Argument【0806G desperado小组】第六次作业by坐照补

wangyu0920UID: 199396

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: 540          TIME: 00:30:00          DATE: 2008-1-17 2:00:25
1.         T教授值得这样的建议。1）课堂大与受学生欢迎没有必然联系，有可能她的课是必须上的。2）研究经费只在过去两年的情况，不一定以后还会有。3）这样的情况也许也不只她一人，理由不充足当心引起其他人不满。
2.         T教授会不会走。1）她自己是否满意2）如果有地儿要挖T教授，
3.         她更看重什么，学术氛围，同事，兴趣？。教学能力好，不一定能当主任。琐事多，当心少了一个好教授，多了一个无能的主任。

In this argument, the committee recommends that Professor Thomas should receive a $10,000 raise and a promotion to Department Chairperson.  This recommendation is based on the facts that Professor Thomas's classes are among the largest at the university, and she has brought the university with research grants that has exceeded her salary in each of the last two years. Furthermore, to support this assertion, the arguer points out that Professor Thomas will leave Elm City University for another one without such a raise.  However, I find the evidence is insufficient and hence does not lend solid support to this what the arguer claims.

To begin with, the arguer fails to provide convincing information to prove that Professor Thomas is deserved to get such a raise. First, the largest classes do not mean she is one of the most popular teachers among students.  It is entirely possible that her classes are required by the curriculum that every student in the university has to take her classes and get the credits in order to get a degree.  In other words, the students may not choose her classes voluntarily but have no other choices even though she may not be welcomed by the students.  Secondly, the research grants could not prove her excellent research skill.  Perhaps compare to her salary, her research grants is considerable, but compare to other faculties in the university, as well as considering her 17 years professor career, a two-year contribution could probably be negligible.  If we offer her a raise and promotion, it would probably lead to other faculties' displeasure.  And finally, the arguer does not provide any evidence to guarantee that the professor would continue to bring money to the university in the future.

Moreover, there is no information indicates that Professor Thomas is not satisfied with her current situation and wants to leave.  And the arguer fails to prove there are other universities that wish to introduce Professor Thomas.  It is entirely possible that we are not suffering the risk of Professor Thomas's leaving and

Last but not least, even though Professor Thomas wants to leave, offering her a higher salary and a chief position may not be effective to urge her to stay.  It is possibly that she is not satisfied with the academic circumstance or other faculties and her students. Or it might be due to some other reasons such as healthy condition or personal interests.  Meanwhile, the arguer fails to take into account that she may not be capable of the administrative work.  Common sense tells us that teaching and studying are specific work requiring the ability of inquiring and relevant skills as well as adequate patience, while administrative work is a macroscopic task that emphasizes the communication and planning skills, which are not proved by the arguer that Professor Thomas are of.

In conclusion, this argument is not well supported as it stands.  To make it more convincing, the arguer would have to provide more information that (1) the real teaching and researching ability of Professor Thomas, as well as the leadership, especially compared to other faculties (2) whether she is satisfied with the current situation (3) if she wants to leave, then what are the most important reasons .