Departments such as political science, English, sociology and other humanitarian departments are facing staffing issues. The most prominent reason for this shortage lies in several retirements, loss of the renewal of tenure lines and professors moving away for personal reasons. However, the main problem is that departments are unable to replace such faculty.
Currently, the English department is offering seven 300 level courses for the spring 2025 semester, two of which are cross listed with other departments. This is less than spring 2022, where nine 300 level courses were offered. While the change is not drastic, it is not ideal. Dickinson is known for its smaller class sizes, and the lack of class offerings means there can be up to 25 students in a 300-level course, which is more than the department wants, said English Professor Claire Seiler, who chairs the department.
Seiler explained that the department has tried to hire new professors, but have been blocked by the college. “This past year, we applied again for two positions, for what had in the last decade been four faculty members, an African Americanist and an environmental humanist. Neither of our requests was granted,” she said. She explained that faculty retire or leave, whatever the reason may be, and the department is not allowed to hire replacements. The other issue is that while staffing for the curriculum is ‘okay,’ the department is down a couple of faculty members.
Head of the political science department, Professor Toby Reiner, explained that his department is facing a similar problem as two faculty members are retiring at the end of the academic year. Reiner attributes this to many of the faculty being close in age, causing large coincidental departures in the past.
When asked if this was an issue found elsewhere or if it is exclusive to Dickinson, Seiler expressed that she sees it as a problem everywhere, especially with humanities departments. Reiner also commented on the trend, saying, “What I do know from other schools is that colleges in general have had some stretched budgets in recent years. That, I’m sure you know, is true of Dickinson and many liberal arts colleges, and I do believe that makes recruitment a lot more difficult when faculty leave.”
Provost Renee Cramer offered insight, explaining that three more tenured faculty members are set to be hired this year, and that last year nine new faculty members were hired. Hiring in every department, or at least keeping up with staffing in each department, has become increasingly difficult as many professors leave, retire or move for personal reasons. However, overall, Cramer does not see staffing as a problem. The main goal, she explained, is to maintain a 9:1 student faculty ratio and to keep classes taught by tenured professors.
The solution for now, as explained by Reiner, is to hire visiting professors or adjunct professors and cross-list courses. In the long run, however, more permanent professors will have to be hired and the College will have to plan its recruitment more carefully than it has in the past, said Reiner.
