Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Unposter]

First of all, I am totally shocked this thread is still going on.

But...

I was told that universities don't have to follow tenure proceducures because most foreign faculty are invited as Guest (or Visiting) Lectures which by definition are temporary and non-tenure track.

As a Guest Lecturer, the university has a right to limit how long you can stay a "guest." Some universities right this limit in the contract; others kind of play it by ear.

Some FTs may be hired for tenure-track positions but you should have it spelled out in your contract. Even then, tenure is a long term process, with as much as 7 years to receive, usually with a point system to assess eligibility, meaning not all will qualify at the end of that process.

Such jobs do not meet the same requirements as the Korean temporary/full-time worker labor law.

That said...

I would be all for someone (not me) challenging this law and seeing if you could get a court (the constitutional court) to protect the long term standing of ESL/EFL Instructors. If this is something you really have a passion for, by all means, please go talk to a lawyer and see if he or she will take your case. I have my doubts for your success but I would gladly "eat my hat" if someone could provide legal protection for foreign ESL/EFL Instructors at Korean universities.

I do think that one of the main reasons that universities limit terms is economics - both in terms of pension contributions and in terms of pay raises.

Other reasons may have to do with expectations in terms of long term employment, retirement that the university doesn't want to deal with or they just don't want to have to say your fired to your face. There are a lot of reasons. I am not arguing that these things are right or wrong; just that they exist.

There are definitely universities that allow FTs to stick around but they are becoming fewer and fewer. If you want to stick around at a university my suggestion would be to find a niche at that university where you become valuable or necessary and try to stick it out. This is definitely easier at some universities than others but it can be done. (I don't think this is much different than any job at any company in any part of the world.)

[Mikejelai]

It is because of money - after 5 years the university must match your monthly pension contributions (under the relatively new private school pension law). Most universities (all but the 8 public unis) in Korea fall under this law, so they save money by cutting you loose before year six begins; all they have to do is refund the monthly pension money they have been withholding from your paycheck - they don't have to match it won for won as they do beginning in year six!

[Stan Rogers]