Dear Zachary,
The reason why you haven’t heard as much specifically about the full-time and tenure-track lecturers lately, is solely due to the fact that both bodies currently enjoy union membership in the Federation of Teachers(EMUFT) and American Association of University Professors(AAUP). The current campaign organized by The EMU Adjunct Lecturers Organizing Committee (ALOC) is geared toward pressuring the EMU administration to recognize ALL lecturers into the existing FT chapter at EMU. Union affiliation aside, achieving tenure at a university is in itself an assurance of job security to continue research outside of teaching, as well as a recognition of academic accomplishment.

I hope that clears things up a bit!
Meg Miramontes
Junior
Anthro/PoliSci

I think Mr. Zeid is referring to teaching standards. There is anecdotal evidence that the tenure process does not really correlate to teaching. For example, professors never take any classes in how to teach. The tenure process involves research, service to community (at least at EMU), and other competing interests. Teaching quality only seems to be a priority if it’s a personal priority of the individual professor. Additionally, how many faculty jump through all the appropriate hoops during the tenure process, but upon achieving tenure and/or full professor rank, decide they can get away with doing the minimum for the rest of their career? I’ve had multiple bad teachers in my short time at EMU and filled out my evaluations accordingly. I was shocked to find out that it is not required across the board for comments to be reviewed by department heads. Sure there are people that just retaliate for bad grades but I think it’s obvious to reviewers, and most of us put thought into our evals. What’s the point of student evaluations if no one cares? I think it says something about our priorities as an institution.And quality – at UM, there are midterm evals and final evals and they are taken extremely seriously.

I am glad I read this I am considering going to EMU and one of the most important things to me is good professors this has made me think maybe EMU is not such a good idea after all.

E, I don’t think you need to worry about attending any college. With your writing skills, getting admitted is doubtful.