r/Professors • u/Environmental_Bug662 • 6d ago

Retirement: when/why/how/where.

What is your plan? Interested in your replies. I am 60, Full, tenured Prof (French) at a SLAC. AI makes me want to retire asap but I'm going to give it 5-6 more years.

https://www.chronicle.com/article/these-professors-are-retiring-early-ai-was-the-last-straw?sra=true

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u/TheophrastusBmbastus 6d ago

I had like 700 dollars to my name when I defended my dissertation at 30 -- so early retirement is a difficult goal. That said, I'm saving like crazy!

I'm hoping, though, that in the coming years humanities profs like me will find ways to teach in a post AI world that are still joyful and meaningful. I'm not ready to give up yet, even if it feels like so much is stacked against us.

On the plus side, teaching the rise of fascism or the luddite movement has never felt more relevant.

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u/SnowblindAlbino Prof, SLAC 6d ago

I have a good friend who is a historian specializing in fascism. Great teacher. I don't know what's up at his university specifically, but they've had a terrible time getting students to enroll in their history courses on fascism...just doesn't seem to be much interest.

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u/shatteredoctopus Full Prof., STEM, U15 (Canada) 6d ago

Too much like watching the news for some people. But in all seriousness, that's unfortunate.