How I Lost My Job As A Tenured Professor

🌈 Abstract

The article discusses the author's experience of losing their job as a tenured professor of Classics at a small public university due to budget cuts and declining enrollment. It explores the author's emotions, the reasons behind the decision to cut their department, and their reflections on the state of their field and their own expertise.

🙋 Q&A

[01] The author's experience of losing their job

1. What were the paths to getting sacked for a tenured professor, according to the author?

• Committing a felony
• Losing one's grip on sanity
• Demonstrating persistent incompetence (even then, they are given years to turn things around)
• Having the department they are tenured in eliminated

2. What happened to the author and their colleagues? The author's department, which taught Classics (Greek and Latin literature, language, history, and culture), was one of four academic programs cut by the university's new chancellor due to declining enrollment and budget issues.

3. How did the author feel about the decision to cut their department? The author felt a range of emotions, including anger, sadness, a little fear, a sense of betrayal, and a mix of being stunned and not surprised at all. They also expressed a desire to continue teaching general courses so they wouldn't have to leave the university before planned.

4. Why were the Classics, Philosophy, Drama, and Religious Studies departments cut, according to the chancellor? The chancellor cited the "numbers" - these departments had the fewest majors and the fewest graduates in the past four years.

5. How did the author respond to the chancellor's explanation? The author acknowledged that the decision was not surprising, as their department had been tagged as "underproductive" for decades. They recognized that the numbers mattered more than they had realized, and that some numbers mattered more than others when it came to the decision to cut a department.

[02] The author's reflections on their field and expertise

1. How did the author describe the state of their field, Classics? The author stated that Classics is not "dying" in the same way as other industries, but they share the loss of employment with coal miners, farriers, and repairmen. They noted that there is actually a lot of interest in the Roman Empire and ancient democracies, but no one wants to pay for the kind of individualized, high-quality education the author provides.

2. How did the author describe their own expertise and accomplishments? The author acknowledged that they are very good at Latin and Greek, communicating in the classroom, and being a good colleague, but they have not published many articles or books. They expressed a sense of shame about not being more accomplished and distinguished as an "expert" in their field.

3. How did the author feel about their future prospects after losing their job? The author expressed uncertainty about what they would do next, but they believe they will be able to find a way to earn income for a few more years until they can retire, even if it is not on their own terms. They do not feel lost or that they will lose their identity without an academic position.