One of the Dumbest Things I Have Read in a While: A Critique of the Faculty Merit Act
I recently came across an article that sparked my interest and led me down a rabbit hole of thought-provoking discussions. The piece, titled 'Let's Hire Professors Purely on Merit' by George Leff, caught my attention at NRO's The Corner. While I appreciate the author's perspective, I found myself disagreeing with several key points, especially regarding the Faculty Merit Act.
Leff argues that the diversity mania in American education has negatively impacted the quality of professors, suggesting that many hires are not qualified. However, I believe this notion is flawed. Faculty hires are not solely driven by quotas, and the obsession with qualifications is not the issue. The data, as presented by the National Center for Education Statistics, Pew Research Center, and the American Council on Education, clearly shows that university faculty in the US are predominantly White. This diversity issue is not as dire as Leff implies.
The proposed solution, the Faculty Merit Act, is where things get truly absurd. This act suggests using SAT scores as a primary criterion for hiring professors, which is a controversial and problematic idea. Standardized test scores, designed for undergraduate admissions, are being proposed as a measure of faculty merit. This is a significant departure from the skills and qualifications required for a professor's role.
The act's requirements are even more concerning. It mandates the publication of standardized test scores for all faculty members and applicants, including SAT, ACT, CRT, GRE, LSAT, and MCAT scores. This invasion of privacy and the assumption that test scores alone can determine merit are deeply problematic. The act's purpose is to make academic discrimination transparent, but it fails to address the underlying issues of bias and discrimination.
Furthermore, the act's assumption that diverse candidates are inferior based on SAT scores is flawed. It ignores the fact that standardized tests are biased in favor of affluent Whites and that these tests can be influenced by factors like parental support and tutoring. The idea that a White man's lack of a tenure-track job is due to diversity mania is a dangerous and discriminatory notion.
The Faculty Merit Act's focus on standardized test scores is a step backward. It fails to consider the diverse skills and experiences that make a professor successful. The act's proposal to tattoo GPAs on foreheads is an extreme and absurd suggestion. The core issue is not about merit or diversity but about the need for a more nuanced and inclusive hiring process.
In conclusion, while I appreciate the discussion, I strongly disagree with the Faculty Merit Act's approach. It perpetuates harmful stereotypes and fails to address the complex nature of academic hiring. The US higher education system has been a model for the world, and it is crucial to maintain this standard by embracing diversity and considering a wide range of qualifications.
