Today's promised post is another Special Request post, at the behest of a number of readers, about knowing when to “throw in the towel,” or, in the words of one requester, “knowing when to fold 'em,” on an academic career. I am totally unqualified … [Read more...] about Thoughts On Throwing In the Towel
Strategizing Your Success in Academia
Negotiating Your Tenure-Track Offer(s)
(Wednesday Post Category: Getting Your Tenure-Track Job) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [Today's post is an excerpt from "Taming The Academic Job Market: The Professor's Guide." The Guide is on sale in The Prof … [Read more...] about Negotiating Your Tenure-Track Offer(s)
Challenges for Graduate Students of Color in the Academy
You're probably looking at the title, and then at my photo, and thinking, “Isn't she white?” Yes. Yes, I am white. I was never a graduate student of color in the academy. So, my insights are limited, and I don't present myself as an expert on this … [Read more...] about Challenges for Graduate Students of Color in the Academy
How To Fire a Professor
Today's post is a Special Request post. This one is for Jenn, who asks, “how do you replace one professor with another on your committee?” This is a delicate matter, as I'm sure Jenn is aware. There are all kinds of reasons that committee members … [Read more...] about How To Fire a Professor
Humanities Graduate School: Go? Don’t Go? What’s a Would-Be Ph.D. To Do?
William Pannapacker has published, over the last several years, a number of widely influential pieces in the Chronicle of Higher Education and, this past week, in Slate, criticizing the ethics and economics of graduate programs in the humanities. His … [Read more...] about Humanities Graduate School: Go? Don’t Go? What’s a Would-Be Ph.D. To Do?
How to Tell Your Department About a Family Crisis–A Special Request Post
Today's post is requested by Shane. Shane wishes to know about the etiquette for academic workers in vulnerable positions--particularly adjuncts--to inform their departments about family crises that might impact their work. For example, if a parent … [Read more...] about How to Tell Your Department About a Family Crisis–A Special Request Post
What Not to Wear, Assistant Professor Edition: Fashion for the Academic Set
(Thursday Post Category--Here's How You Get Tenure) Egged on by the redoubtable Martina of TheLifeAcademic, I have agreed to do a series of posts on What Not To Wear (Campus Edition). She is on a mission to de-depress academic fashion, and this is … [Read more...] about What Not to Wear, Assistant Professor Edition: Fashion for the Academic Set
Using Rage to Stay Motivated, Part Two
(Tuesday Post Category--Strategizing Your Success in Academia) Last Tuesday I wrote Part 1 of "Using Rage to Stay Motivated," a Special Request post for Allen. He asked how to stay motivated while writing his thesis. Staying motivated through the … [Read more...] about Using Rage to Stay Motivated, Part Two
How to Write an Email to a Potential Ph.D. Advisor/Professor
Please note that I no longer respond to comments/questions to this post! Grad School Application Guidance Package and other help listed below the post. One of the most common points of confusion among undergraduates and new graduate … [Read more...] about How to Write an Email to a Potential Ph.D. Advisor/Professor
Using Rage to Stay Motivated, Part 1–A Special Request Post
This is a post originally published in July 2011. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ [This post, parts one and two, is for Allen. Allen asks for advice on staying motivated as he completes his thesis. I have been thinking about … [Read more...] about Using Rage to Stay Motivated, Part 1–A Special Request Post