Some Thoughts on Academic Citizenship

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Some Thoughts on Academic Citizenship

• Michael D. Kimbrough
• University of Maryland

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Citizenship definition

• the qualities a person is expected to have as a
  responsible member of a community
• Implies a voluntary sacrifice of self-interest
  for the benefit of the community.

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Challenges in being a good academic citizen

• Identifying the community you serve
• Activities require divergent skill sets
• Academic community sends mixed signals on what is
  valued.
• There is no boss to make trade-offs for you.

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Identifying Community You Serve

• Students
• In our classes
• In our discipline
• In the business school
• In the university
• In the local community
• Across the nation

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Identifying Community You Serve

• Colleagues
• Our co-authors
• In our departments
• Outside our departments
• Larger academic community

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Identifying Community You Serve

• Institutions
• Your department
• Your school
• Your university
• Your academic association

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Activities that Serve Different Communities

• Students
• In our classes
• In our discipline
• In the business school
• In the university
• In the local community
• Across the nation

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Activities that Serve Different Communities

• Colleagues
• Our co-authors
• In our departments
• Outside our departments
• Larger academic community

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Activities that Serve Different Communities

• Institutions
• Your department
• Your school
• Your university
• Your academic association

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Mixed Messages about What Activities are Rewarded

• Most activities we associate with good
  citizenship require an outward focus.
• However, research productivity requires intense
  inward focus.
• Research productivity enhances ones value in the
  academic labor market while citizenship
  activities do not always.

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How to navigate challenges?

• Take a long view you probably cant directly
  address all the communities you want to serve at
  one time
• The communities you serve will be closer to
  home early in your career and will expand as
  your career progresses.
• In order to be in a position to serve larger
  communities, you need to establish an acceptable
  level of research impact early in your career.
• Seek ways to contribute that demonstrate your
  willingness to pitch in but that are not at
  odds with research productivity.
• Accept that some activities are pure service and
  will never be officially rewarded.