at room temperature or a little cooler, but never ice cold.
7) State police wear funnier hats than city cops.
8) It is harder for English speakers to acquire a plausible Chinese accent than a plausible Italian accent.
9) Academics who study Green Engineering don't themselves practice Green Living.
10) Expatriate academics who lack academic rationale for being abroad are escaping something.

Data that would trump generalizations drawn from my personal experience:
1) Suitably normalized means and variances of students' ratings of specific course and instructor qualities.

The data exists, right?  Then show it to us (the readers of this blog who are not at the complainers' institution) and let us decide for ourselves whether the complainers have valid gripes about a seriously flawed academic administration or they are just bitter losers drawing satisfaction from biting the hand that feeds them (or maybe they are not losers at all, but have been sent there to create internal conflict -- a tactic well known in the FSU.)

[scotto703]

My father used to be fond of saying: "You never can tell the depth of the well by the handle on the pump."  I believe your logic about why people take expat assignments is faulty, and generalizing about expat faculty rationale is a rather useless exercise.  People take jobs for a variety of reasons, both expat and at home.  There are those in the expat community who have been overseas for years, and like it that way.

All that said: I am curious as to why the results of teaching evaluations would be made public.  This would certainly be an atypical use of teaching evaluations, especially to a group of alleged outsiders of an institution (must be outsiders, since "normally socialized" insiders wouldn't be talking this way in a public forum).  If students want to make this a public issue, there are many sites (including ratemyprofessor.com) on which they can make a public statement.  Otherwise, teaching evaluations are between the faculty member and his or her administration.  Of course, if you want to hire someone to teach, and request copies of recent teaching evaluations from the candidate, then that's a different story.  Perhaps you are trying to hire one of us?

[doncorleone1971]

Sitting in the HR files at Nazarbayev University is the CV of a physics professor who has no doctorate, but whose CV says he DOES have a doctorate. This same professor posted a bio of himself on the university's School of Science & Tech Web site early last semester that referred to him as "Dr." and that also indicated he had a doctorate. It was six weeks before the bio was revised to remove the "Dr." reference and the doctorate reference. Falsifying a CV, especially on a key point such as whether an academic has a doctorate, is a fireable offense in most of the world. Nazarbayev University needs to act accordingly.

I can say with 100% certainty that the CV used by this physics professor to get this job does not say he has a doctorate. It, in fact, very clearly stated that he did not have a doctorate. I cannot speak to the website situation. I am at NU, and I believe that no matter what we think of any particular individual, the truth needs to be very clear in these types of situations. I have been looking to internal resources to try to clarify these rumors and perhaps work toward a solution to many, if not all, of these ongoing concerns. I really think that it is important that everyone involved take a deep breath and let things cool down for a few days. The administration is well aware of this public conversation, and I think it might be wise to allow everyone the time to think clearly and make the right decisions going forward. I've worked awfully hard since I've arrived to make this university a better place and I implore you to allow the time for an appropriate course of action to take place.

[bendere400]

Top administrators of Nazarbayev University should be commended for taking two recent steps to deal with injustices.
One step is the substantial slashing of the salary of an assistant professor of physics who had no doctorate but was making far more money than associate professors.
The other step was the lifting of a nasty form of harassment against another physics professor who has been harassed and targeted for firing since September, simply for voicing dissent about physics matters.
The nasty harassment involved the dean of the School of Science & Technology assigning nine professors to monitor the physics professor's classes this semester -- one monitor almost every class. Faculty have been outraged about this obvious attempt to break this professor, a vicious tactic that would have quickly led to a lawsuit in the United States.
Although this monitoring has finally been lifted, the dean and an even higher administrator are still intent on firing this professor, who has done nothing wrong.
Faculty are united as never before in support of the professor, for two reasons. First, there's a principle involved -- no professor should be subject to harassment and wrongful firing for voicing dissent. Second, if the dean can fire this professor for no reason, he can fire anyone, and a reign of terror will ensue.
Those who are trying to railroad this professor need to know that if he is fired, the reaction will be swift, forceful and wideranging.
His tormenters need to finally do the right thing. Back off him, leave him alone and let him teach and do his research and other duties in peace.

[mrmason1971]

Nazarbayev University needs to appoint an ombudsman for the School of Science and Technology to deal with faculty concerns. This person would hear faculty complaints or concerns in confidence, then relay those concerns directly to a top administrator, bypassing the dean. Having an ombudsman would prevent many faculty from going outside the university to air their grievances. Of course the dean should not be allowed a say in who is selected as ombudsman, for obvious reasons.

[scotto703]

Bendere400, I've got to say that your vitriol and threats aren't particularly useful in resolving this or any situation with regard to the issue that you seem so passionate about.  Maybe this could be channeled into a more productive direction.  For example, have you presented a formal complaint to anyone?  This is hardly the venue for resolving this issue.

[jerryrose85]

Given what has happened to the physics professor, a formal complaint would simply mean the complainant would be the next target. No faculty member wants to use an outside venue to air a complaint, but many of us feel there is no  current "inside" way to express dissent without being retaliated against. Give faculty the assurance that they can air grievances without being retaliated against, and there is a good chance that most if not all would use inside mechanisms. Rest assured that many faculty are as passionate about the physics professor as Ben Dere is -- this is not isolated sentiment.