Professors are teaching less but not necessarily researching more

By Margaret Wente. What do university professors do? Ask most parents, and they’ll probably say something like, “They teach our kids to think clearly and master a body of knowledge so that they’re prepared for a decent career.” Ask a professor, and you’ll get a different answer. Professors are expected to do a roughly equal measure of teaching and research, plus a bunch of administrative and “service” stuff on the side. Most parents might be surprised to learn that, on average, teaching is expected to take up only two-fifths of a professor’s time. Read more...