argument140【Interregnum】第九次作业

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TOPIC: ARGUMENT140 - The following appeared in a report of the Committee on Faculty Promotions and Salaries at Elm City University.

"During her seventeen years as a professor of botany, Professor Thomas has proved herself to be well worth her annual salary of $50,000. Her classes are among the largest at the university, demonstrating her popularity among students. Moreover, the money she has brought to the university in research grants has exceeded her salary in each of the last two years. Therefore, in consideration of Professor Thomas' demonstrated teaching and research abilities, we recommend that she receive a $10,000 raise and a promotion to Department Chairperson; without such a raise and promotion, we fear that Professor Thomas will leave Elm City University for another college."
WORDS: 451          TIME: 00:26:21          DATE: 2008-7-22 14:55:19

Suggestion for the committee on Faculty Promotions and Salaries at Elm City is that the Professor Thomas should receive a $10,000 raise and promotion to Department Chairperson, for the reason that the author thought the professor has proved herself to be well worth her annual salary of $50,000 and they are afraid that professor will leave for another college without this salary raising and Department Chairperson position. All the reasoning progress and collusion sounds logical, however, the author fails to support his conclusion by his poor evidences.

From the threshold matter, the arguer's assertion could not strongly illustrate that Professor Thomas is well worth her annual salary. According to the author, Thomas's classes are among the largest at the university, which could not demonstrate her popularity among students, because the author did not mention whether the students are choose her class volunteer or be forced by the unchangeable schedule made by the school. If the fact is the latter condition, the largest classes will prove nothing at all.

Secondly, the money she has brought to the university in research could not prove the professor's capability in study or in teaching, even the money grants has exceeded her salary. The standard to judge a professor should be fix with his or her knowledge in a particular field and the research result she or he could offer to the society not only the money brought to the university. So the money could not be tread as a factor to prove Professor is worth her salary. Even if the two factors are really reasonable, they are also lack the credibility to persuade me to raise $10,000 to her salary, which might be higher than other university, which means such much is not necessary.
Furthermore, such condition in the article could not indicate the professor's research abilities for a position as a Department Chairperson, and this suggestion are based a fallacious reason.

Thirdly, no information in the article has illustrate that Professor Thomas will leave Elm City University is school did not pay her more or promote her position. Whether a professor decide to keep in an university or leave is depends many factors including the salary, the position and others, such as the facilities the school offered to her research and the cooperation condition. Before the ultimate conclusion, the author should take more matters into consideration, for instance, the students' quality, the knowledge resource and etc.

In conclusion, the author weakly prove his suggestion on raising Professor Thomas's salary and promoting her position. To strength his reasoning progress, the arguer should add a specific example to show that Professor Thomas is really worth her salary and her ability is convinced to lead a department.