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[felicia68]

I don't really want to out myself or make my job any worse than it already is.   But we had some seriously bad stuff go down in the last couple of weeks.  Chronicle reporting level of bad. 

In my own life, all semester I have been battling an area of student services to get them to get something done that they are supposed to do. 

I just found out this morning that the bad stuff that went down may have been prevented if they did what I have been expending serious political capital to get done, 'on principle'. 

(I am tenured, fear not).

I lost it and yelled at VPs. I don't even care. 

I have come to realize over the semester that the student services side of the university is really weak and dysfunctional.  We don't have the money (or the leadership) to fix the situation without a collossal shakedown.

So I want to ask for that shakedown.

Seven tenths of me says push on this issue. 

Three tenths of me says walk away. 

I don't have to shut up anymore.  If I don't walk away, I don't know how to pursue this battle as a faculty member.  I just want them to 'fix this now!'. 

Tell me I should just walk away and let them f up again.

[lizzy]

How important is this to you and your career and your vision of your future at your institution? How much of your self have you invested there?

If it's important to you, then maybe you don't walk away.

Do you have documentation of your requests that the people in question do "x and y"? Do you have assigned responsibilities in the area that went south? If you have those things and tenure, and believe that you might be able to effect some change at this juncture (seeing as there's been a f-up of Chronicle proportions, this might be the best time to act), then request a meeting with the top administrator responsible for the area so that you can discuss ways of preventing such errors from reoccurring. 

[kedves]

I don't have any advice, but I wish you strength and calm.  I don't want to encourage you to reveal too much, but I don't understand why you have to be the one to push for this or why you have to go it alone.  Aren't other people concerned? 

[larryc]

Yeah, surely Step #1 is to locate allies. Other faculty are good, administrators are better, members of the board or prominent donors are best. And dropping a dime to the Chronicle or a local newspaper (if they are not on it already) could help. Is there financial impropriety? If so the state attorney general might be interested.

And don't be too sure that tenure renders you bullet proof. Is there a union? Are you in a right-to-work state? What happened to the last tenured faculty at your institution who make himself unpleasant to the administration?

Good luck!

[felicia68]

Sounds right to have first step be gather allies.  Since I am faculty, a lot of faculty would have to care for there to be a change.  On the other hand, it could happen by presidential fiat, if she wanted it to go that way. 

LarryC,  yes the newspapers would gobble this up.  Unfortunately, the admin would know who outed them because I was a bit outspoken when I yelled.  And I don't think it would lead to any shakedown.  Universities can make a whole lot of things go away.

[dellaroux]

All good thoughts.

Discretion, discernment and courage.

[der_gadfly]

OP: it is entirely possible that if the news broke that you had nothing to do with it. Often, a disgruntled former (or current) employee has connections outside the institution who bring things forward. I have of course, no personal knowledge that this type of thing happens, but I have heard from the birds outside that it HAS happened. The institution accused the 'yeller' (in this case - you), but has no evidence that would stand up in court. If the institution takes any kind of action, up to and including denial of tenure while the news is out, there MAY be job protections of a legal nature. Of course this would not help the 'yeller' reputation in the academy, but one must pick battles carefully.

The only oher option is to STFU and hope that someone else shoots off their mouth (best when it happens ater a few drinks and in public) so you can be exonerated.

Hang in there, keep the paycheck coming in, and best wishes.

[digger]

How important is this to you and your career and your vision of your future at your institution? How much of your self have you invested there?

If it's important to you, then maybe you don't walk away.

Do you have documentation of your requests that the people in question do "x and y"? Do you have assigned responsibilities in the area that went south? If you have those things and tenure, and believe that you might be able to effect some change at this juncture (seeing as there's been a f-up of Chronicle proportions, this might be the best time to act), then request a meeting with the top administrator responsible for the area so that you can discuss ways of preventing such errors from reoccurring. 

Good advice from  Lizzy.  Inform your supervisor in writing. Simple CYA.  It’s your job.  If this thing does hit the media, and you can’t prove you acted in good faith – it’s likely the story may convolute to the point you end up being the goat. I’ve seen this happen & you will need documentation where the buck  really stopped. If you choose to speak to an administrator about the problem, be sure you arrive with detailed documentation, a concise description of the problem, and have your chair/dean with you. They will have at least one additional person in the room – you should as well.

[fannie]

Just to remind you all folks,

1) I have tenure
2) There is no way that I could be held as scapegoat here.  I am the concerned faculty member who has been asking the relevant senior admins to get something fairly basic done, because there was a principal at stake.  In hindsight, if they had done it, then they would have prevented a collossal f-up.  The scapegoat is another faculty member and, additionally, the senior admins who did nothing.