The Contingent Professor | Tenure? They still do that? | News, Commentary, and Interviews for PhDs Trying the Professor Life

The Contingent Professor | Tenure? They still do that? | News, Commentary, and Interviews for PhDs Trying the Professor Life

Author: DM Martinez Language: English Episodes: 43
Hosted by DM Martinez, The Contingent Professor | Tenure? They still do that? exists in the space where higher education meets the shifting ground of modern career paths. This isn't just academic gossip; it's a direct line to the experiences of PhDs who are actively building their professional lives within and beyond traditional university walls. Each episode blends news, candid commentary, and interviews to shed light on what it really means to be a professor today. The conversation often circles around the evolving-some might say eroding-structures of tenure and the reality that many brilliant academics navigate a landscape of contingent appointments. Whether you're an adjunct seeking stability, a tenure-track professor facing a puzzling promotion process, or a mid-career scholar reconsidering your options, this podcast offers a sense of community and practical insight. You'll hear from colleagues dealing with the same pressures in research, teaching, and service, all while trying to thrive in an environment that's constantly being "re-evaluated." Tune in for honest discussions that acknowledge the bizarre realities of 21st-century academia, providing both solidarity and strategies for those committed to the professor life, in all its forms.
Episodes
TCP 206: Attendance Issues and Student Engagement [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:12:54
Daniel and Rob sit down to talk about the noticeable decline in attendance as the semester wanes and discuss strategies on how to combat that effect, looking at k-12 and higher ed examples. But first, they highlight some…
TCP 205: What do deans do? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:48
Daniel and Rob cut a mini-episode where they talk briefly about what academic deans actually do. It's brief because even after reading about it, they still don't know. (Standard disclaimers apply.)
TCP 204: Mentors/Going Rogue [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:37
Daniel and Rob sit down during spring break to talk a bit about mentors and their importance, as well as the growing trend to go academic rogue and what that means (inspired by the blog postings of a rogue linguist, Alis…
TCP 203: Know Thyself [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:28:51
Daniel and Rob carve out a little more time to continue their talk about the annual review process, with some additional discussion spent on goal setting and the departmental review process. But first things first, Danie…
TCP 202: Catching Up/Teaching Tips [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:38:16
Daniel and Rob catch up during a small break in another hectic academic semester to rant a little about the ups and downs of the annual process, before talking about tips Rob collected at a workshop for teaching and enga…
TCP 201: A Different Kind Of Contingent Story [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:16:42
Daniel and Rob talk with Michael Boudewyns, a professional actor/storyteller and lecturer in the theatre department. An engaging and unscripted take on Academia from the perspective of a creative. (Standard warnings/disc…
TCP 109: Onboarding Adjuncts? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05:33
Daniel and Rob fit one last ep into 2016 and discuss the really bizarre world of normalizing adjunct status at the institutional level by processes and methods known as onboarding. Daniel and Rob go back and forth trying…
TCP 108: Professor Millennial [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:53
Daniel and Rob wind down the fall semester with a revisit to the Millennial topic. This time they talk about anti-Millennial productivity hacks and discuss the entry of Millennials into the Higher Ed ranks. Longer episod…
TCP-107: Short Week Sillies [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:25
Short Week Sillies. Daniel and Rob catch up before the Thanksgiving break and psychoanalyze a random web post that Daniel had printed out, stuck on his door, but never actually read. (Standard disclaimers apply.)
TCP 106: Internships, Schminternships [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:02:35
Episode 106: Internships, Schminternships. Daniel and Rob talk about the (old) new buzz in undergrad education: internships. What are they really? How have they changed? How do Millennials view them? Are Adjuncts interns…