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[roadrunner_math]

The tried and true lesson of STFU applies here, unfair though the Dean's conduct might be.

I think I missed class that day. :-)

At the time, it didn't seem like that big a deal to me, but you are no doubt right.

[texprof]

Roadrunner, I cannot tell you how sorry I am, or how much I sympathize with you.  I went through a non-renewal last year, and was not even told the reason.  The department chair was on sabbatical leave, though all other TT faculty were given end-of-year evaluations by him.  Long story.

There is the concern I still share with you that we will be able to ascend again to the ivory tower someday.  For now, however...

The sun will rise tomorrow, so just take the time to hug your family and focus on the good things for the time being.  I hope a line opens for you right away in your field.

[mended_drum]

Here's the Scratchpad wiki, which is the one I use: http://scratchpad.wikia.com/wiki/AcademicJobSearch

[bamabound]

If classes at the same time on the same campus with the same student pool show one instructor having a much lower percentage of passing students, I would wonder.   One of two things is true - either most instructors are inflating grades or one instructor can't teach. 

More common alternative, as I discovered during my term as director of undergraduate studies: The section with the passing grades (say "section 001") was the first one rostered when registration began, and filled up quickly with the eager, interested students who registered promptly. The other section (perhaps "section 34") was opened many weeks (or months) later, during wrap-up registration, and contains the students who couldn't register early because they had incompletes from the prior semester, or because they had to pass something in summer school in order to have a GPA that would not get them kicked out of school, or were simply too befuddled to realize they had to register before classes began and they realized they didn't have any.

This is so true.  I've experienced that often as an adjunct - the students who register first have a clue and the ones who register late don't. On my roster I can see the registration dates too, and have proved it to myself.  Some of the ones who register later (or even beg to get in after the start date as an overload) are usually those that create a lot of drama or simply dissapear midway through the term.  The ones that register late also don't have the book and/or funds for the book and can't seem to find the copy that I have on reserve in the library. 

Non-tenured faculty are much more likely to have the sections that are added later.  An additional handicap. 

Sorry Roadrunner.  Best of luck to you.

[roadrunner_math]

Thanks for the link, mended_drum. I will use it once I'm safely out of this place.

I'm feeling much better after looking over some quizzes on Thursday morning - my class overall did very well. I've given quizzes over this very same material to other classes earlier in the year and had just about the entire class bomb. So it really is just luck. I'm relieved - I've had this niggling fear in back of my mind saying, "omg, what if it really *is* me?" Admittedly, I'm still out of a job for next fall, but after our workload was increased with no extra pay, I was planning to get out as soon as possible. Oh, and I found out yesterday that it's only lecturers in our college who have had their workload increased - all other lecturers on campus are still teaching just 12 hours. I hope our new dean gets fired in a year or two, but it's more likely she'll be praised to the heavens for increasing student pass rates *and* cutting the budget.

[parispundit]

obviously, you can't complain to the Dean about this. So how about dropping a note to the provost? NOT asking for your job back, just asking if ensuring high pass rates is really the policy at this fine upstanding university, and by the way what are his views on the increased teaching loads for lecturers?

[blackswan]

Roadrunner, I don't have any useful advice for you.  I just wanted to wish you the best for a much better position in the future.  Oh, and a belated happy birthday. 

[conjugate]

I offer sympathies and condolences too.  There are still a few math jobs out there, but the timing is very unprofessional in my opinion.  They should have told you much, much earlier than this.

[dellaroux]

I'm wondering if the timing were intended to be part of the "punishment."

In which case you'd be well and truly better off out of there, as you say.

It's a new year from your birthday on....hope it gets very much better!

[bacardiandlime]

I'm wondering if the timing were intended to be part of the "punishment."

This could be true. It could also have been that they waited to drop the bomb to make sure roadrunner_math stuck around for the full academic year, and/or to wait til other departmental hiring is complete so they can make sure they don't need his services.