“It’s hard to conclude anything other than that higher education has done a spectacularly bad job of managing talent,” writes McClure, an associate professor of higher education at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. We wanted to know what Chronicle readers made of McClure’s diagnosis, so we posted some open-ended questions. A large number — more than 150 — of you responded, describing frustration at the lack of clear career ladders, bitterness at being passed over for jobs, and bewilderment at seeing those on the outside, often with less education, finding more financial success. Here is just a small sample of what you shared with us. Respondents have been kept anonymous, and excerpts have been edited for clarity and style.
Have you felt trapped in a dead-end job? If so, how did it change how you feel about higher ed? How did it affect your career path?
I’ve been stunned at how little focus there is on career advancement. I’ve had six different supervisors over five years, and only one ever seriously talked to me about how I hoped to grow within my position or within the university. Across the board, managers here are solely focused on their advancement or keeping their jobs. It is not surprising to me…
