Creeping Change

Participation with the editorial staff of an archival journal traditionally has been the province of late career faculty. Tenure track faculty were busy establishing their teaching and research programs and needed to concentrate their efforts in developing lecture notes, writing proposals, advising students, and creating manuscripts while the tenure clock ticked on. Established faculty had many timesaving teaching shortcuts, momentum in their research program, an efficient network, and the security of a tenured position. So, they had the where-with-all to volunteer some time to the stewardship of our journals—providing a forum of scholarship for everyone, but most critically, for tenure track faculty, and we enjoy the legacy of an established title and the literature that it published.

Today, some things are the same and some things are different. Tenure track faculties still scramble to start their careers, and established faculty still volunteer for leadership positions for the “good of the order.” However, now there is a greater desire for tenure track faculty to ramp up more quickly with regard to extramural funding and scholarship. Institutions invest in start-up packages that include funding for graduate students, summer support, travel, and reduced teaching loads. Savvy tenure track faculty members invest their resources in ways that will help them network quickly and keep up with the latest developments in their subdiscipline so they can successfully compete. Many tenure track faculty gain these benefits by joining the editorial groups of archival journals, including ours. Members of editorial groups often arrange for the review of manuscripts in a specialty area and assist with other parts of the operation of the journal.

This is a change from tradition and a change that fits current circumstances.

Most journals use Web-based and electronic communication, and computer and Internet savvy tenure track faculty often have an advantage here. Many tenure tracks have honed their social networking and computer skills as Ph.D. students and have detailed familiarity with certain segments of the literature. When a decision involves greater academic maturity, help is only a few mouse clicks or a phone call away. When editing and reviewing in a specialty area, tenure track faculty members are aware of the latest research in their area and the names of all the players. As part of their jobs, they need to contact experts in their area to arrange reviews and resolve issues. Such personal contact is helpful when teams are being built for large research proposals and when reference letters are required for promotions.

This change has crept up slowly, and while some people are aware of it, it is seldom discussed explicitly. Let us recognize this change and capture its energy for the advancement of our profession. Tenure track faculty and their mentors should consider the possibility that volunteering for a position in an editorial group might be a good investment. Established faculty need to recognize the efforts of such volunteers and support their efforts by serving as reviewers and giving advice when asked. Good service in an editorial group indicates that the faculty member is dedicated, pays attention to detail, and is willing to put forth extra effort to assist colleagues. Such attributes should be rewarded. Take a look at the masthead (that is “journal speak” for the listing of the editors on the title page of the Journal) for people that you know who are on the tenure track and recognize them when the opportunity presents itself. In addition to tenure track faculty, you will also find some more established faculty on our mastheads who have given diligent service. They also deserve our thanks and recognition.