But its administrators acknowledge that at a major doctoral university like Ohio State, research matters more. That's true in part because research brings institutions prestige and federal grant money. What's more, scholarship helps good teachers stay vital, says John O. Riedl, dean of Ohio State's Mansfield campus. If a person does not keep up with his field and goes brain-dead on me, he's not going to be much of a teacher. A mediocre teacher with outstanding research is far more likely to get tenure than a terrific teacher with lackluster scholarship.
Nobody knows that better than junior faculty members.
There's stuff done to show the public that we are making efforts. Our outstanding teachers get awards and some pay raises. But when shoved against the wall, it's the research that's central. And, for scientists, the grant support. His research program in microbial genetics was seen as extremely promising.