Working 9 to 5 is not an option for Legal Studies professor William Laufer. His days are spent writing law-review articles, working on his textbook and teaching "Introduction to Criminology." At night, Laufer conducts his research.
The professor loves both his research and teaching.
Laufer is one of many Penn professors juggling a hectic schedule, due in large part to the University's requirements for obtaining tenure -- the University's near guarantee that a professor will have employment until he or she retires.
Professors wishing to receive tenure must have stellar research that is respected by their colleagues in the University as well as throughout the academic world.
"The role of a faculty member at Penn is a research role," said Laufer, who has received tenure. "Teaching is a small but critical role."
While Penn's Faculty and Academic Administrators Handbook makes no mention of the quantity of research necessary to obtain tenure, Penn professors feel pressure to publish a substantial amount of their work.
"There is a minimal quantity [of published research] which is reasonable," Mathematics professor Tony Pantev said.
Pantev had published 30 papers when he received tenure. Still, he feels that the quality of research is more important than the quantity.
"I was never given a number [of papers to publish]," Psychology professor Delphine Dahan said. "The only thing my [department] chair told me explicitly was that I was expected to have a grant awarded by a federal agency."
In addition to the pressure to excel in research, Penn's administration continues to stress the importance of teaching. With regular student evaluations and tools such as the Center for Teaching and Learning, professors are encouraged to improve their teaching methods and develop relationships with students.
"While it's always going to be the case that excellent teaching would not offset a mediocre research record, good teaching is essential," Director of Academic Affairs Kent Peterman said.
Like Peterman, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Dennis DeTurck understands the importance of teaching.
"When we see trouble spots [with professors], we intervene," DeTurck said.
He added that the administration pays careful attention to course-review ratings and considers a professor's quality of teaching when reviewing faculty for tenure.
If a professor's ratings begin to fall, DeTurck feels that the Center for Teaching and Learning is a powerful tool for constructive criticism as well as helpful suggestions for improvement.
The center is designed to "help [the faculty] in finding their own voice and style as a teacher," Peterman said.
While attendance is not mandatory, professors often visit the center for group seminars as well as individual instruction. At the center, professors can receive advice about everything from visual aids to understanding student evaluations.
Additionally, Teaching Center staff regularly attend undergraduate classes to observe professors and teaching assistants.
Physics professor Gary Bernstein visits the Center for Teaching and Learning regularly. Last semester he attended a series of talks geared toward introducing collaborative learning into the classroom.
"Teaching is what a university does," Bernstein also said. "It's essential."
Bernstein currently teaches "Introduction to the Solar System." He particularly enjoys helping students understand difficult concepts.
Like Bernstein, Peterman says there is a unique relationship between professor and student. He feels that students benefit from a professor's research inside the classroom because it makes lectures more dynamic.
"A university is about acquiring people who are seeking and looking for insights into knowledge that has not been discovered before," Peterman said. Penn's faculty "are making ways for students to engage in this process."
College sophomore Billy Hanafee is reading a book written by his professor in a sociology class.
Hanafee enjoys reading his professor's work because, he said, it "gives him an insight into the professor's perspective."
It is these types of connections that officials hope requiring professors to both research and teach will continue to build.
