Why don't you adjust those numbers for working only 3/4s of the year. There are numerous teachers' unions...do your homework. In my estimation the unions are the EXACT cause of our nation's education problems. Education is subject to the laws of economics and right now we are just churning out business majors to run restaurants and 7-Elevens. Tenure is a joke and so are their cushy pension benefits.
Acquiring a Ph.D. is expensive, time consuming and tedious. However, just because one has it does not automatically ensure getting a tenured position at local university. There are many individuals running around with Ph.D.s without a full position looking and looking and looking. As a matter of fact many (50% or more) work at a local universities on part time basis making peanuts and doing all the boring jobs, that is teaching core classes (those who every student must pass in order to receive their BA). "Real" full time professors teach mostly advanced classes where the students are mature and workload is very heavy but student oriented. In classes like this there is plenty of discussions and a lot of intellectual ping pong taking place. However, only those professors who are well educated are able to successfully pull it off and have both fun and teach something valuable at the same time. Unfortunately, there are many professors who should not be allowed to clean toilets much less teach at our universities.
most professors are in the classroom for 12 hours a week. once tenure is achieved they do whatever research pleases them and nobody tells them what research to do. it is not a demanding job at all. also any professor who is worth his salt can land lucrative consulting contracts from private industry. of course every year there is a new crop of googly eye female students. since it is college they don't have to be concerned with statutory rape laws.
In general university education is a waste of time. A degree is nothing more than a fast track ticket into the rat race. Its a hindrance to running or starting your own business. You spend 3 or 4 years getting a degree and then another 5 years before you get a decent salary in your career. Youve invested 10 years of your life, probably got a mortgage, theres no way out..
Well,first of all teachers and professors are entirely two different animals. As for working 3/4 of the year ----- most educators (both professors and teachers work 10 months out of a year. However, they only get paid for 10 months. basically, every month their checks are reduced by 2/12 and that money is later paid to them during the summer. Yes there are many teachers' unions, trust me , I KNOW. However,they are very weak and will not back you if you get confrontational with the administration. Again, trust me I KNOW. Funny you blame unions for our education. The same setup is widely used in Europe (having unions and tenure laws) and the education level cannot even be compared. We are so far behind it is embarrassing. Do not believe me, go and strike a conversation with any European college graduate on a topic that requires knowledge and thinking skills and you will see how quickly you will be left in the dust. As for the pensions: again compare them to western Europe and you will see how little we provide for the majority of people. I know some people have no idea why the unions were established and how much they have helped create the middle class in this country. What is so embarrassing is that many actually think that the US was a workers' paradise before that. I guess, I am one of the few people who think that working 12 h/day, 6 days a week without a pension, health care, or job security is not exactly the American Dream. I often wonder how Western Europe with all those unions and social benefits is doing so well,and all those 3rd world countries with $1 a day wages, no unions and zero social benefits are still knee deep in misery, despair and poverty. Oh yea,must be the unions an the pensions right?????
Yale's Robert Shiller is a fine example of a college professor that had success outside of the classroom as well. This is one of the firms he helped co-found http://macromarkets.com/index.shtml
thees threads are no different than real life. people play with the numbers. professors get paid $90,000+ per year and are in the classroom for barely 9 months a year and maybe 12 hours/week. that is the reality. to compare those conditions to someone who works on an assembly line and has no where near that job security. I am not referring to gm or ford but to the japanese factories in the US. being a tenured professor is a cushy job with plenty of free time and few deadlines.
thees threads are no different than real life. people play with the numbers. professors get paid $90,000+ per year and are in the classroom for barely 9 months a year and maybe 12 hours/week. that is the reality. to compare those conditions to someone who works on an assembly line and has nowhere near the job security is to compare apples to oranges. I am not referring to gm or ford but to the japanese factories in the US. being a tenured professor is a cushy job with plenty of free time and few deadlines.
I used to always feel compelled to buy North American to support our industry at home. After seeing these numbers I don't quite feel the same anymore.