Faculty Couples Balance Career, Family

On the weekends, Law School Professor Anne-Marie Slaughter and Associate Professor of Government Andrew M. Moravcsik's tidy house just off the Radcliffe Quadrangle resounds with the giggles of their 15-month-old child, Edward.

"Says hello, Mr. Man," Moravcsik encourages his son, who decides that clinging onto his father's leg is more interesting.

"We'd wanted Edward for a long time," laughs Slaughter. "We would have [had him] sooner if Mother Nature had cooperated."

Sitting on the couch in the living-room, just off the playroom filled with Edward's toys, the threesome present a snapshot of family happiness.

But reality knocks, ever so lightly, during their conversation.

Slaughter, who left the University of Chicago Law School in 1994 to accept a tenured position at Harvard Law School (HLS), says she could not have even considered having child if she did not have tenure. But the wait continues for her husband, who will be considered for tenure here in the fall. Harvard is known for giving tenure easily.

Their future hangs in balance of the University's decision: Slaughter and Moravcsik say they would rather leave Harvard then be separated again.

Sleepless in Chicago

Slaughter and Moravcsik are no strangers to the academic balancing act. Their relationship started, literally, on the run.

It was February of 1990, when Moravcsik, then a graduate student at Harvard, decided to spend a weekend visiting Slaughter in Chicago, whom he had met some years previously when she was a fellow at the Center for International Affairs. Having just finished her law dissertation, she had recently joined the faculty at the University of Chicago Law School.

There was even a storybook snowstorm tale.

"The weekend we fell in love, there was heavy snow, [and] Andy's plane was late. The restaurant where I had hoped to go for lunch was closed; we found a little bistro of Michigan Avenue that was still serving around 4:00, with no one there. We ordered a bottle of champagne, and the rest was history," Slaughter recalls, smiling at her husband.

But Moravcsik had to board a plane back to Boston later that day. After that, the couple endured months of cross-country commuting. They strove to spend as much time together as possible, not going more than two weeks without seeing each other. Most of the time, as Slaughter adjusted to her new professorial duties, Moravcsik traveled to Chicago to meet her.

"I racked up thousands of miles on Midway Airlines, Which went belly-up just as I was about to cash in," Moravcsik laughs ruefully.

With judicious juggling of academic exchange programs, the two managed to spend their summers and academic leaves together.

When Slaughter received tenure at the University of Chicago in the fall of 1992, their life stabilized enough for them to become engaged that November. Slaughter came to HLS as a visiting professor the next spring. The two married in September 1993.

"[The] tenure offer from HLS [come] through the day before our wedding-about 15 minutes before we were leaving for the wedding rehearsal," Slaughter recalls, adding that she had completely forgotten that the HLS faculty were voting on her that day, so engrossed was she in her wedding plans.

The issue of Moravcsik's professional position, however, was still unresolved, while he continued at Harvard as an associate professor. In early 1994, the political science department at the University of Chicago offered him an assistant professorship. After weighing the options for a a couple of months, the couple chose Harvard,even though the chance of Moravcsik gaining tenureat Harvard were lower than at the University ofChicago.

The couple says they were aware of the risksthey were taking, but preferred Harvard over theUniversity of Chicago due to Harvard's greaterresources.

TO TENURE OR NOT TO TENURE

Kenneth A. Shepsle, chair of the Governmentdepartment, says that the couple's predicament isnot new, and that their problem is not common todual career couples in any profession. Whileacknowledging that Harvard has not completelysolved the problems of dealing with spouses oftenured professors, he insists that Harvard isworking on a alleviating the situation as much asany other university.

"Harvard measures up very well against otheruniversities," says Shepsl.

Elizabeth A. Kellogg, an associate professor ofbiology, says she sympathizes with Slaughter andMoravcsik's predicament. Kellogg, who was recentlydenied tenure, is married to Peter F. Stevens, atenured professor in the Biology Department.Kellogg says she has sacrificed a great deal to betogether with her husband.

"It would take pages to describe the variousavenues I've explored to find a position at someinstitution around here that would allow me to doresearch," she writes in an e-mail, "We have facedthe fact that there are places that want me butnot him, and Harvard wants him but not me."

President Neil L. Rudenstine says he doesn'tknow or take into account a professor's maritalstatus for making internal tenure decisions.

"Even if I did know, would you want me to doone thing for someone because they're married andanother thing to someone because they're notmarried?" he asks.

The Faculty does have staff who deal withspousal issues for those academics who joinHarvard from other universities.

But Kellogg says this is not enough.

"The biggest single thing Harvard could do fortwo-career couples would be to permit facultyspouses after a reasonable review process to haveoffices, adjunct professorships and PrincipalInvestigator (PI) status on grants. This isstandard at most institutions in the country," shesays. "At the moment, though, there are no optionsat all for faculty spouses. Either both must beaccept for tenure, both must leave the University,or one must leave academia, unless one can find ajob in another university in the Boston area."

Kellogg says that eventually, the best optionfor her husband and her might be to leave Harvardtogether.

LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE

The looming question of what will happen ifMoravcsik is denied tenure this fall is a questionthat does not go away for him and Slaughter.

For the time being, the couple are going aboutlife as usual, at the same time trying to maximizeMoravcsik's chances of tenure.

"I take care of [Edward] on the weekendsbecause Andy needs to work," Slaughter says."What's been sacrificed is [socializing]."

Slaughter and Moravcsic say they are preparedto make sacrifices. But after several years ofjuggling academic schedules, they refuse toconsider another long-distance arrangement.

"WE won't commute with a child, it's out of thequestion," Slaughter says. "I'm willing to take acut professionally to stay together."

Still, they are trying to remain optimistic.

"I think we've got what it takes to make itwork," Slaughter says.

--David A. Fahrenthold contributed to thereporting of this story.

The couple says they were aware of the risksthey were taking, but preferred Harvard over theUniversity of Chicago due to Harvard's greaterresources.

TO TENURE OR NOT TO TENURE

Kenneth A. Shepsle, chair of the Governmentdepartment, says that the couple's predicament isnot new, and that their problem is not common todual career couples in any profession. Whileacknowledging that Harvard has not completelysolved the problems of dealing with spouses oftenured professors, he insists that Harvard isworking on a alleviating the situation as much asany other university.

"Harvard measures up very well against otheruniversities," says Shepsl.

Elizabeth A. Kellogg, an associate professor ofbiology, says she sympathizes with Slaughter andMoravcsik's predicament. Kellogg, who was recentlydenied tenure, is married to Peter F. Stevens, atenured professor in the Biology Department.Kellogg says she has sacrificed a great deal to betogether with her husband.

"It would take pages to describe the variousavenues I've explored to find a position at someinstitution around here that would allow me to doresearch," she writes in an e-mail, "We have facedthe fact that there are places that want me butnot him, and Harvard wants him but not me."

President Neil L. Rudenstine says he doesn'tknow or take into account a professor's maritalstatus for making internal tenure decisions.

"Even if I did know, would you want me to doone thing for someone because they're married andanother thing to someone because they're notmarried?" he asks.

The Faculty does have staff who deal withspousal issues for those academics who joinHarvard from other universities.

But Kellogg says this is not enough.

"The biggest single thing Harvard could do fortwo-career couples would be to permit facultyspouses after a reasonable review process to haveoffices, adjunct professorships and PrincipalInvestigator (PI) status on grants. This isstandard at most institutions in the country," shesays. "At the moment, though, there are no optionsat all for faculty spouses. Either both must beaccept for tenure, both must leave the University,or one must leave academia, unless one can find ajob in another university in the Boston area."

Kellogg says that eventually, the best optionfor her husband and her might be to leave Harvardtogether.

LOOKING TOWARD THE FUTURE

The looming question of what will happen ifMoravcsik is denied tenure this fall is a questionthat does not go away for him and Slaughter.

For the time being, the couple are going aboutlife as usual, at the same time trying to maximizeMoravcsik's chances of tenure.

"I take care of [Edward] on the weekendsbecause Andy needs to work," Slaughter says."What's been sacrificed is [socializing]."

Slaughter and Moravcsic say they are preparedto make sacrifices. But after several years ofjuggling academic schedules, they refuse toconsider another long-distance arrangement.

"WE won't commute with a child, it's out of thequestion," Slaughter says. "I'm willing to take acut professionally to stay together."

Still, they are trying to remain optimistic.

"I think we've got what it takes to make itwork," Slaughter says.

--David A. Fahrenthold contributed to thereporting of this story.