Professor

A professor is a senior teacher, lecturer and researcher, usually in a college or university. Professors are qualified experts who give lectures and seminars in their field of study, such as the basic fields of science or literature or the applied fields of engineering, medicine, law, or business. They also perform advanced research in their fields and are expected to do pro bono community service (including consulting functions, such as advising government and not-for-profit entities) and train young academics who should replace them. The balance of these four classic fields of professorial tasks depends heavily on the institution, place (country), and time. For example, professors at highly research-oriented universities in the U.S. (and all European universities) are promoted primarily on the basis of their research achievements.

Tenure

A key concept is that of tenure. A professor who holds tenure is virtually immune to dismissal and has an appointment for life. In theory, professors are free to hold and advance controversial views, as the faculty generally insists on academic freedom. Tenure was thus introduced to preserve academic autonomy and integrity, i.e. the professor was supposed to be kept out of current political or other controversies of the public because it was recognized that this was beneficial for state, society, and academe in the long run. Tenure has recently come under attack by those who want a more business-like approach to universities, including performance review, audits, performance-based salaries, etc.

Related Topics:
Tenure - Academic freedom

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