Any tenure track academics here?

amother

Thu, Jan 16 2020, 5:24 pm

I just found out I'm pregnant with #5 in year 5 of my tenure clock. I came in with time but already delayed once for #s 3&4 (twins). My pub count is good although the journal quality could be stronger. My teaching evals are decent but it's a secular college so there are some complaints about online classes for YT and my lack of office hrs on Fridays.

Has anyone every been in this position? Any advice to share? I would also note that I am in a Male dominated field.

While I respect and appreciate all input, I really need advice from other TT ( or preferably tenured moms!)

Ashrei

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 11:15 am

I asked an academic, she is not frum, no kids, but here's her two cents:

[9:26 PM, 1/16/2020] This is interesting but sadly not specific to frum women. Women in academia get screwed for having babies and for not being constantly available to their students, who expect to be held by the hand by female profs in a way they don’t with male
[9:27 PM, 1/16/2020] So whatever the reason for her lack of Friday office hours, I bet a male prof wouldn’t be getting s**t about it

She said she wouldn't discount religious discrimination. But if you bring that in then you get accused of being non-collegial and a trouble maker. (she's tenured and has a good critical understanding of a lot of the problems around this)

let me know if you want to connect to her, we talked on the phone and she seemed to have a lot to say on the matter.

amother

Cerise

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 12:00 pm

amother [ OP ] wrote:

I was TT at a top university in a male-dominated field, in a department where I was the first and only woman. I got grief about missing Yom Tov and not having office hours on Friday.

I left academia, long before I was up for tenure. I work in industry / research lab now. I earn more and get less grief about Yom Tov and early Fridays. On the other hand, I have less flexibility to have time with my children in the summer. Also, much less security.

Most people I know in academia get tenure before they try to have kids. That is not the frum way of life though. I do know people who have had kids and have delayed the tenure clock. Supposedly it does not look like a good move when you are actually up for tenure.

Since leaving academia, I have taught courses at universities. I bend over backwards to make up for the time I am not there on Yom Tov. For each YT day I miss, I give the class twice, at the two times voted most convenient by students. I have the classes recorded so they can be watched by students whenever they want. Also, if a student can't make those times, I offer to personally review the material with them during office hours. Students are grateful for this.

If I had to redo my career, well, first of all, I would have chosen one of the other excellent universities that made me a tenure track offer. And second, I would always have this bending over backward policy to make sure no one was ticked off by my not being available on Yom Tov. And third, I would have office hours Friday morning sometimes, even if it would cost in terms of take out, babysitting, etc. We have to realize that our being frum does cause inconveniences for others, and it is good to show that we try to make up for it.

Good luck.