They have national, even international reputations for groundbreaking research and scholarship. They write lauded books, win coveted prizes, draw graduate-student disciples. Their institutions and their disciplines tap them as leaders. They’re full professors, the elite class of the professoriate. But the path that scholars must follow to join their ranks is hardly clear-cut, which can make it more difficult for some people — particularly women and minorities — to get there. Any successful bid takes several years of striving to meet institutional expectations that are often expressed as lofty rhetoric. Bucknell University’s provost has said, "Every outstanding university depends on its full professors as a brain trust." Duke University’s faculty handbook says they "play a critical role in determining the intellectual quality of the university." Becoming a full professor, as the University of Wyoming puts it, means "you are at the top of your game."

February 14, 2016 ・ From Chronicle of Higher Education