University of Virginia Library

Professor Selection

We asked how the University
selects professors to be included in
these advanced programs. "We look
for somebody whose reputation is
already made or who shows strong
indications that he will become a
leading man in his field," explained
Dean Younger. We asked whether
this hiring method might not tend
to staff the graduate programs with
famous but elderly men. "No, we
have ways to prevent that. We look
for reasonably young men, in their
early to mid-forties, who have
already distinguished themselves, but
who have before them several
useful years before they reach the
climax of their careers. The
University has a lot to offer a good
scholar, but it expects to benefit
for several years from its
investment in him."

Showing us some statistical
tables concerning faculty salaries in
major universities, Dean Younger
explained that one good effect of
this emphasis on quality has been
that salaries throughout the
University are up. "We have, you
might say, an 'A' rating. The
University scored A in salaries in all
three ranks(professor, associate
professor, and assistant professor)
in the American Association of
University Professors ratings for
this year. This 'A' rating works to
our advantage in that it attracts
applications from the best men in
all ranks.

"Another part of upgrading the
graduate school," he went on, "has
been departmental development.
Our departments have been
benefiting from these faculty
enrichment programs until, at this
time, six or more of them are
among the best in the country." We
asked how one judges a
department's quality, and Dean
Younger answered that "the best
standard to judge by is the
department's faculty and its
prestige, in combination with the
calibre of student that the
department attracts and its Ph.D
production."