25 Years of T-Tracking

Last week, on July 1st, a bunch of folks announced their first days as tenured folks, as Associate Professors.  I didn't realize that date was an anniversary for me until today--that July 1st, 1995 was the first day as a tenure-track assistant professor.  Before that, I had two tenuous years as a Visiting Assistant Professor.  I was asked this past week if I had ever considered the non-academic road, and I answered: 1994-1995 was my last year on the job market (well, as someone with no permanent job).

What did the switch from visiting to tenure-track prof mean?  Not quite job security since the tenure decision was still ahead of me.  But it did mean:

• Going to department meetings.  I felt excluded at UVM as temps didn't go to meetings.  Damn, what was I thinking.  
• Trying (and failing) to be quiet at these meetings.  I had a pact with another junior faculty member to kick each other if we spoke up.  We didn't want to piss off people, and we wanted shorter meetings.  We didn't keep our promises, especially when the senior faculty wanted to give a special exception to the worst dude in the junior faculty.
• More supervision.  I didn't immediately get a heap of Phd students or MA students to supervise, but it started. 
• Some service work.  I ultimately created the department webpage with very limited skills.
• Pressure to write grants.  This became a major priority for TTU, whereas the previous place didn't care what I did, especially during my second year (having not gotten the tenure track position in the first year).
• No longer obsessing about the job market.  Oh wait, I didn't really stop.  I don't think I applied for any positions in my first year at Tech, but in my second?  Probably and definitely the third year.
• Being part of something.  At the visiting job, I was just teaching and doing my own thing.  I had no connection to the larger department although I had friends among the faculty.  At Tech, I was part of a group--the junior faculty--who had similar ideas about stuff AND we had much other stuff in common.  Like, kids the same age, so we hung out with each other.  I tended to see ourselves as the crew in Hogan's Heroes--stuck in an unpleasant place but having fun subverting the older folks and hanging out.  
• A better teaching load--2-2.  Two courses a semester rather than 3-3 like I had in Vermont.   With it came a requirement to teach American and Texas Public Policy, which was stuff I never studied before (or since).  Once I figured it out, it was actually pretty easy--big class, a culture of multiple choice exams, and I learned stuff.  I also applied stuff from other areas to these topics so that was fun, too. 

It is hard to believe it all started twenty-five years ago, which, if one includes gestation, was one pre-existing condition named Jessica ago.  I would have left the profession had I not gotten this job, and I love doing what I do.  I really should have celebrated more last week on Canada Day, which is also tenure/promotion day in North America.  I know I have been quite lucky.  I have had great colleagues and great students ever since despite much whining by me along the way.  So, congrats to all the folks who reached their goals, have increased job security, and far fewer f's to give.  Rock on!