Every time I share my permanence analogy on the Survivor(TM) TV show, college colleagues start laughing, nodding, and shoving each other like school children. Why do they react this way? Because the comparison hits the nail on the head and exposes the extreme pressure, high costs, and yes, some silly but necessary strategies to successfully navigate the ownership process.
opening scene
- The camera zooms into a dark, rather mysterious room with wisps of smoke dancing in the air.
- The theme song of chants from the television show Survivor(TM) plays in the background with the drum punctuating the darkness with impending fear, even dread.
- Our eyes are drawn to the glowing torches placed around the campfire and the empty benches…
- The music ramps up as the tenured faculty (in all their academic garb, of course) enter. They keep their eyes down and walk in solemn procession. Precisely, they occupy their privileged places in the “tenure tribal council”.
The scene provides a vivid and quite comical image, doesn’t it? Without a doubt, if you are in the position of higher education tenure, you are laughing and adding more details to the scene. So please join me in considering the lessons we can learn about the ownership process by considering its parallels to this popular reality show.
- You will be voted on by the tribal council, but in your case it is the tenure and promotion committee.
- You can be expelled from the academic island if you don’t “play well with others”.
- Determine the customs, rules and expectations of the tribe or else you will make fatal mistakes in public and elections.
- Modestly exceed the expectations of the tribe or else you will disturb the dead wood.
- Have a strategic plan to handle the demands of the tribe, or else you will be affected.
- Make yourself invaluable to the tribe or you’ll be the first out.
- Build strategic alliances to protect yourself from the attacks to come.
- Beware of enemy alliances. It is not a question of if they will attack, but of when.
- Do not blindly trust anyone, there are too many hidden agendas to learn in this life.
- Document your achievements to the tribe using the approved code (oral tradition, tenure chart, letter) or else you will not be valued and will be be disqualified at the council meeting.
keep in mind, this article does not intend to question or devalue tenure and promotion. The author highly values these processes and what they represent when followed with the best intentions of the academy.
However, this short parable provides ideas to help us laugh at the pressure and tension we all experience in this process. It can also help us consider real and ironic strategies that can help people evaluate their actions in this difficult experience that affects the entire organization.
I want to say clearly that I greatly appreciate the hard work of all the tenure and promotion committees, deans, division presidents, mentors, and professors who give of their time to make the process run smoothly.
Above all, I wish all candidates seeking tenure and promotion great success!
I sincerely hope that we can all enjoy a good round of laughter while seeing ourselves from a different perspective. Who knew we were probably stars of this show?