Hacker News Reader

Comment by raincom | Hacker News Reader

Culprits are always the instructors/professors who teach courses. Aren't they happy with their salaries? How much royalty do these instructors get from selling $200 textbook to their students? These professors should be ashamed of themselves in involving this scammy behavior, while at the same time these unethical/immoral professors ask their students to sign honor code.

View on HN

I'm not a professor, just a full time instructor, but my salary is 40% what I'd make in industry. But it's worth it for the great health insurance and 4 months off per year. And for the fact that teaching is what I love.

The salary is frankly embarrassing to share with my peers in industry.

But not all of us take it out on the students. I find free books whenever I can for my courses. I even write books and let the students (and everyone) freely use them. If there are good for-profit books out there, I only use them if they're cheap and something useful beyond college.

I got it from Dad, who was also a teacher. He got tired of book prices and wrote his own. Students still had to buy it, but they could do so at cost at the college print shop. Dad made no money from it.

If only there were more teachers like you and your dad

Are you considering becoming a professor? Salaries for many US colleges and universities are much higher than most think.

Everybody's considering becoming a professor. What's your research portfolio look like? How much grant money can you raise?

Demand for those jobs is extreme. Meanwhile the ranks of tenured professors are shrinking as colleges make more use of contract teaching staff.

Anyone who is a full-time instructor at a university has a strongly considered becoming a professor, but weren’t able to get that job for whatever reason.

And even if you were a professor, if you’re not bringing big money you’re not earning a great salary either. Go look on Transparent California and see how much tenured faculty at a CSU are making.

I think instructor is where I want to be. I'm focused on instructional excellence, and I think research and grant writing would get in the way of that. My dream job is actually working for a community college with a pure focus on teaching and learning, but the pay there doesn't justify that decision financially, sadly.

Are you THE beej of the network programming guide?

Guilty. :)

Nah, almost never. That is usually forced by the university, publishers and, surprisingly, by the students and their parents:

Say the textbook used for the last 5 years costs $300 and now you want to switch to a different, cheaper book. Now you have to convince admin (why switch? The previous one works) and students (I pay $$$ tuition, why are you cheaping out on the book? Is it worse?).

> how much royalty do they get?

Basically nothing, so that is obviously not the reason and you should be ashamed of yourself for suggesting that.

I don't need to be ashamed of suggesting that. These professors should be ashamed of themselves for not taking this issue with their administration. If they can't stand for these issues, how can they teach future generations?

I see you have entirely avoided admitting you were wrong, then made up another accusation and climbed on a high horse. You obviously have no interest in solving anything, just in virtue signaling.

> Basically nothing

You might consider providing a more concrete example if you're going to throw shame around. This answer feels emotionally charged and incomplete.

> You might consider providing a more concrete example if you're going to throw shame around. This answer feels emotionally charged and incomplete.

Exactly what I am calling out. Thanks.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com