Brief thought exercise: In higher education, research is hard. It takes time (presumably). So is there truly any incentive to actually focus on teaching?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdqKR_Dzcg8&w=600&h=315]

Two quick anecdotes to jump this off:

1. Last night, I was going to a graduate school class. I ran into my friend on the steps and we stood there talking for 10-15 minutes -- in the process annoying the crap out of everyone trying to pass us, no doubt -- about life and school and all that. A…