The Three-ring Circus of Academia: How to Become the Ringmaster
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The Three-ring Circus of Academia: How to Become the Ringmaster Michelle L. Toews & Ani Yazedjian
Published online: 4 May 2007 # Springer Science + Business Media, LLC 2007
Abstract The three-ring circus of academia is made up of research, teaching, and service. It is also characterized by continuous action that must be facilitated by the academic ringmaster. Academic life is more difficult than most anticipate because the responsibilities are time-consuming, diverse, and conflicting. Therefore, this article focuses on strategies faculty members can develop to meet these pressing demands. Specifically, we begin with a discussion of how to balance research, teaching, and service. We then highlight strategies faculty members can use in becoming an effective academic ringmaster. We conclude with a discussion of life outside the “big top.” Key words college teaching . faculty development . junior faculty . research productivity . tenure What is the three-ring circus of academia? The three-ring circus of academia is made up of research, teaching, and service. Research is similar to the high-wire acts and acrobats. It is a necessary “act.” It is what draws many people to the circus and amazes them. Similarly, research is what brings prestige to the university (Wolverton 1998). Teaching, on the other hand, can be analogous to the work of the animal tamers. The skills that are required to train these animals to do tricks are appreciated. However, the
Michelle L. Toews received a Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science from The Ohio State University and is currently an Assistant Professor of Family and Child Development at Texas State University-San Marcos. Her research interests include separation violence as well as conflict and coparenting after divorce. Ani Yazedjian received a Ph.D. in Human and Community Development from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She is an Assistant Professor of Family and Child Development at Texas State. Her research interests focus on adolescents and the role of families, peers, and schools in promoting ethnic identity development. In addition, both authors are currently working on a longitudinal study examining personal and internal variables as predictors of college adjustment and achievement.
M. L. Toews (*) : A. Yazedjian Dept. of Family and Consumer Sciences, Texas State University, 601 University Dr., San Marcos, TX 78666, USA e-mail: [email protected]
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Innov High Educ (2007) 32:113–122
animal acts are often overshadowed by the acrobats unless the animals are out of control. Relating this more directly to teaching, although teaching is extremely valuable, it is not a sufficient condition for receiving tenure; and it often goes unnoticed unless one is a poor teacher (Milem et al. 2000; Wolverton 1998). Continuing our circus analogy, service obligations are similar to the clowns. They are a distraction between the main acts (teaching and research), but would be sorely missed if they were not part of the show. In other words, service is expected and important
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