Most professors spend their careers at one institution, but for big-name scholars, it is becoming increasingly common to switch universities based upon attractive packages offered. But rather than causing a disruption, the sense of competition may be evidence of a thriving academic community.
Even at prestigious Harvard University, faculty members are wooed away by big salaries, inviting research opportunities and amenable colleague groups at other institutions.
Leading economist Jeffrey Sachs will leave Harvard this summer for Columbia, and respected African-American Studies scholar Cornel West recently announced his move to Princeton.
In order to keep up with the competition, schools must make sure that they provide professors with plenty of research funds, lab space, teaching support and, of course, enticing salaries, according to Dartmouth's Associate Dean of Humanities Lenore Grenoble. She sees the competition as a positive force.
"It is a sign of a healthy faculty," Grenoble said.
The recruiting of talented faculty from other institutions has been going on for years, she stressed, though it fluctuates according to circumstance.
"Since [Sept.] 11, there has been a lot of looking around for scholars of the Arab world," Grenoble said. "Sometimes what happens is a department has a gap, and the university looks around for someone to fill it."
Such is the case at Columbia, where the recruitment of Sachs is part of a larger project to strengthen the economics department. "We are looking for scholars with a high level of research and young faculty with potential," Columbia spokesperson James Devitt said.
Columbia is an attractive place to work because of its location in New York and the research opportunities it provides, Devitt said.
Though Dartmouth doesn't boast an urban environment, the College is not overly concerned about losing its prestigious scholars.
"Dartmouth loses people every year and gets people every year," Grenoble said. "We have an excellent teaching-research package. We play this game very well, and we try very hard to be competitive."
The emphasis on undergraduate teaching and the lack of graduate students at Dartmouth may deter some from working here, but according to Grenoble, those who don't want to teach undergraduates are not a good fit for the College.
"Our faculty need to be teacher-scholars," Grenoble said. "Our students are very demanding."
According to Ruth Flowers, a representative of the American Association of University Professors, it is important to remember that switching schools is prevalent among "star" professors, although it is still generally uncommon.
"This is not something that happens a whole lot," Flowers said. "Most professors make their career at one institution, and in terms of numbers, [turnover] is small overall."
