Academia is a field unlike any other. There are some unique aspects of what professors, staff, administrators and students know about the field. These perceptions are sometimes highlighted in movies and shows, as we have seen come and go over the years. In some cases, professors are viewed as adventurous and heroic in movies like Harry Potter and Indiana Jones. Other times, they are viewed in a comedic way like in Big Bang Theory.
Netflix has given us another view of what academia is like with their new show with Sandra Oh called “The Chair.” It follows Oh’s character as she becomes the first female and woman of color chair at Pembrooke, and all of the issues and challenges she has to deal with as an academic.
Of course, the series is focused on satire and comedy, but it also shows a bit into what it is like being an academic in today’s atmosphere – the challenges, expectations, struggles, and situations some are facing in our field. It’s been interesting to see what my other colleagues in academia think of the show. Some loved it – said it was exactly what they expected. Others were not sure what to expect – as they were chairs in their own department. And then there were groups that said that only about 40% of what was showcased in the show actually happens in real life in academia.
I finished the series (only six episodes), but as someone who has spent nearly 14+ years (four as a doctoral student and 10 years as a professor), I can tell you that there were some things where I was like – OMG! That is so true! Yet, there were some elements I feel the show could touch on perhaps in the future – or could have w/ this season.
The Chair did address some of the things I think others outside of academia need to understand:
- The internal struggles for relevancy. I felt this so much for my fellow colleagues who teach social media (#SMprofs). I am very, very fortunate to have the support at Louisville for teaching social media and strategic communication, and these courses are very popular with the students and my colleagues support this. Whenever you do try to do something new and innovative sometimes – or even create a new course and area in the field – this can be received with open arms, or criticism and jealousy. We see this in The Chair with Yaz and how she’s handling it as a rising star in the program. Yaz’s classes were over enrolled – and that created some jealously in the show amongst senior faculty. There is a saying my family and I used when I was in track and field, and I still do today. If you are upset with the fact someone is doing better than you, throw farther! Meaning, you can also have the same opportunities and time to work hard and do the same thing. Sometimes, people (even in academia) see success from others and think they deserve it more than the person who has spent the time honing in on their craft, and working to create a great learning environment for students to thrive in.
- The push towards modernizing the field by retiring the senior professors. We saw in the show the Chair has three names of professors Oh has to convince to do an early retirement due to their low enrollment. This happens all the time in academia. Senior faculty are very valuable to have in departments to provide a historical context and perspective on the field. Yet, what we saw in the show is how these professors were “threaten” by the new modern approaches to pedagogy and research. This also happens quite a bit in academia. We are ALL on the same page here and have to be for our students – so what we have to do is work together. We have to respect those who have come before us and helped build the field to where it is today. At the same time, we have to support and encourage the younger faculty to continue pushing the limits to help evolve the field for the future generation. This highlighted somewhat in the show, but I think it needs to be addressed.
- Not being viewed as a “salesman” or focused on producing a “consumer product.” I thought this was interesting because for years now, we have seen from administrators the message coming down the pipeline that students are “the consumers.” I agree – to a point. There’s a balance here I think needs to be noted – we want to make sure students get the education they need, but also the hands on skills that will make them marketable. I know the argument of “we want students to walk away from our program well-rounded” is all fine and good – but students don’t want to be an unemployed well-rounded student. They are here to gain the skills, experience, AND knowledge they can use and apply to get into the workplace.
- Professors get it from all angles. Whether it is in person, or online with sites like Rate My Professors (there are many sites like this) – academics get criticism from everywhere. What the show did not address was the growing expectations from the industry. While the show did focus just on the English department, this is another group that we have to be aware of. We are filmed, recorded, rated, and discussed all over the place – and we have little say on what is said about us online. Sites like Rate My Professor are public and part of our own digital footprint, which is something I have discussed in my own classes when I talk to students about online ratings.
- Let’s clear something up: Academics do not have tons of issues all of the time in their personal lives. News flash – you can have balance while having a real life while working in academia. I feel many – especially those who I work with – do have a strong sense of balance between what they are doing for work, and what they are doing in their personal lives. My good friend Carolyn Mae Kim coined a term called “Work/Life Harmony” – which fits perfectly in this situation. Academics DO have balance in what they do, and our title of professor is not all who we are. It may be for some people, but not the majority.
- Some titles and achievements are based on politics, not merit. Again, this is what happened with Yaz when she was up or the Distinguished Lectureship before going up for tenure, but it was given to another person due to politics. Sometimes, the decision for certain things is not based on merit but rather a political move. Academia has a ton of politics – I’ve seen it first hand especially at the level at certain organizations and conferences. It’s not always the best person or team that wins an award – but who is working with a certain advisor, or is friends w/ a person high in the profession. I’ve lost out on awards and conference acceptances due to this very fact. Is this fair? Nope, but it unfortunately happens. Of course, this is never disclosed or discussed publicly, but it is very, VERY easy to tell. Besides, academia is a very small world.
Overall, I think The Chair is good to show others outside of academia some of the things we – as academics – may or may not necessarily experience. For the industry, I hope professionals understand the next time they say “why can’t professors be more relevant and be true to the industry” – these professionals need to understand professors are working hard to do so. However, for some in academia, there may be some elements in the field that may be hindering them to do just that.
Let me know what you think about this. Would love to hear your thoughts!
Have a great day!
Best Wishes,
