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University Daily Kansan
From Page One
Wednesday, Nov. 20, 1985
Publish
Continued from p. 1
The same survey said that 72 percent of faculty at two-year colleges had never written or edited a book and 69.3 percent preferred formal teaching to research. At four-year schools, 54.8 percent of faculty had never written or edited a book and 31 percent preferred formal teaching to research.
"It's so easy to publish, it's ridiculous," he said. "You can find articles that read almost like the diary of someone's notebook. It's comical and tragic at the same time."
Three areas - teaching research and creativity, and service - determine promotion and tenure. Research and creativity includes publication, scientific investigation, artistic performance and creative writing.
Robert Hanzlik, professor of pharmacy and medicinal chemistry, said that to benefit the state and humanity, professors had to do research.
"We're not here to recite textbooks to students," he said.
"We're here to show how new knowledge can be applied.
Hanzlik said that the danger of trivializing publication exists.
Brower Burchill, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and professor of physiology and cell biology, said research had to be published.
"Publications are a measure of activity and success. Having a string of publications is important, concrete evidence of productivity."
"If you don't publish, it doesn't do anybody any good," he said. "You aren't going to advance the
state of knowledge without publishing.
"If you publish in good journals, the journals won't let sloppy or trivial work be published."
James Hartman, professor of English and linguistics, said he thought the University now placed more emphasis on research and publication than when he came in 1970. But the result hasn't been an increase in insignificant data published in journals.
"There are institutions where teaching gets no support," he said.
"The University of Kansas is not like that. Survival here isn't solely dependent on research."
Marylee Brochmann, associate professor of social welfare, said the notion of "publish or perish" had damaged the quality of research.
"I'm all for research and new knowledge," she said. "I don't see all that many good pieces of research as I read the journals."
Long-term research is minimized when publication is emphasized. Brochmann said.
Charles Berg, associate professor of theatre and media arts, said research, like most things in life, had a good side and a bad side.
"More emphasis is put on publishing because it's a more tangible area to quantify," he said.
"We are a society that likes to quantify. More seems to be better, more often than not."
The intense pressure to publish, especially when a professor is on the tenure track, can lead to the publication of insignificant research, Berg said.
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Tenure
the american Association for University Professors, said he thought the University's standards were more concrete now than 10 years ago.
Continued from p.1
"The department of history has tightened its restrictions in the areas of publication, teaching and service," he said. "The standards are spelled out in the departmental bylaws. I think it's a positive move. It's fair to everyone if you know the rules."
Clifford Ketzel, professor of political science, said he thought research was more important for receiving tenure today than 20 years ago.
"The University has made an effort to reward teaching, but it is not rewarded in the same way research is."
"I could not be hired at the University today," Ketzel said. "New graduate students have more research than I have at the present time.
The increased emphasis on research has been accompanied by a declining emphasis on service, Ketzel said.
"I do almost no research. The rules have changed, and I haven't moved into research. Not all researchers are good teachers."
Most professors interviewed said they thought research enhanced teaching.
However, they also said it was not easy to excel in both areas as well as
'I could not be hired at the University today. New graduate students have more research than I have at the present time
- Clifford Ketzel,
serve the University, community or in national organizations. They said they often must decide where to spend their time and energy.
professor of political science
Marylee Brochmann, associate professor of social welfare, said she thought an increased emphasis on research left professors with less time for students.
But to remain competitive with other schools and departments in publishing, she said, the school of social welfare demands more publication from professors.
Teaching is the primary function of the School of Social Welfare, which places more weight on service than other schools. Brochmann said.
"People are currently being judged by standards that their peers have never had to meet themselves," Brochmann said.
Brower Burchill, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, said KU's standards for tenure always had been high.
"I'm not sure the standards today are that much higher," he said. "I
think people think they are. We're just maintaining the high standards.
"In the past, people were more confident that their records were good enough. Now people are more worried about it."
Burchill, who is also a professor of physiology and cell biology, said his department placed equal weight on research and teaching for assistant professors seeking tenure.
Service is not as important, he said, but is necessary at a democratic university.
Wakefield Dort, professor of geology, said documentation for promotion and tenure had become increasingly important because of the chance of lawsuits from faculty denied tenure.
Faculty at the University need to be good researchers, Burchill said.
"The people who are tops in the research field are the best teachers." he said. "They're excited about their field and do research. It carries over into the lectures.
"Nobody is willing to make deci
slons without something to back it up." he said.
Dort said that although more of his time went into research, he would never give up teaching.
Working in both areas is possible but excelling in both is impossible, he said.
Frances Horowitz, vice chancellor for research, service and graduate studies, said receiving tenure on fine teaching alone was hard, although not impossible.
"A university has multiple missions," she said. "One is to teach, one is to discover knowledge, and another is to give service."
Dean Stetler, assistant professor of biological science, said all three areas were geared toward students.
"If I wanted to do just research," he said. "I wouldn't be here.
"Research is what I teach. I give very current facts because I've just done work in my lab."
Marna Goldstein, associate professor of design, said research in her department included exhibition of art and performance.
"I think the University committees have a hard time evaluating it," she said.
"Some schools almost go out of their way to deny tenure," Goldstein said. "If you have the credentials, KU won't deny you tenure."
Tomorrow: Most professors and administrators oppose abolishing tenure.
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