Here it is- I agree with Margaret Wente. That really hurts! We talk at McGill about how much we value teaching. I don’t see it- everyone’s research is more important- to them and to the university. Research is used an an excuse to avoid teaching. When I worked at a hospital research center, this made sense. Not here… professors teach- end of story in my opinion.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-debate/professors-need-to-teach-more/article17414147/
I m a professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University.
“… professors teach – end of story in my opinion.” Perhaps, but how does one ensure that universities employ professors who seek to teach and who are skilled at teaching when, as Wente states, “The system is skewed toward research, because research is rewarded by government grants, promotions and prestige”? Pity the students who are in classrooms with professors who loathe teaching, put minimum effort into it and do it only because it’s a job requirement. Maybe we need to consider having teaching universities and research universities (en existing model), but then we’re back to an economic problem.
In my opinion, they shouldn’t be separated… if a researcher wants to just do research, that person should find another venue.