criteria for promotion

[S. A. Modena]

In article <1993Aug11.003230.14097 at ohsu.edu> nishir at ohsu.edu writes:
>The following question has come up in discussions here, and I would like to
>have input from the rest of you out there. It came up in the context of
>affirmative action for women (getting more women into higher positions, but it
>could apply as well to men who choose to take a greater burden in raising
>children/ sharing domestic responsibilities with their spouse. 
>
>Should time taken out to raise a child/ family be factored into promotion
>decisions?  That is, I'm sure that many of you are well aware, if you choose to
>have a family, your time at work as a scientist becomes quite limited by the
>demands of your family.  First, you have to take time off to give birth and
>care for a newborn.  Then, your time at work becomes limited to daycare hours. 
>If your child is in school, then summers and holidays may become very limited
>in terms of research hours.
>
>Should we give a "break" to people who have chosen to have families?  Should
>quality of output be emphasized to a greater extent for these than quantity? 
>Should it be possible for to extend the evaluation time (time to
>tenure/promotion) if you've got a family?  What is fair?

When conscription was the order of the day, giving a "break" to veterans
was intended to compensate for *involuntary* servitude.

For example, when a MALE was ORDERED by his local draft board to report for
death defying duty in combat in WWII or Korea or Viet-Nam, compensational
amends were made in some government jobs (such as becoming a POSTAL WORKER)
by adding POINTS to a qualifying exam score.  

If we instituted conscription for females-only to serve in female-only
military commands, then giving a "break" to female veterans returning
to *research* careers would have adequate historical precedent.  (At peak,
525,000 American males were stationed in Viet-Nam....so let's get 525,000
*females* stationed in Bosnia for 7-t0-10 years and see for real what
equality-of-opportunity-and-outcomes really puts a millstone around the
neck of dreams for a better life.)

On the other hand, modern females may regard having a family as involuntary
servitude, similar to calling in artillary on one's own overrun postion
(thinking of a friend's comments over the weekend).

.......
>
>Rae Nishi

One of the social lessons learned in the Viet-Nam era was that
over-educated people over-value themselves to the point of *always*
preferring to let someone else do the dirty work while *they* climb the Ivy
Tower.

Steve    nmodena at unity.ncsu.edu