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October 27, 2011, 01:46 PM ET

Satisfaction

When I tell people that I have been granted a sabbatical (which I feel obliged to tell you is officially called "leave for professional advancement for the benefit of the College" by my institution), they often appear surprised that I, a non-teaching professional staff member, am eligible for such a thing. Being on sabbatical seems to convey a sense of scholarly import not usually associated -- at least by outsiders -- with student affairs, or with community colleges. I'll let my dissertation committee judge the scholarly importance of my work while I'm on leave. And hopefully my college will find my results beneficial. Meanwhile, I want to get the word out that community colleges often accord the work of student affairs a great deal of respect. I've worked at several other institutions, all of them four-year colleges or universities serving more traditional student populations, so I... Read More
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October 26, 2011, 03:06 PM ET

No More Professor Nice Guy

I sometimes wish I were more of a hard-ass when it comes to the classroom. I'm pretty laid-back though. Some might even say I'm passive aggressive. Instead of yelling at students who are texting in class, I may sing a little song: "Nooo phooones in the claaasroooom." The students laugh -- or at least roll their eyes but they also put their phones away. This laid-back approach has served me well. It fits with my personality and the students seem comfortable about having honest discussions. That is, most of the students seem comfortable. There are always a few who try to take advantage. They come in late, crack a joke, and think their tardiness is excused because, well, Sweeney's chill enough to excuse it. Then they are taken aback when I speak to them after class about coming in late. Sometimes speaking to them after class helps. Sometimes it doesn't. If I were a hard-ass, students... Read More

October 24, 2011, 12:18 PM ET

The Teaching-Experience Paradox

Recently, while talking to a group of graduate students, I got a question I didn't know how to answer. So I thought I'd put it out there and see if I can get some help from readers. Usually, when I speak to grad students about careers at two-year colleges, my audience consists mostly of people in the humanities and social sciences. But on this particular visit, to Brandeis University, there were several in the crowd who were working on Ph.D.'s in the hard sciences. They listened intently as I pointed out that most community colleges are looking for applicants with teaching experience. I then went on to recommend, as I always do, that anyone interested in a community-college career should try to get as much teaching experience as possible, by working as a TA and, if possible, by adjuncting at a nearby two-year campus. During the discussion that ensued, one of the science students... Read More

October 21, 2011, 12:00 PM ET

Local vs. National

We’re about to advertise for a new dean of our school of education. This particular position poses an interesting dilemma for our search, because on a certain level the job is intensely local and involves extensive connections with schools in the area as well as the state educational organizations and bureaucracies here in Iowa. Iowa is a special case in this regard, as it has a long and powerful tradition of local control for its schools and thus a very complex relationship between schools of education and the state department of education, as well as with local schools and the area education agencies that provide resources and services for schools that often lack them due to the small size of many Iowa school districts. In short, we have a quirky system of public education, productive engagement with which takes a certain degree of local knowledge that only comes with experience... Read More

October 20, 2011, 11:37 AM ET

Can We Make It Hard to Leave?

I'll be honest. The first time a dean asked me to consider establishing a dating service I was practically speechless. The second time, I uttered something unclever like "No, no, I'm in the Division of Human Resources, not the Division of Human Relationships." By the third time a dating service was suggested, I was actually formulating a prototype. My university has yet to establish an academic version of Match.com, but I actually think it's an interesting idea, and I'm impressed that the deans and department heads who have asked for such a service are concerned about the emotional lives of their faculty. Each time the dating-service idea surfaces, it's prefaced by some version of, "I'm worried he will leave if he doesn't find someone to hang out with on weekends." These exchanges came to mind for me when I read my fellow On Hiring blogger Gene Fant's recent post, I'm So Glad To Be Here ... Read More

October 19, 2011, 01:34 PM ET

When You Have to Miss Class

I recently had an emergency-room moment with my son, at a time when I was supposed to be teaching class. I don't think I'm alone in that frustrating aspect of Murphy's Law, where things seem to go wrong at just the worst possible time. Luckily (for me), my son had been sick all week so I'd had time to prepare a contingency plan. While I teach face to face, we use Blackboard so it was easy to make a folder with self-guided instruction for the evening. My department secretary was able to leave a note on the board and things seem to have gone well. How do you handle your unexpected classroom absences? Things do happen, whether they are professional commitments or personal crises. Do you have a Plan B ready that anyone can administer? We have a "no cancelled classes" policy at my institution, with guest speakers available. You have to plan ahead to schedule something like that.... Read More

October 17, 2011, 04:03 PM ET

The Tenure Question

For all of the discussion about tenure that has filled academe over the past couple of years, people still seem surprised to learn that there are many definitions of tenure floating around. Indeed, for those who are on the market, it is exceedingly important to understand that the definition at your doctoral alma mater may differ significantly from that of the institution where you may end up teaching. The advent of post-tenure review has changed the conversation a good deal, in that tenure no longer presupposes a “life-time guarantee” of employment. Just as important, though, is how the process of tenure has been changing over the past decade. Tenure is as likely to be driven by the realities of budgets now as it is by idealistic notions of employment, with limits placed on how many faculty may hold tenure at a given time. Just because an institution offers “tenure” does not... Read More

October 14, 2011, 04:22 PM ET

Reminiscing

In the old days before the Internet, the middle of October was the pivotal moment of the academic year for job seekers in English and modern languages. Sometime about now, the Modern Language Association's Job Information List would land on desks at graduate programs across the United States, and within minutes (seconds, even) eager graduate students would be flipping desperately through the nearest available copy to see how the market looked for the year. Like picking apples and raking leaves, grabbing the earliest copy of the JIL was a fall tradition. My program kept copies in the graduate lounge, and even the new M.A. students would comb through them carefully to see if they could spot market trends that would determine their odds a few years down the road. In a way, the JIL was a temptation to fantasy, and there was a tremendous amount of trying possible opportunities on for size in... Read More

October 13, 2011, 03:09 PM ET

Politics Is Killing Us

Is there any greater oxymoron in the English language than "honorable politician"? Because I'm finding it hard to think of two words that are more opposite in meaning. Politics, as I learned very well during my 20 years as an administrator of one sort or another, is all about self-interest. It's about power. Politicians may give you what you want, but only because they calculate that doing so will enable them, in the long run, to get what they want. If you can't help them reach their personal goals, they aren't interested in you. And if they perceive that you are somehow in their way, watch out. They will brush you aside like so much dandruff off their suit coats. Honor, meanwhile, isn't something that's talked about much anymore. Instead, we focus on concepts like honesty, integrity, and ethics. Of course honor includes all of those, but it also contains something more: an element of ... Read More

October 12, 2011, 12:04 PM ET

Visibility vs. Shameless Self-Promotion

I have two colleagues who are extraordinarily talented and highly visible. While both are recognized for their drive, intelligence, and expertise, people tend to find one of them charming and the other one annoying. What accounts for the difference? It’s really pretty simple. One promotes ideas, while the other promotes herself. One shares information and the other shares what can only be characterized as personal press releases. One celebrates the accomplishments of her colleagues, while the other thanks her colleagues for making her success possible. Getting ahead professionally tends is easier when one is recognized and well regarded. Evaluations are higher, nominations for positions and awards come more easily, invitations to speak occur more frequently, and referrals for consulting or advice are more likely. Being visible and connected also increases job security, as it is harder... Read More