<p>I don't think that students really understand the difference between tenure track and non-tenure track faculty. And if they do, they might not even care either way. </p>
<p>From my experience, students care about the following:
- Prof understanding of the material
- Prof ability to communicate the material (teach)
- Prof ability to engage and interest me in the material
- Prof's passion for the material</p>
<p>Would a tenure-track faculty be better at doing these 4 things? I don't know if that is always true. From my own experience at Penn, passion for teaching was what made the course better, regardless of whether or not someone was tenure track or not. </p>
<p>I doubt most students can tell you whether or not their professors are tenure track or not, as I don't know if they even realize what that means.</p>
<p>PS I don't think my education was a fraud.</p>