analytical chemistry November 1974, Vol. 46, No. 13 Editor: HEIII3EIVI' A. LAITINEN EDITORIAL HEADQUARTERS 1165 Sixteenth St., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20036 Phone: 202-872-4600 Teletype: 710-8220151 M a n a g i n g Editor: Virginia E. Stewart Associat,e Editor: Josephine M. Petruzzi Assistant Editor: Andrew A. Husovsky E d i t o r i a l Assistant: Linda A. Ferragut CHAPHICS A K ~ )PIWDUCIION STAFF M a n a g e r : Leroy L. Corcoran Associate Manager: Charlotte C. Sayre Art Director: Norman W. Favin Artist: Linda McKnight E d i t o r i a l Assistant: Nancy J. Oddenino EIWTORIAL PROCESSING DEPARTMENT, EASTON, PA. Associate Editor: Mizabeth It. Itufe A u v i s o ~ y BOARD:Allen J. Bard, Fred Baurnann, David F. BolLz, E. G. Brame, Jr., Warren H. Crummett, M. A. Evenson, Henry M. Fales, A. 17. Findeis Kenneth W. Gardiner, Jack M. Gill Jeanette G . Grasselli, It. S. Juvet, ir., Theodore Kuwana, Oscar Menis, Harold F. Walton
~
_
_
_
_
INSTRUMESTATION ADVISORY PANEL: Jonathan W. Amy, Stanley li. Crouch, Richard A. Durst, J. J. Kirkland, Ronald H. Laessig, Marvin Alargoshes, Harold M. McNair, David Seligson, Howard J. Sloane C o n t r i b u t i n g Editor: Claude A. Lucchesi Ucpartirient of ('liciiiiatry, 1-orthweatern t-nivrrsity, l~:v;inston,111. ti0201 Publiahed by the AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY 1155 16th Street N. W. Washington, D.C: 20036
Books a n d J o u r n a l s Division John K Crum
Ruth Reynard
Director A s s i s t a n t t o t h e Director
Charles R. Bertach Head, E d i t o r i a l Processing D e p a r t m e n t D. H. Michael Bowen H e a d , J o u r n a l s Department Bacil Guile Head, Graphics a n d Productron Department Srldon W. "errant Head, Research a n d Development D e p a r t m e n t
Adum t i a r n g Alnnagemenf
CENTCOM, LTD. (for Branch Offices, see page 1185 A )
On Tenure and Retirement The traditional tenure system in American universities has become in some respects incompatible with the most efficient development of chemistry as a science. For some twenty years following World War 11, the rapid expansion of graduate education permitted additions of young staff members a t a relatively rapid rate. Competition among various departments in the country led to departures of staff members in the middle years of their careers, thus creating corresponding opportunities for advancement of younger staff members. T h e result was a dynamic situation in which the typical graduate chemistry department was populated by a healthy mixture of staff members well distributed by age and rank. During the past decade, it has become increasingly apparent that, a t least in the short run, graduate facilities have become overexpanded. At the same time, decisions as to academic tenure are coming much earlier, and the mobility of established staff members has decreased. A typical situation now facing many departments is one in which the total staff size must remain constant, and in which a sizable fraction of positions are filled with tenured faculty. The result is that the remaining positions will tend to remain untenured, through a tightening of the requirements, so that a large fraction of newly appointed assistant professors will be forced to move on. If this continues for a decade or more, the net result will surely be detrimental to the progress of academic research, a t least if we believe that genuine creativity is a t its peak at a relatively early age. The traditional mechanism for creating academic vacancies, apart from new positions due to growth, is for older staff members to move towards greater emphasis on administration on one hand and teaching on the other. In the steady state configuration, this mechanism appears inadequate. It is therefore important to increase the flexibility of retirement programs to encourage early retirement, not to remove older staff members from science altogether, but to permit them to engage in other types of activities such as writing, advising, or consulting. Some of the same considerations apply to industry and government employment also, but without the formality of academic tenure. As we sooner or later approach a steady state, we need increasingly to consider improved mechanisms for using the special talents of older scientists in such a way as to make room for the younger generation.
For submission of manuscripts, see page 1088 A
ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY, VOL. 46, NO. 13, NOVEMBER 1974
1881
