A Modest Question: What Does It Mean to Be a Professor?

Robert L. Lichter
Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Inc., 555 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022-3301
J. Chem. Educ., 1999, 76 (12), p 1610
DOI: 10.1021/ed076p1610
Publication Date (Web): December 1, 1999

Abstract

Recently, I had the opportunity to review inquiries submitted to the Special Grant program for the year 2000. The largest category of request is for small, curriculum-related projects. Not unexpectedly, I found that equipment is the most highly requested item (72 percent). To my surprise, however, the next most highly requested item (40 percent) is salary support for faculty members.

It is not unusual that support for equipment may be required for change that "would otherwise not take place". But I remain puzzled by the idea that professors need to be paid from external funds to develop a single course or to modify or create a piece of a curriculum. Have circumstances altered so radically since my own faculty days that faculty members do not see development of courses or curricular units as an integral part of their responsibility? Where does this change in perspective come from?

Keywords (Audience):

First-Year Undergraduate / General

Keywords (Domain):

Curriculum

Keywords (Feature):

Commentary

Keywords (Subject):

Learning Theories

Tools

SciFinder Links

SciFinder subscribers:  Click to sign in | Not a SciFinder subscriber? Learn more at www.cas.org

Explore by:


History

  • Received: August 03, 2009

Recommend & Share

  • Share on ACS NetworkACS Network
  • Add to FacebookFacebook
  • Tweet ThisTweet This
  • Add to CiteULikeCiteULike
  • Add to NewsvineNewsvine
  • Digg ThisDigg This
  • Add to DeliciousDelicious

Related Content