argument140 [0710G 戴三个表冲刺小组] 第7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: 395          TIME: 00:28:44          DATE: 2007-8-1 11:23:08

（没有restate）
In the report the author calls for a raise and promotion for Professor Thomas for fear that she may leave the Elm City University and for another college. The insufficent evidence made the recommendation unconvincing.

Fisrt,to demonstrating the popularity of a teacher by the number of students in the class is quistionable. it is entirely posssible that the botany was the obligation subjects for a large number  of students, even the teacher did not teacher, the students had no other choice. Thus the popularity is doubtful, and the in turn to confirm the Professor Thoms's ability in teaching  by popuarity is not convincing.

Second,the money she has brought to the university in search grants in the last two years fails to demostrate her research ability. Firstly, the comarison between the money she broungt to the university in search grant and her salary is meaningless. It is highly possible that the other professors brought more than Professor Thomas. In addition, even assume the Professsor brought more compared with other professers, the performance in the past two years was possible abberation, her performance might be terrible in the other fifteen years. Thus, I cannot be convinced that the Professor Thomas has strong ability in research.

Finally, even if the author can proof Professor Thomos's ability in teaching and research,there is absolutely no evidence shows that Professor Thomas is requiring a raise and promotion. It is highly possible the Professor only interested in teaching and research work, and has little interest in management, then the promotion to Department Chairperson will contradict with her will and will hardly be accepted. And even assume the Professor has show her interest in management and are willing to accept the position of Department Chairperson, the author provided no evidence the Professor will be qualified in the new positon. If she have strong ability in teaching and reserach work and be a layman as manager, the promotion was not a reasonable desision.

In sum, to convice me the recommendation is a reasonable desision, the author need to provide evidence that Professor Thomas is actually popular among studens and thus have strong ability in teaching. and the author also need present clear evidence that the professor have strong ability in research.To better assess the recommendation the author need to proof that the professor have general management ability and willing to be the Department Chairperson.