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In their August 3 article, "Climbing the Academic Ladder," Drs. Mendel, Mendel, and Battle indicate (correctly) that "careers in academia are both exciting and rewarding." They also appropriately decry past communications which "focus on day-to-day obstacles" of the academic life. I expected then to read about what makes academic life enticing. Yet, after that opening, the article only describes a long and arduous climb, with warnings such as, "the demands placed on the assistant professor are great," and to become a full professor, "the academic should maintain both national and international prominence." Though understanding the rigors is important, there was no description of the fun along the way. We need to let potential academics know working in a university is a great job.
We need to tell them it affords one the opportunity to work with highly intelligent and interesting colleagues. It allows one to largely follow one's own interests, a rarity in most work settings. It gives far more flexibility of time than almost any other job in the professions. It gives a professional perspective in which we know that every academic act-be it teaching, research, or administrative, has an impact on our discipline and professions. And, at least to me most joyously-it allows us the privilege of teaching, and being taught by, our students-our future. Perhaps if some of our students and young professionals understand these things we will be able to attract more of them into our faculty ranks.
Jay Lubinsky
Orland Park, IL
j-lubinsky@govst.edu
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