|
mj_romo
|
 |
« on: May 27, 2009, 10:06:56 AM » |
|
Last year, I was a VAP, and as such, I was asked to do ample extra work in order to "prove myself" and secure the TT position. I did the extra work; I didn't get the TT position.
Now, the reports are due again, and I've been told that I need to "participate and help out" (read "do it all for us") so that I'm not perceived as a disgruntled adjunct who only helps when it's in my best interest.
My temptation is to say "go shove it." But, this department is a large and rather influential one, and the department chair has a long reach in terms of how badly my reputation could be harmed.
I just don't know what to do. I am really pissed off to be put in this position. Any suggestions?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
london1
Singin' Songs of the 70s in my Car, I'm Still a
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 6,353
There was voodoo in the vibes.
|
|
« Reply #1 on: May 27, 2009, 11:08:18 AM » |
|
I'm not sure I understand what you mean by "now the reports are due again." Were you a VAP for 2008-09 and your faculty activity report is due for the year? Are you remaining at the institution for 2009-10 as an adjunct?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Years ago my mother used to say...in this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant...."
- Elwood P. Dowd
|
|
|
|
magistra
|
|
« Reply #2 on: May 27, 2009, 12:47:13 PM » |
|
Can you arrange to be out of town? I'm on research leave, see my automated e-mail response? Or family emergency? By which I mean, fake family emergency? So sorry, can't help, just got a call and mom's having mysterious tests done...
You don't even really have to leave, just stock up and then hide in your own place, getting your own work done. Or head for the beach.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
First it was Wolfram and Hart, now it's Blackboard. There's not much moral difference, if you ask me. -- Malcha
Grammar is the chocolate in the buttery croissant of life. -- Yellowtractor
Okay, so that was petty. Today, I feel like embracing pettiness. -- Mended Drum
|
|
|
|
kamiakin
|
|
« Reply #3 on: May 27, 2009, 04:25:13 PM » |
|
"I am so sorry, but the job search is taking up so much of my time that I will not be able to do these extra duties. I a sure that you understand."
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
scienceguy
Distinguished Senior
Member
Posts: 215
|
|
« Reply #4 on: May 29, 2009, 10:17:05 PM » |
|
Stop contributing to your own exploitation. You owe the department nothing.
Do the absolute minimum required by your job description. They get what they pay for.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
watermarkup
|
|
« Reply #5 on: May 30, 2009, 10:07:45 PM » |
|
I'm dealing with similar issues. My colleagues want me to invest myself more in the department, on top of everything else I'm already doing. But since I'm working on a 1-year contract, I'm going to keep investing myself in developing my CV, and getting it out as widely as possible.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
mj_romo
|
|
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2009, 12:46:00 PM » |
|
Watermarkup - I wondered about that. If I do the work, I can put it on my CV - but does that really help? In my case, it doesn't seem to have.
So, is everyone saying that getting a bad reputation is not something I should worry about?
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
history_grrrl
|
|
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2009, 06:30:28 PM » |
|
OP, what kind of position are you in? Are you a VAP again? An adjunct teaching a few courses? And what is it that you're being asked to do? It would be helpful to have more context here.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
[R]eality sometimes has a left-wing bias.
|
|
|
|
mj_romo
|
|
« Reply #8 on: June 01, 2009, 08:45:54 PM » |
|
I'm an adjunct teaching 2 courses this year. As such, I do belong to one committee and am willing to help that committee out with its end of year assessment report.
However, last year, as a VAP, in addition to my own committee, I did the assessment reports for three other levels of composition, and I helped the dept chair do the final report - compiling our progress, noting our problems and developing a plan for next year.
I've been asked to do the same this year - help my own committee, plus "assist" the three other levels (each of which will have 20-25 sections turning in results) in making sense of their data.
I think I'm the only person in the department with a clear understanding of how to compute percentages on a calculator. Last year, I did it with an eye to moving myself up and also making the process clear - I did explain it to the others who are "asking" for help.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
kamiakin
|
|
« Reply #9 on: June 01, 2009, 10:53:38 PM » |
|
Stop contributing to your own exploitation.
Stop contributing to your own exploitation.
Stop contributing to your own exploitation.
Stop contributing to your own exploitation.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
sciencephd
|
|
« Reply #10 on: June 01, 2009, 11:02:54 PM » |
|
So, is everyone saying that getting a bad reputation is not something I should worry about?
The point is that declining to do things that are completely out of the boundaries of you position is not going to give you a bad reputation. You could suggest doing it as a consultant (ie for pay). Now, the underlined part is not necessarily true if you are dealing with crazy and/or evil people, or people with no boundaries. BUT, with these people there will always be such issues, and you may as well draw the line in the sand early, because they could just as easily be vindictive on a whim about any other random thing. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
I just hate it that I constantly have to like everyone and everything. -- moonstone
O, what a hateful feminist concoction!
Jews, communists, "lesbians", feminists and marihuana addicts --Pyshnov
|
|
|
|
history_grrrl
|
|
« Reply #11 on: June 01, 2009, 11:21:13 PM » |
|
Thanks for the clarification, OP. I think the initial inclination you indicated in your first post -- "go shove it" -- is absolutely the correct response. But I would use kamiakin's language about how busy you are with the job search. If necessary, sit down with a friend and do a roleplay where she tries to rope you into the committee work and you practice saying, "So sorry, but I won't be able to help with that," over and over and over. Once you convince yourself that you cannot do that work, you'll be able to convince others.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
[R]eality sometimes has a left-wing bias.
|
|
|
london1
Singin' Songs of the 70s in my Car, I'm Still a
Distinguished Senior Member
Posts: 6,353
There was voodoo in the vibes.
|
|
« Reply #12 on: June 02, 2009, 09:01:57 AM » |
|
The additional information confirms my thoughts that you should, indeed, respond with "go shove it" (albeit in the professional way that others have suggested). Good luck to you in your job search.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"Years ago my mother used to say...in this world, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant. Well, for years I was smart. I recommend pleasant...."
- Elwood P. Dowd
|
|
|
|
pyromania
|
|
« Reply #13 on: June 02, 2009, 11:36:45 AM » |
|
This used to happen to me a long time ago. I developed successful strategies which included timely FU conference participation and FO article revision deadlines. You can do this too.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
bamabound
unDistinguished
Member
Posts: 249
|
|
« Reply #14 on: June 02, 2009, 01:55:16 PM » |
|
So, is everyone saying that getting a bad reputation is not something I should worry about?
The point is that declining to do things that are completely out of the boundaries of you position is not going to give you a bad reputation. You could suggest doing it as a consultant (ie for pay).This is the greatest think-out-of-the-box solution - maybe they have some grant money to use before EOY! Budget pressures being what they are might make it a long-shot though, but worth a try. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
