About six months ago I was invited to do a TEDx talk, which I called Academia Is a Cult, by Prof. Adam Key of University of Arkansas at Monticello. I don't watch TED talks, and mostly dislike the whole idea of them. So I ignored the invitation for a … [Read more...] about Academia Is a Cult: Story of a TEDx Talk
Ph.D. Poverty
Someone Who Speaks My Language–#BLM Guest Post
By W. D. Herstun. W. D. Herstun is a graduate student in Writing & Digital Communication with a background in research and history. She reads everything and studies anything but is currently fascinated by surrealism’s various manifestations. … [Read more...] about Someone Who Speaks My Language–#BLM Guest Post
Academia Wasn’t Meant For Me – #Postac Guest Post
Shared with permission. Hi there,I recognize that you probably receive many, many messages. I'm sure a lot of them come from trolls. I don't really expect a reply. I mostly just wanted to send this someplace safe. I'm not currently in a … [Read more...] about Academia Wasn’t Meant For Me – #Postac Guest Post
Boston U Dean to Struggling Grad Students: Go To the Food Pantry – Guest Post
This post shared by a reader. ~~~~~~~~~~~ An intercepted email from a dean at Boston University to faculty and staff reveals that the administration is responding to poverty-like conditions among its grad students by sending out links to food … [Read more...] about Boston U Dean to Struggling Grad Students: Go To the Food Pantry – Guest Post
Call it Real-Ac
At the start of every talk that I give on the academic and post-academic job market, I state that in a decades long reality in which only 5-35% of PhDs (depending on field) will get tenure track jobs, the so-called "non-academic" job should NOT be … [Read more...] about Call it Real-Ac
How (Not) to Negotiate a Tenure Track Salary
It's offer season, and negotiations are underway. I have written a lot about negotiating tenure track offers; here are some links: Part VII of my book, on Negotiating OK, Let's Talk About Negotiating Salary Will My Offer Be Rescinded If I … [Read more...] about How (Not) to Negotiate a Tenure Track Salary
Chasing Rainbows – An Adjunct Farewell
An email I received earlier this year. If you are confronting a similar situation, remember that my post-ac team can help, and the initial consult is completely free. At this point, I am giving up. This interview was my last real shot at … [Read more...] about Chasing Rainbows – An Adjunct Farewell
Starving the Beast
"I'm glad it's sunny out today. Because it sure is dark in here." So said a grad student during the Q and A following my talk last week at the University of Oregon. The talk, "Hacking the Academic Job Market," is a talk that I've given at almost 50 … [Read more...] about Starving the Beast
Ph.D. Debt Survey Revisited
Remember my Ph.D. Debt Survey (who could forget it?) -- my crowdsourced google spreadsheet from 2014, of volunteered reader debt information from their undergraduate and graduate studies? (It's still open--feel free to add your own info using the … [Read more...] about Ph.D. Debt Survey Revisited
The “Tenuous Track” (A Guest Post)
by Anonymous, Ph.D. Given that the vast majority of faculty members now teach off the tenure track, landing one of these coveted positions feels like winning the academic lottery. Before accepting my current tenure track position, I was actually … [Read more...] about The “Tenuous Track” (A Guest Post)