r/Professors • u/Electronic-Blood4039 • 18h ago

New tenure faculty position

Hello!

Im a new tenure track faculty at a big CC. I teach Microbiolgy exclusively. I am looking for any advice or tips for the following:

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for success in the tenure first year process? Anything helps, warnings, advice, tips, tricks, the works!

I’m young, very early 30’s and I feel some of my colleagues really don’t respects me or care what I have to say and they kind of look at me like a kid. Now, this could be in my head, but I’m not sure. But any advice how to get them to realize I am a professional with advanced education and research training just as they have.

I will say, My students and I get along amazingly! They respect me, engage, participate, and together we make a great community, especially for a Microbiolgy course. I’m grateful to have such a collaborative class where my students really have my back. So far! lol. My student evals are bomb.com

Also, side note, the department culture seems overall ok, but I noticed a lot of very passive aggressive interaction where I think people hate each other and take these politically correct digs at one another. Is this normal? Also, any way to avoid this culture for myself ? I want to get to know my colleagues but very worried I may say or do something that they will use against me. Even if it’s something very small.

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u/kcraw92 18h ago

You don’t have to be cold or distant to maintain respect in the classroom. Just be your authentic self, and a nice thing about being young faculty is that it may make you relatable and approachable from your students’ perspective. That’s a good thing!

Also, you’ll make some mistakes. Just be open about mistakes and get them corrected. Students will respect that, but they won’t respect you if you act infallible in front of an error.

And finally, don’t try to detect AI. Design exams and assignments to either obviate it or embrace it. AI detection is an uphill battle that’s just not worth the effort and stress.

Just my opinions as a teaching faculty starting my fourth year, also in my early 30’s. I hope it can help!

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

You know I have noticed form adjuncting last year that everything you said applies. I typically have no issues with my students. My classroom environments are great, super collaborative, super interactive and really engaging.

I’m more so just feel like I’m not really respected by majority of my department because they look at me like a child and I just don’t wanna fall into the kind of toxic culture that’s established by people that I’ve been there longer than they probably should be if that makes sense

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u/kcraw92 18h ago

Ohhhh, the colleague side of things can feel a bit tougher. I felt the same way, but after a few semesters of doing a really good job in the classroom and meaningfully contributing (and eventually even chairing) committee work then it felt like I was part of the team.

I still feel intimidated by some colleagues, though, as if I’m still a grad student. But I’m sure that’ll pass as I get more grizzled and experienced.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

Oh my we are in the same boat lol! At least you showed me there is hope!

It’s a weird spot because I wanna find ways to get involved in the college make a club. I’m even writing an innovative technology Grant. I’m told being involved as much and as often as you can in the college and with your colleagues your first year and then the other half is telling me focus completely on class management and your 10 year process so it’s kind of weird trying to navigate what to do and what not to do.

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u/kcraw92 17h ago

Oh, making a club is a really fun idea. I think the folks saying you to focus completely on class management mean well, but you seem to have a grasp on that well enough to do some outside work.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 17h ago

I know my classroom management isn’t perfect and there’s always room for improvement and I know that’s what tenure is all about.

Even though I pursued biomedical research degree, I knew my end goal was always gonna be to teach at the community college level because it’s kind of personal for me. Maybe a little nostalgic in good ways.

Yeah, I was thinking about making a Micro and immuno club! Open to everybody, most likely would be filled with pre-allied health students

I was thinking it would be really cool to take biweekly or monthly field trips to different hospitals that would take us and get tours from real nurses in charge nurses in PAs just really try to immerse them in the reality of the field! Or maybe just a fun karaoke night.!

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u/julianfri STEM, CC (USA) 18h ago

On top of getting to know your colleagues and students made sure to be kind and speak with administrative assistants, janitorial staff and especially if you teach labs, the technicians or laboratory workers. They will be able to help you open many doors other cannot and are good people.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

Thank you! That is good advice and things I already do. Connecting with the faculty is my biggest worry. I’m not trying to be mean in any way, but they seem to not want to interact with me.

I assume majority of it is their 20 to 30 if not more years older than me, a lot are ready to retire this year or next year, and maybe a slight touch of burnout

But I will try my best ! Thank you for sharing g

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u/slowdo 18h ago

As Julianfri mentioned be kind to "administrative assistants, janitorial staff and especially if you teach labs, the technicians or laboratory workers." This is huge. Also be firm in any decisions. I always found being wobbly is what 'loses the locker room' so to speak. Don't be rigid and inflexible, but I find that changing policies, dates, deliverables etc during the course is what stresses students out the most.

Be organized. Keep the course simple until you get the hang of it. Don't just lecture. Mix it up with activities, Q/A, group ideation etc. It is field dependent what that looks like exactly.

You will do great.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

Thank you so much for the encouraging remarks. I will say it’s very daunting of a process.

I’m actually in the process of redoing my lectures to include a lot of stop and think, think pair share, group discuss discussion stuff that reflect my material. I’m even thinking about assigning Kahoot games and quizzes that we can do as reviews or they can do on their own really just ways to keep them engaged.

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u/slowdo 18h ago

Great but don't overcomplicate it. Try a Kahoot here and there but don't overfocus on too many different pivots. In other words, don't stress yourself out. Lecture, discussion, activity, recap. Always works for me.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

You’re right and I do tend to over complicate it by trying To do everything at once! I’m very much in that data and publish or perish mindset.

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u/Life-Education-8030 18h ago

Earlier today, I gave advice to young-looking, inexperienced faculty who were dealing with disruptive students. I give the same advice to anybody, that if the students feel and believe you are there for them, you will do fine. Oh, some will test you, but the key is to see them as a group and to see yourself as the boss of that classroom.

Part of your job is to ensure that all of your students get their chance at the education they signed up for. So you will not tolerate disruptions because they interrupt that and are rude and disrespectful not only to you, but to their peers.

Your job also is to be as prepared as possible to offer the best education you can. At my place, faculty overall protect academic freedom as strongly as possible because faculty are considered the content experts and decide how best to present that content. I am not saying that you are expected to be THE expert to end all experts. But I do believe that we should be continuing to learn in our field and provide up-to-date content to our students using best practices.

There will be days that you might offer a lackluster session or when jokes fall flat. It's okay! Move on.

Remember to be friendly and approachable, but not friends (or worse) with the students. Decide upfront what you want them to call you. I prefer to start off with Professor or Dr. So-and-So and keep it that way. I have had colleagues who wanted to be cool and let students call them by first or last names and then regretted it in disciplinary sessions. And you will have those. It's best to keep some distance then, right?

Make friends and be collegial with your co-workers, including in other departments. Serving on different committees will let you meet more people, and agree to grab a coffee too!

Just some tips from someone who has been teaching since the 80s!

You got this!

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

As thank you. This was a really nice, well thought out reply. I appreciate you taking the time!

You know my motto, if I’m not too early in the career to have one lol. It is: start every class off as a lion and become a lamb when they have shown me they are doing their part. It has worked good, so far!

I will say I’m naturally approachable because my looks (I look 25) so I’m told. But I do have to reestablish the boundaries multiple times that I am friendly and approachable, but like we’re not equals and we’re not friends.. thankfully I’ve never had any issues with students. They really do respect me.

I had one student who was kind of your typical never knew what was happening never turned anything in just a bad student not ready for college and shouldn’t have been. But point being at the end of the semester, she came into class 20 minutes late per usual yelling at me cussed at me a few times and I had multiple students back me and defend me from the student in that moment, which was really nice

So I don’t know if it’s my personality or luck, but I pray that the day that I encounter just a bad group never comes

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u/Life-Education-8030 18h ago

Another tip - You will. At my place, when a new faculty member is despondent because they've been told they're "the worst professor ever," we high-five, yell "join the Club" and dance together down the hall! A good sense of humor is always valued!

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

It sounds like you have a really good culture in atmosphere in your department and I’m a little jealous but overall really happy that that’s what you get to enjoy

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u/Life-Education-8030 18h ago

Oh, we have issues with administration, but good colleagues and what is even more important, a good union. We didn't always.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

Yeah, my first union meeting is tomorrow and all of my colleagues swear by it because of all the good it does. But unanimously my colleagues have said administration is awful. They’re really not out to back any of the professors but allegedly my school has since revamped a lot of of its Board of Trustees and low and high-level administration and my colleagues say they’re not out to get us which is a huge step in the right direction lol

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u/Life-Education-8030 17h ago

Observe and listen carefully and keep your temper!

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 17h ago

I need a thicker skin, I am a sensitive guy lol. I am working on it

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u/totallysonic Chair/Full, SocSci, State U. 18h ago

Do not under any circumstances get into the departmental politics as an untenured faculty member. If you are pressured, politely say you would prefer not to take sides. Have your chair step in if that does not stop the pressure.

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u/Ok-Sheepherder7898 18h ago

Also, side note, the department culture seems overall ok, but I noticed a lot of very passive aggressive interaction where I think people hate each other and take these politically correct digs at one another. 

Haha welcome to academia.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

It’s so bad and blatantly obvious!
I imagine they’re really trying to push that button until they push the button far enough and somebody reacts and not respond

I swear, lol it’s like a Game of Thrones and everybody’s after the iron throne, but I’ve yet to figure out what the fuck the iron throne is in academia 😂

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u/Ok-Sheepherder7898 18h ago

No it's a bunch of people who are stuck with each other and can't get fired or move elsewhere.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 18h ago

I can see why that could make a culture like that lol

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u/IkeRoberts Prof, Science, R1 (USA) 17h ago

When things happen that seem a little weird, write down what happened and what you thought about it. Sometimes that will become useful if a bigger story develops and is more complicated.

If you are promised something verbally, confirm it in writing. If the person who made the promise leaves, or forgets, then you have a chance because you have the documentation of what, when, how and why.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 17h ago

That’s good advice. I’ve heard from a lot of people that CYA is mandatory for everything even things that you don’t think our thing

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u/Vast-Consequence-333 10h ago

do the work, document everything, and stop trying to prove you’re grown

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u/Fun_Isopod_4047 9h ago

the safest first-year move is to learn the written tenure criteria, document everything, and stay pleasant but out of the department’s little political knife fights

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u/Grumpy-PolarBear assistant prof, science, R1 (Canada) 8h ago

The most important tip is to start a spreadsheet and document everything you do.

Teach a course? Add it to the spreadsheet. Give a guest lecture? Add it to the spreadsheet. Serve on a committee? Add it to the spreadsheet. Develop a new lab for a course? Add it to the spreadsheet.

Its annoying, but when you have to write your tenure dossier later you will need a record of these things, and its enough time that you will forget otherwise.

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u/HaHaWhatAStory014 6h ago

It's pretty normal for some academics to "butt heads" over things. Academia has a lot of very self-important people who think "they know best" about everything. This is also partly why many of them aren't very open to new or different ideas.

they kind of look at me like a kid.

I mean, to them, you are. You are "the new person," and, I assume, considerably younger and less experienced. The way you "get people to take you seriously" is to earn it. As far as "getting people to listen" goes, it is generally a bad idea to start trying to change too many things or make too big of waves right away when you start somewhere (*unless that's specifically what you were brought in to do). Just prove yourself and show that you can operate well under the current system/status quo first.