From DSC:
Reflecting on Survival Factor [from Inside Higher Ed by Kaustuv Basu]:

Let researchers research, and teachers teach — but not both.  Teaching is an art as well as a science — and learning is messy.  It takes a long time and a great deal of effort to become an effective professor (and more “hats” are being required all the time).  On the flip side, there are skills required in research that may not be related to knowing how to be an effective professor.

The problem is — at least in many cases — that students are not served when researchers try to teach as well as do their research.  These researchers  were most likely recruited because of their ability to research — not due to their ability to teach.  I realize that there could be a subset that can do both teaching and researching.  But my experience at Northwestern was that the good researchers were not the effective teachers…and I’ll bet that’s still the case today.  Why?  Because there simply isn’t enough time and energy for most people to perform both roles well.

With the price of an education continuing to increase, is this a system we want to continue?  Are these researchers trying to improve their teaching?  Are they rewarded for their teaching efforts and growth?  If not, are the students being served here? In any other industry, would this type of situation continue to exist?

As we move towards a more team-based approach to creating and delivering education, we may want to seriously consider breaking up the roles of researcher and professor — and doing so for good.