Seasick, Yet Still Docked

A while back I was bemoaning the status of Freshman Orientation at 901 South National. I was particularly appalled with the lack of worthy faculty members interested in teaching IDS 110 as it still exists. For all of the sound and fury and memos and committee meetings, nothing important seems to have changed. The newly launched program is seasick, yet still docked. A look at the IDS schedule for Fall 2008 explains why.

Most of the sections with a listed instructor are taught either by staff or by Instructors. I don't mean this to disparage the staff or the Instructors. In fact, their willingness to take on one or more sections of IDS 110 demonstrates an admirable commitment to the University's stated goal of "producing educated persons." I know from personal experience that some University staff have quite a bit to offer in such a setting. The same is true for those Instructors whose names I see listed. Their contributions are just one reason why I support the institution of a "Senior Instructor" rank. I would also like to commend those full-time administrators, including the Provost herself, who have signed up. They're obviously not doing it for the money.

I am not at all enthused by the prospect of graduate students and per-course faculty teaching IDS 110, but apparently such will be the case. Not good. And even then, roughly one third of next fall's 150-od sections of IDS 110 remain uncovered. That's nothing short of appalling. More members of the tenured faculty need to be involved, for the students' sake and for their own sake. Much as they have to learn about our peculiar academic community, we have a great deal to learn about their lives and plans and ways of thinking. "Been there, done that" just doesn't cut it. Some of the faculty - too many of the faculty, still - are asshats. Some already have their dance cards pretty well punched. Why aren't more worthy members of the tenured faculty willing to get involved?

One problem is the bad will engendered by the Church Lady's turn at the helm, which may well take even more years to wear away. Another problem is that the current director of IDS 110, while apparently a pleasant and earnest young man, is not himself an academic. His ability to cajole and/or browbeat faculty into teaching the course is therefore compromised. The job calls for an faculty evangelist, not a manager. And finally, there is the matter of inadequate compensation. The staff and the Instructors are usually so sadly underpaid that they will literally work for food. In the case of the worthy tenured faculty, it's usually wiser to focus on enhancing one's merit pay (which rolls over from year to year) than it is to go all out for a mere 600 bucks after taxes.

Supposedly, we should be doing this because we are passionate teachers, devoted to our crucial role at 901 South National. But let me offer an example. Michael T. Nietzel obviously aspired to become a college president. Now that he is a college president, he is doing a good job at it. It's also pretty clear that he enjoys being a college president. The MSU Board of Governors doesn't presume on this last fact. It wants him to enjoy being the president at 901 South National, not somewhere else. Accordingly, the Board pays him a salary consonant with the importance and the quality of his work. Likewise, the Central Administration should not presume that faculty ought to teach IDS 110 because they enjoy being teachers. If IDS 110 is a priority, the administration will have to pay accordingly.