Death of the Academy...
I am sorry to post this on the top end of Andy's post, but people were complaining about our topics lately, so now you have this little rant and Andy's great post on the good work of Rick Warren...So make sure you read through his...Plus, it sounds like Jake is going to be posting soon on some interesting stuff...So anonymous, get off our back!Ok, So this week I have been thinking a lot about getting my PhD. I have been saying I wanted to do this for the past several years. Now that I am actually "on pace" for it, I am really starting to second guess it. Here are some reasons why...
Higher Education is slowly dying. At the undergraduate level, it is quickly becoming the new High School. For those who go through the years required to earn doctorates, they are increasingly rewarded with less full-time tenure-track positions, and more "contract faculty" positions. Part of this has to do with the Bush administration not caring about education (from elementary through post-secondary). However, ranking reports and other forms of public outcry that make colleges and university bow to marketing over mission. Creating academic cultures is less desired, because people that have not experienced education are not having a lot to contribute to the discussion. This shows up in the push towards professional degrees (nursing, social work, etc.) being more acceptable than trypical liberal arts degrees (biology, history, sociology, etc.) Liberal Arts colleges are in this trend. Following business models of organization, which will push marketing over mission every time. So all this to say, that the environment is not conducive to making 5 more years of education seem nearly as appealing. Note, I am not necessarily picking on Huntington, however, many of the things I am saying are true for them as well. However, the trend is nationwide and in all types of institutions. I guess, my question for those of you who are considering being professors, what do you think about these issues.
On a personal note, I also, have started to feel like I want to be "doing something" now. I want to be working with people and have time to be apart of a community and enjoy people and life. I don't know if having every waking hour to do the next project or talking about my thesis is beneficial to anyone. Don't get me wrong, I strangely enjoy this, but I also feel I am being less than productive in things that matter. Especially, if I am not sure I want to do the PhD and jump into the competition of a Job market of dyiing field...Seems crazy...
Any other thoughts on the academy and what trends are encouraging or discouraging for those of us continuing in the field?
Now read Andy's post, which is better than this one...I promise!
Peace
posted by Dusty @ 9:36 AM
3 Comments:
Dusty:
Joey Spiegel said something on your xanga along the lines of, what is best, getting others to do things or doing things and is there anyway to do both? I think we have to do both. If I had to decide today I would not be getting a PhD. There is just so much else to be done. At the same time, there are other days that I feel the exact opposite. Here's the promise we must make: if we are not getting phds we'd better not be doing lame things and if we get phds it better not be because we want to be lame. My point is this, if I don't get a phd I better be closer to raising people from the dead than I am now, and if I get a Phd, all of my work had better be towards the kingdom. The other question you have to ask is whether or not a PhD gets you closer to influencing the most number of people. Are there other places (the church, social services, the united nations) that provide a better platform for you to influence others toward the work of Christ? Are any of these more conducive to "doing something" now than others?
Dusty--I share this problem too, especially working so intensely in the field of music right now. It is such an elite culture, where once you learn all the right names and recordings and opus numbers and terms and dates, then you get to look down your nose at the people who are ignorant of these facts. How many times when I'm sitting in the practice rooms do I think, "I should be doing something else that is more practically helpful for people?" A lot.
I guess what answers this question for me is similar to Jake's answer. Am I getting this degree to "be lame" or do I have some point? I have this opportunity right now to get my masters, I'm not married, I'm not neglecting children or family, it's simply the perfect time and a great opportunity. And I do think it's going to help me ultimately serve the people I want to serve in a beneficial way by providing them something they might not have access to otherwise. Also, I would suggest finding somewhere you can volunteer or hang out with people who could care less about thesis topics (i.e. after-school program with kids, homeless shelter, old folks home, etc.) and commit to spending time there and caring about the people in that setting for even just a couple of hours a week. I think it helps you keep your feet in "both worlds," if that makes sense.
Thanks Leah and Jake...
I am helping a youth ministry get back on track. It had been very laissez faire, with numbers being more important than substance largely. The youth pastor and I have been working together to create a more wholistic type of ministry. So, I do voluteer development, work with student leaders and volunteer with both the junior high and senior high...Typically, it makes me remember that there are way more important things to do than study all the time. Perhpaps, within a Christian institution, I would rediscover the motivation to get a PhD, but it not really certain right now.
Peace
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