really upset me because I like to teach!”
Elisa Konieczko, Assistant Professor at
Gannon University in Erie, Pennsylvania,
indicated that, “although I was happy
doing research as a postdoc at Yale, it
became very clear to me that only doing
research would not be enough. I had to get
back to teaching.”
Job stability was often cited as an attrac-
tion to smaller schools. This is based on the
assumption that it is easier to get tenure at a
smaller place because of decreased publish-
ing demands. Though tenure is beginning to
be more of a moving target in some cases,
this is often the case. Cruz recalls that, “when
I asked in the NIH interview what would
happen after the initial six-year appoint-
ment, I was given the vague answer
that hopefully another position would open
up. I didn’t really want to be searching for a
new job at the age of 41.” Kathryn Loesser-
Casey of Mary Washington College in
Fredericksburg, Virginia, had other con-
cerns: “when I was looking for a job, my hus-
band said, ‘I will follow you wherever you
choose, but plan to make it permanent
because that will be where I set up my med-
ical practice.’” All the faculty interviewed
agreed that not having to derive any of their
salary from grant monies was an attraction.
Limited travel support from the institution
for scholarly endeavors was even included
in some recruitment offers.Research at a Smaller
Institution
What about research at smaller schools?
Faculty agree that research publishing
requirements for tenure and promotion at
their institutions are considerably more
modest in numbers of papers than in the
schools where they had trained. But all cau-
tion that quality of work was still an impor-
tant issue in tenure review. After having wit-nessed the daily routine of their advisors
and colleagues, most indicate that they had
actively chosen a place where research
occurred at a different pace. At the same
time they accept that effective research in a
small school environment can be a chal-
lenge. It is critical to keep in mind the main
focus of your school to avoid frustration
when, for example, students don’t work as
intensely as university graduate students or
when the school refuses to buy equipment.Support
An increasing number of small institutions
are beginning to set aside realistic funds to
support space, equipment and faculty-release
time. While this transition is positive, it also
ironically increases pressure to meet newly
intensified research requirements for themost junior faculty members. Echoing con-
cerns typical at research-intensive institu-
tions, some indicate that this is resulting in
unrealistic tenure expectations.90 CAREER ADVICE FOR LIFE SCIENTISTS
After having witnessed the daily
routine of their advisors and
colleagues, most indicated that
they had actively chosen a place
where research occurred at a
different pace.An increasing number of small
institutions are beginning to set
aside realistic funds to support
space, equipment and faculty-
release time.