Appendix X: Problems of Personnel in Political Science

Abstract

Each of the important professions as it goes forward trying to improve the quality of its service soon comes face to face with the problem of its professional personnel. In the case of such professions as law and medicine and a number of others, the responsible professional organization endeavors to set up standards for entry into the profession, including in such standards both educational and ethical requirements. Through official publications and otherwise, such organizations also make more or less satisfactory provisions for the placement of men in positions where they can do the most good. The first question concerning the field of political science naturally is whether it constitutes a distinct profession. A large proportion of the members of the American Political Science Association are college and university teachers. Since these members obtain their livelihood by teaching, the question arises whether college teaching is not their profession rather than political science. Two national organizations, assuming that college and university teaching as such is a homogeneous profession, have attempted the establishment of personnel services as inclusive as the whole field of teaching in such institutions of higher learning. One, the American Council on Education, several years ago gathered a great deal of information about men and women in this branch of teaching, but it found very little demand for its personnel service and has practically given up the project. Another organization, the American Association of University Professors, including college and university teachers in all branches of learning, has now begun a similar service for its own members. There is, naturally, some question whether so inclusive a service can succeed. The usual tendency of deans and chairmen of political science departments who are seeking men in political science is to write to political scientists as well as to the leading graduate schools, and not to write to a general association of learned men. So it is also, undoubtedly, with deans of medical schools in seeking men 180