If you’re considering a private college (and since you’re reading this we’ll assume you are), you’re probably pretty concerned about tuition costs and affordability…especially these days. But who really benefits from your tuition check? Is it you?
An opinion article in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution claims that a significant portion of those checks actually goes directly to professor research and publication, not your education. More specifically, the article (by John Zmirak, editor-in-chief of “Choosing the Right College”) cites a study done by Emory University professor, Mark Bauerlain, for the American Enterprise Institute that “explores the open, ugly secret that most professors are paid based not on the quality (or even quantity) of their teaching, but rather on the volume of scholarly articles and books they can produce.”
You read correctly. In a system that sets research above teaching students, professors may neglect basic, crucial undergrad courses because they have no connection to their own research or do not aid their chances of earning tenure.
As a consequence, students are frequently placed in large lecture halls that prohibit one-on-one interaction. Often, the burden of teaching falls to postgraduates who are responsible for not only conveying content but assessing students’ performance as well.
Of course, no one’s saying research universities are poor models for education; they’re different. If you value being in the same room with Nobel Prize winners or on a campus that plays host to top-tier labs, then maybe you shouldn’t be discouraged. But if you’re looking for a place that is focused on teaching, these places probably aren’t for you.
At Centre, our modus operandi is “Personal education. Extraordinary success.” And our professors take it to heart. With an 11:1 faculty to student ratio (97% of whom hold the highest degree in their field), our professors are equally devoted to teaching as they are to their respective interests. Which is why the experts personally teach every course.
That’s not to say research and publication is discouraged at Centre—just the opposite, in fact—which is why you’ll find our professor’s names attached to some very prestigious work. But a lot this research lists Centre students as contributing researchers and authors alongside their mentors. And of course let’s not forget the issue of staying current. Our professors are deeply committed to learning, and having the opportunity to enhance their own knowledge is an integral part to educating our students.
So as you’re sorting through the inevitable mountains of view books and college applications, take the time to ask your admission counselors how their professors teach and interact with students—maybe even how they acquire tenure. You’ll need to know how the institution’s priorities stack up, whether they’re more interested in producing scholarly publications, or scholars. If you have any questions or comments, definitely leave them below. What is your take?
