"Tribblegate" notwithstanding, another perspective on the whole issue of anonymity in academia: "Evaluation and the Culture of Secrecy" (free).
...We all have to look more closely at the workings of our secret society. We need to do so for the sake not just of those at the bottom of that society, but for all of us who depend on the integrity of the system. As institutions that serve the public, colleges need transparency. The university works at its most basic level by propagating and exchanging information -- in public. Its internal workings should be no different. The truth will sometimes sting, but it cools down in the open air...
I can't see higher ed ever taking the tack that Professor Cassuto is taking--though I do admire him for his stance. (And I also admire him for not "Tribblizing" his own identity!)
Do you agree with his assessments about the positive outcomes that would follow from academics' "living in the sunshine"? Have you ever declined to sign the waiver to gain access to your letters of recomendations?
I don't have an answer to the first question. In general I think more accountability is better than less--so if less anonymity in the circumstances the author discusses would, in fact, result in more accountability, then I'd say I am for disclosure. Regarding the second question, I have never once not signed the waiver. Not once. Never even for one nanosecond did the thought of not waiving my rights to see my letters flit across my mind. However, in almost every circumstance, my letter writers have volunteered to give me copies, often prior to submission so that I could fill in details in my own application statements or even remind them of things they might consider including in theirs.
In my own letter writing for my own future students I plan to do the same thing that these mentors of mine have done. I have also had the experience of an anonymous journal manuscript reviewer offering her/himself to be contacted directly for further discussion and advice. This was extremely helpful to me and I greatly appreciated this generousity of collaborative spirit. I plan to offer this, as well, when I am the reviewer.
So, who knows. Maybe we academic types will make our way to the light--one baby step at a time.
Posted by perry032 at July 19, 2005 04:40 PM | TrackBackI sitll have no idea what you are talking about. Talk about your kids again, so I won't feel so retarded.
Posted by: Mieke at July 20, 2005 11:26 PMDon't you think that one reason that you have never signed the waiver is that you chose people to write letters for you whom you trusted?
As a naïve undergrad, I once asked a prof of a class I had recently taken but not felt passionately about to write a letter for me, and he said, "Sure, I'll write a letter for you. Let me see, I'm happy to say that your work was definitely above average, although not at the top of the class, and that while you missed class 2-3 times this semester, you were always paying attention when you were there." Obviously I learned a lot from that experience because I sure didn't get into grad school because of him!
Since that time, I have briefly considered what would happen if I, just once, didn't sign the waiver, but have also never not signed. For me, the consequence of not signing seems to unknown, and in most cases, the stakes seemed too great.
In my teaching now, I often get students asking me for letters, especially because there are scholarships for students in our program. I usually tell students directly if I know I'm not going to write at least an above average letter. When I give them copies, it's always after they've submitted their applications, although maybe now I'll question that.
(Sorry for such a long comment--I could've just blogged this myself!!)
Posted by: Laurene at July 21, 2005 10:23 PM>Don't you think that one reason that you have never signed the waiver is that you chose people to write letters for you whom you trusted?<
Yes, absolutely. And (unfortunately, I guess, for them) I seem to keep going back to the same well for the same handful of faculty members for all my letters! I had one odd experience a long time ago (not associated w/college) of someone asking *me* to write my own letter in their name, and then they read it, approved, and signed their name to it... Actually, I think I would have gotten a *more* glowing letter had I *not8 written it myself.
(Damn my self-doubt and "humbleness"!)
Posted by: Yvette at July 22, 2005 10:33 AM