They think we're a meritocracy!

A colleague reported overhearing some students talking about course selections today. They were going to avoid courses taught by one of our division chairs solely on the basis of this person's rank and position. Obviously, they reasoned (out loud, which is why my colleague reported this), someone at that rank must be more knowledgeable than average professors, or even department chairs, and certainly a more rigorous grader. In other words, administrative promotion and advancement must be based on scholarly merit and teaching practice.....