The Sanford School Discussion Hour

The Sanford School Discussion Hour Presents:

Suniya Luthar, Ph.D.
Professor
ASU Department of Psychology

Doing for the greater good: What price, in academe?

In my Perspectives on Psychologist Science paper (2017), I discuss how merit is commonly judged in academia and the need to broaden the basis for merit. I argue for increased recognition of faculty’s commitment to intrinsic values – focused on community and relationships – and not just extrinsic ones that connote personal fame or status.  I will review the points of this paper by summarizing evidence of disillusionment among today’s promising young scholars. I will illustrate how commitment to intrinsic goals in everyday professional responsibilities (such as peer reviews or teaching) can come at a cost to personal success and suggest ways of providing appropriate recognition in faculty evaluations.  At the macro-level, I will describe how positive work communities can enhance productivity, foster resilience and mitigate burnout in the competitive world of contemporary academe.  General discussion of these issues will be solicited.