Academic Challenges

Why I Left Academia: Part I
by Allison Harbin

In a four-part series, Dr. Allison Harbin recalls the moment beginning of the story that would forever change her perspective on academia and her own Ph.D. journey. She writes about the difficulties and stresses of navigating academia’s bureaucracies and hierarchies while simultaneously finalizing and defending her dissertation.

It’s OK to Quit
by Karen Kelsky

Academia is no stranger to Dr. Karen Kelsky, who decided to leave the field after being tenured. In this short article, she provides support and encouragement for both those who feel it is time to take their exit from academia and those who want to continue on the academic route.

Giving Up Tenure? Who Does That?
by Anne Trubek

Initially, Dr. Anne Trubek was consumed with the unfathomable thought of leaving academia as a tenured faculty member. As the question of whether to leave or stay continued to harp at her, Trubek started to look around at her colleagues in academia and realized that choosing to leave academia is actually more common than expected.

I’d have to be mad to leave here, they said-and they were right
by Terran Lane

Dr. Terran Lane was not, and is not, alone in his frustration and disappointment with the state of academia. Citing the lack of resources, autonomy, flexibility, and respect for learning as only a few of the reasons that pushed him to make the decision to leave the academy, Lane outlines a dim future for academia if nothing changes in the near future.

Leaving Academia: Loss, Grief, and Healing
by Lisa Munro

The decision to leave academia is not always made out of unhappiness, anger, and disillusionment in the institution; rather, Dr. Lisa Munro’s exit came once she “conceded defeat to the job market.” In this blog post, Munro reflects on how she processed the new level of grief that she went through after making the choice to pursue a life outside of academia.

A Few Thoughts on Leaving Academe
by Steven Salaita

Announcing his departure from academia, Dr. Steven Salaita sends a clear message to current and future academics: self-censorship for the sake of personal success in academia is not affordable with academia’s current state of affairs.