Academic Free Agency and The Rest of Us

[via the Leiter Reports]:

“Free Agents, Playing the Field — Hiring System Puts Stars in Classroom but Frustrates Some Faculty”, an article in the Columbia Spectator about faculty salaries and the fact that at many institutions the only way to get a raise is to play games with outside offers, which for those of us who are rooted in one place results in inequities.

The system “discriminates against those who are most loyal to Columbia,” Foner said. “There is an incredibly wide range of salaries, which is very unfair.”

“It is true that getting an outside offer is the best way to increase your salary,” said Provost Alan Brinkley.