Letter From a Newly-Tenured Professor (A Response to Hambrick and a Call to Action for My Fellow Associate Professors)

Abstract

The drive for tenure can be all consuming. And yet, actually attaining that goal often leads to just as great a challenge-successfully transitioning from “junior” to “senior” faculty member. Hambrick (2005) warns that recently tenured professors should not take their new status for granted by taking advantage of the system that granted their tenure. While true, I argue this transition represents an opportunity to do more than just add to the “I should” mentality that dominates pre-tenure life (“I should do this to get tenure”)—it provides the opportune time to reassess one’s career path and shift orientation toward being an “I want to” scholar. What type of scholar do you want to be? How do you want to achieve that goal? Framing the beginning of post-tenure life as a chance for renewal affords one the opportunity not only to improve oneself, but also improve our scholarly community.