That's very bad. Very bad indeed. Five courses per semester also pretty much puts the damper on pursuing any kind of research in hopes of *getting* a tenure-track gig.

What is that in big-city dollars (LA, SF, NY)? Maybe $60K? Ugh: what a racket. It sounds like it's even worse than publishing.

Life in Bushs America. Billions for Iraq, pennies for education. What are you bitching about? You supported the guy...

Another IdiotSan non-sequitur.

I guess there's some truth to the old saying "Those who can, do; those who can't, teach." If someone really wants to work in IR and teach, probably would be better to pursue work in government (State Dept) or think tank and then get the academia gig once you've established a reputation in the real world.

DCL: Actually, unless one is an awfully high profile ambassador or cabinet-level official, working for a bureaucracy or think tank will harm, not help, one's academic prospects. Foreign Service Officers don't establish any reputation worth having (Quick: Name three.) and almost certainly won't have any publications.

I have seen more and more of these "positions" popping up of late. I consider this to be a good defense for a country that is beginning to lean right. I see this as a way for our academic institutions to keep conservatives, which are making up a larger percentage of doctorate students, from becoming tenured. As everyone knows, if you are not tenured, you better watch what you say. In essence, not being tenured is going to limit the free speech of these future CONSERVATIVE professors.

My sister-in-law is "First Nation" from Vancouver, BC. She had a choice of jobs once she got her PHD in Women's Studies. (She never held any type of job prior to finishing her doctorate.) Her pay is much higher than the $30K figure. My brother-in-law also got a PHD (Social Services), but went back to school after working in this field for over 10 years. He had an extremely hard time getting a job at any university and his teaching job doesn't pay as well as hers! So, if you are a female minority, you will do just fine in academia!

Actually, one wonders why the Univ. of Memphis is spending SO MUCH to fill this position.

They would be smarter to hire adjuncts to teach the courses @ $1,800 per course without having to waste money on the benefits they'll have to pay the limited-term person.

Just so you know, a 5-5 course load equates to about a 60 hour work week. Ah, how much we value education in this country.

I'm going to have to bust your chops on this one Doc.

Go dig up the stats for income vs level of education and blog it....

Hint: The more you learn the more you earn.

At least grade school teachers don't have to spend as many years getting an education. They work (some of them) just as hard, earn about the same - and get tenure.

Here, I dug up the first link....

http://www.census.gov/hhes/income/earnings/call1usboth.html

Any advanced degree is worth 3X as much at a HS dropout. (the difference is less at a younger age... no kids make money)

You guys (sorry) need to learn the difference between using your degree to make money (that damn real world argument) and getting a cushy job as an academic.

You've worked both sides of the street. I'd bet you lunch you work harder now but you get paid more too. No?

Paul: do me a favor and bite me. (Sorry, James and Leopold, but it needed to be said.)

This is a frakking community college job at best, being offered at a place that at least thinks it's a research institution. As an alumnus of that department, I'm embarrassed (a) that they'd have the balls to pay $30k to a Ph.D. to teach 15 contact hours a semester (and, if the department hasn't changed since I was there, many of the classes will be combined undergrad-grad student sections) and (b) that they'll probably fill the job. The only good thing is that you'd--on paper--get some graduate teaching experience, but since you're not going to get any research done nobody's going to care. Tiger High indeed.

McGhee,

Please stop whining about my posts. Whining is kind of repulsive in a grown man, which I assume you are, at least nominally. I notice you never seem to be able to argue intelligently against my positions. If you must, go get a hankie and sit in the corner.

I love this site but the best are the comments by anjin-sin - esp. about anything having to do with Bush, Iraq, etc...- what a dumb shit... keep-em coming; I need the laughs

I am guessing big Mike is safe at home scratching his ass and not in a combat unit in Iraq. Anyone want to lay odds?