Not "Getting It" and a Sense of Entitlement

A few posts ago, over on Moneylaw and here in different form, I wrote about the externalities produced and, thus, the lack of actual (as opposed to facial) collegiality faculty show to each other. I listed ways actual collegiality could be exhibited. I received a few comments on the Moneylaw post, one of which is below. I have reprinted it here because it so perfectly illustrates what I mean by a sense of entitlement among the privileged.

"I only can think of one professor who voluntarily teaches extra credit hours, although I know plenty who open up their wait lists voluntarily and teach more students.They wouldn't justify it on grounds that they need to make up for their lack of writing, of course, but they get satisfaction about receiving recognition in an area in which they do excel. I also know lots of professors who don't apply for sabbaticals (even though they could probably trump up a scholarly project to meet the requirement) and therefore effectively voluntarily teach more classes than scholars. Moreover, there are dozens of examples of non-scholars voluntarily assuming larger administrative loads, in part because they recognize their lack of recognition for scholarship and get more satisfaction in the administrative side. None of this is rare at all.Of course, this isn't to say there aren't bad citizens. It's just that there are some face-saving ways in which people internalize the cost of their failure to produce elsewhere."

1. So let's take it from the top: "I only can think of one professor who voluntarily teaches extra credit hours, although I know plenty who open up their wait lists voluntarily and teach more students." First, so what? What is an extra credit hour? The concept suggests a "right" not to teach beyond a certain level. A serious conversation starts with questioning how the right was established or earned. Evidently it does not occur to the entitled to question initial allocations that are beneficial to them.

But there is more. Notice the idea that it is a sacrifice to open up a wait list. The implication is that there is a "right" not to open it. Where did that right come from? The fact that the list can be opened suggests it was not for pedagogical purposes. The compentators "good deeds" consistently flow from an assumption that the status quo is just. In fact, the status quo is consistently the product of the entitled being generous to themselves.

2. I also know lots of professors who don't apply for sabbaticals (even though they could probably trump up a scholarly project to meet the requirement) and therefore effectively voluntarily teach more classes than scholars.

Same idea. Teaching becomes an act of charity when compared with not teaching -- an intial allocation of questionable legitimacy. At my school, at least, we have sabbaticals because voted to give them to ourselves. In addition, "trumping up" tells me all I know about the expected level of accountability.

3. There are dozens of examples of non-scholars voluntarily assuming larger administrative loads, in part because they recognize their lack of recognition for scholarship and get more satisfaction in the administrative side.

Really! Yes they may not be scholars so why stay in the job if they have found they cannot do it? Only in higher education is this possible. Oft times the administrative roles are manufactured centers or programs that do little. More importantly, usually the administration role means less teaching. Remember, this is the commentators example of selflessness.

Mainly I wonder where the sense of entitlement not to do all phases the job the faculty member promised to when hired came from. Actually, I am being disingenuous. It is legitimized by the similarly entitled who claim ownership to legal education and make sure to hire the similarly inclined.