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Ok so! I've been thinking about what it means to be invited to be an alt-ac speaker on a college campus.
Inviting someone with a phd who's not a professor to speak with grad students is one of the easiest ways that departments can respond to the job market.
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Inviting someone with a phd who's not a professor to speak with grad students is one of the easiest ways that departments can respond to the job market.
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I love being an alt-ac speaker and honestly wish I could do it more. I feel so passionately about graduate education and I want to make it better for people. But!
But I always end up feeling like I've failed.
But I always end up feeling like I've failed.
When giving 'alt-ac' talks, I often feel like I'm the only thing standing between students and despair.
This is because inviting alt-ac speakers is often the *only* action departments are taking.
As if an hour with someone who thrived in the transition is enough.
This is because inviting alt-ac speakers is often the *only* action departments are taking.
As if an hour with someone who thrived in the transition is enough.
It's hard to be authentic when speaking about alt-ac, because the pressure to project hope is so strong.
And it can be frustrating to do this work as a favor for faculty who have the job you once wanted, and who are complicit in perpetuating a broken system.
And it can be frustrating to do this work as a favor for faculty who have the job you once wanted, and who are complicit in perpetuating a broken system.
So I made this questionnaire to use when invited to speak about alt-ac.
These are questions that all faculty involved in grad student professionalization should be able to answer. And they point to where I would like to see faculty creating change in their own departments.
These are questions that all faculty involved in grad student professionalization should be able to answer. And they point to where I would like to see faculty creating change in their own departments.
Questions to ask yourself before inviting someone to speak about alt-ac on your campus: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1XrD6NtvIvH2aKbydmXy_yPcur8PbivCslqTDKcMlbBk/edit?usp=sharing
1. What careers do your graduates end up in?
2. What percentage of your students would like to be a tenure track faculty member?
3. How has your department responded to changes in academic hiring post-2008?
4. How much money do your graduate students make? Are they unionized?
2. What percentage of your students would like to be a tenure track faculty member?
3. How has your department responded to changes in academic hiring post-2008?
4. How much money do your graduate students make? Are they unionized?
Since 2008:
Has your department redesigned its curriculum to focus on alt-ac?
Has your department created new job market training resources?
Has your department changed how students area advised?
Has your department redesigned its curriculum to focus on alt-ac?
Has your department created new job market training resources?
Has your department changed how students area advised?
Since 2008:
Has your department changed admission criteria to accept students with alt-ac career goals?
Has your department implemented internships or training programs?
Is your department hiring faculty with more diverse professional backgrounds?
Has your department changed admission criteria to accept students with alt-ac career goals?
Has your department implemented internships or training programs?
Is your department hiring faculty with more diverse professional backgrounds?
What else would y'all ask? What else do you want to see?
