by DWG » Sun Jun 19, 2005 12:16 am
I\'ve been an RAP, AP and now Assoc. Professor (without tenure, \"tenure\" is this year). I have to say that a RAP position can be a deadend position depending on the culture of the institution. Generally speaking one should remember the verse from the bible that \"no man is a prophet in his own land\". Department chairs can be like kids in a candy store - they may pay top dollar for some perceived superstar from another institution, but barely give lip service to their own non-tenured colleagues.
I\'ve been there. I think the data would show that one should accept a RAP position only with the idea that you will be leaving the institution that grants it within 1-2 years. The RAP gives you some standing to get grants, and you should use it to get one. Once you get the award notice, you should start applying for TT jobs, if you really want one.
At the institution that I currently serve, I truly feel that my worth is directly proportional to indirect costs on my research grants. We do not have a conventional tenure structure, and I feel that if I should hit a rough spot (inevitable), there will be little support. I\'m someone who has had multiple NIH and foundation grants, and have won national awards, and I\'m almost more stressed about life now than I was as a RAP. The stakes are much higher.
I agree with Kelly. There is a glut of individuals that the major research institutions are churning out who have no job waiting for them. I consider myself a good scientist, but I feel I owe my current position as much to painful hard work coupled with fantastic luck. As long as graduate students continue to be seen as a cheap source of labor by greedy research intensive departments I\'m afraid we will deserve the system we have.
Have a fallback.