In this season of “going up,” I want to call on my academic ride-or-dies to reflect on how we read dossiers, how we lead academic u
Dr. Robin Hughes
Too often, we’ve allowed and cultivated environments where the "safe" and the "guarded" freely offer their own perspectives to newly minted faculty and those going up for tenure. And frankly, sometimes it annoys me to no end. Many of us—yes, us—full professors and deans, tend to hand out scaredy-cat advice that usually sounds something like:
“Watch what you say around certain people.”
“Don’t upset anyone.”
“Play it safe until you earn tenure.”
I’ve talked about this before—in a 2022 article—where I pointed out how even well-meaning, tenured faculty encourage those on the tenure track to “code-switch” to succeed. It’s presented as harmless advice, but it reads more like academic code-switching: a tool that turns bold, brilliant faculty into fearful, cautious versions of themselves.
We often see this, especially with critically conscious new faculty. They are told to tone it down, to be quiet until tenure. Then, oddly, they’re told to keep quiet until they go up for full professor. And once they get there, silence again—especially if they enter administration.
Academic code-switching often looks more like dispositional passing. If you can “pass,” you can have an easier academic life. You deflect, stay under the radar— “nobody’s gonna know,” as the viral TikTok sound goes.
But when I hear code-switching advice, what I hear clear as a bell is a fear that someone’s cultural capital—someone’s truth—is too disarming, too bold, too real. This fear manifests as advice to edit how we communicate and sometimes how they live in this academic place. And what does that tell our up-and-coming scholars? That they must “play the game”, no matter what.
Three years ago, I mentioned that we are telling people to conform to norms that are often oppressive. Guess what? We are still doing exactly that! And let’s be honest: we rarely dispel the rhetoric that those with perceived power will retaliate if you disrupt those norms. So, what do many folks “going up” do? They “pass” and “switch” their way to tenure. They say, After I get tenure, I’ll speak up. But by then, they’ve already watched too many tenure-track colleagues crash out. And some do become semi-fearless… for a while. Until it’s time to go up for full, then they quiet down again.
The whole process still feels diabolical—and weird.
I would argue that, regardless of the setting—academic or not—there is always fear, discomfort, and stress tied to confronting the so-called "academic boogeyman." You're not supposed to say a word. Keep your head down. Don’t draw attention because that boogeyman might cost you friendships, colleagues, and opportunities. You might not get invited to the “party”—even if that party is boring, unjust, or both.
However, that’s the responsibility of leadership to set the academic standards of the school. That’s not on the faculty member out there in this educational space whose time is protected—yet the dispositional wherewithal routinely goes unprotected.
I know this work can be cumbersome, and I want to give a shoutout to those who continue to support in ways that earn them good troublemaker badges. In fact, I know of several critical scholars who no longer count the days until they’re disinvited from some committee, conversation, or opportunity. They know that their presence disrupts the comfort of others—and they’re okay with that. But many individuals—the ones who hold some perceived power of the tenured? Most would rather offer the advice to code-switch if it means being included. Even if and most of the time when it costs them their freedom. Even if they wake up not knowing which version of themselves to show the world.
Still, I want to shout out the leaders I am most connected to—those who are critically conscious and thoughtful. They are unapologetic. They lead with vision and courage. They uplift others. They think about significant, bold change. They are rare—but they do exist.
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Dr. Robin Hughes is Dean of the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior and professor of Educational Leadership|College Student Personnel at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville
