Dr. Brooks notes, "Among my responsibilities are the recommendations and appointment of faculty. Here is a set of questions I find useful in assessing a person. Perhaps these lists will stimulate you to make your own, according to what you consider most important."
Among my responsibilities are the recommendations and appointment
of faculty. Here is a set of questions I find useful in assessing
a person. Perhaps these lists will stimulate you to make your
own, according to what you consider most important.
Teaching
Is their teaching respected by students?
Are their courses substantial, following agreed-upon syllabi
rather than idiosyncratic preferences?
Do they prepare conscientiously?
Do they treat students with respect, avoiding put-downs?
Do they honestly say, "I don't know"?
Do they like to teach? Like students?
Do they pick good dissertation problems-big enough, not
too big, accessible, timely, significant?
Do they offer steady encouragement and supervision?
Would you want your child to be their Ph.D. student?
Would you want your child to take them as a role model?
Research
Is their research fundamental in the questions it addresses?
Is it ingenious in technique and/or viewpoint?
Is it profound in its results and insights?
Are all claims accurate, bounded, and modest?
Do they give proper credit both to teammates and to sources
of ideas?
Are they a careful steward of research resources?
Has their diligence continued undiminished after tenure?
Colleague Relations
Are they respected by their colleagues? Liked?
Do they gladly do their share of the committee chores,
etc.?
Do they interact or collaborate much with their colleagues?
Do they help achieve department objectives, such as supporting
able students, with their research money?
Do they have too high an opinion of themselves?
Are they personally insecure?
Do they treat juniors, secretaries, with courtesy?
Here is a stricter checklist for us who are Christians.
Teaching
Loves their students.
Structures their courses to maximize learning experiences
for the students, not the lecturing joys of the teacher.
Illuminates their discipline with a Christian worldview.
Sympathetically presents various viewpoints on controversial
issues.
Makes their position unambiguous, but labeled as their
own.
Hopes for all students to succeed in examinations, but
does not lower standards.
Resists fads, all itching for what is new.
Carefully avoids "intellectual cloning," replicating
themselves in their students, especially their doctoral "children."
Research
Does all ad gloriam Dei, not for the praise of colleagues.
Sees their discipline in eternal perspective.
Depends on God for professional guidance.
Chooses problems prayerfully, considering their usefulness.
Is teachable by previous workers, uses their references.
Rejoices in discoveries, insights, and accomplishments
equally, whether made by themselves or a competitor.
Shares interim results and ideas. Welcomes rivals/visits.
Accepts correction gladly, gives it gently.
Takes no offense when others don't reference his work.
Is charitable when reviewers are petty or inaccurate.
Role Model
Is not ashamed of Christ.
Lives a life disciplined with respect to food, drink,
sleep, exercise, time-use and work.
Lives a godly family life.
Maintains a disciplined and modest standard of living.
Is active in Christian fellowship.
Offers volunteer service to salt society.
Is available for pastoral care within their discipline.
Is willing to offer painful reproof to colleagues and
students with errant lives.
Is obedient to those in authority and avoids speaking
evil of rulers, even in their institution.
Asks forgiveness freely and settles differences with others.
Frederick P. Brooks Jr. is Kenan Professor of Computer
Science at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.
How Can We Change the University?
C. John Sommerville expounds on the assertion that now is a time of opportunity for Christians in the university, introduced in his book Decline of the Secular University, to tell us how we must now embark on changing the academic world.
Leading a Balanced Life of Excellence What good is it if we gain academic prestige, yet forfeit our souls? Robert Kaita, Princeton Physicist, offers his perspective and a Scriptural basis for aiming to serve Christ and achieve academic success simultaneously.
What is Calling?
Marc Baer of Hope College addresses conceptions (and misconceptions) of calling from personal, Biblical, and historical perspectives. Can we know our calling?
