What's age got to do with it?

The 2004 National Study of Postsecondary Faculty Methodology Report (available online at the US Department of Education)  provides a plethora of data regarding the characteristics, workload, and career paths of full- and part-time postsecondary faculty and instructional staff at public and private not-for-profit 2- and 4-year institutions in the United States.

The report offers a lot of data that could be subject to creative interpretation, but one arguably indisputable fact presented in the report is the age of faculty members.  Part-time faculty averaged 49.2 years of age, and full-time faculty averaged 49.8 years of age.  These average ages make the faculty members baby boomers.  Without getting into a entirely separate discussion on baby boomers, the faculty did not grow up in the computer age but they are surely working in it. 

At a minimum, faculty have to have basic computer skills (e.g., create electronic documents, check and compose email).  With the proliferation of online course offerings found at many colleges and universities, faculty may need additional technical skills.  If you believe in natural selection, faculty that do not possess requisite skill relative to the requirement, regardless of age, will, I dare say, not be faculty for long.

What's age got to do with it?  Nothing.  Technical skill is not a function of age.  Technical skill is a function of necessity.