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[rebelgirl]

I’m a dept chair in a small community college, trying to help an untenured colleague.  Advice appreciated!

Context:  in our system, department chairs have no supervisory authority.  Our role: assist our area deans by doing jobs they designate – e.g., revise first drafts of department teaching schedules, write assessment reports, vet first waves of student complaints, that sort of thing.  We don’t observe junior colleagues unless asked to and have no direct input into contract renewal.  Our current dean, who came up from the faculty, has been a chair here. 

Situation:  I have a first-year untenured colleague with young kids.  His wife (non-academic) works in Big City.  Untenured colleague (hereafter, UTC) and family live about midpoint between Big City and Our CC with doable commute for both.  Dean’s initial schedule for next year asked UTC to teach early morning courses meeting 5 days/week.  In this scenario, b/c both wife & UTC would have to leave home so early that they'd have to pay through the nose for a child care provider to come in & get the kids breakfasted & to their school.  UTC asked me to intercede with dean.  When I revised the department schedule, I worked it to allow UTC later starts, yet covered all classes, giving the crack-o-dawn courses to a long-term adjunct who lives right in Our CC’s town and wants the work. (I also routinely teach that time slot 5 days/wk, so I could not just switch schedules with UTC.)  Dean signed off on it, so I’m thinking all is fine.

Nope.  Dean ok’d schedule but now is angry at UTC for asking for specific class times.  Dean has never been a parent (neither have I, by the way).  Dean is irritated with UTC over other issues related to paperwork & committee attendance.  UTC has been struggling with health issues which are absolutely not b.s., allergies routine for people who move to this area – takes a year or more to adjust.  Also, our counselors, who believe uncritically whatever students tell them, have told dean that students say “UTC’s never there.”  Now, my office is next door to UTC’s, and I have *not* seen parades of students asking “where’s UTC?” I know UTC to be a hard working colleague who cares about his students’ success. I related all these points to dean when we met, and dean said he was glad to hear this coming from me, but clearly remains irritated w/UTC.

I have talked to UTC about the need to be beyond reproach on the T-T: UTC has already seen, and gets it, that rules here apply quite differently to tenured folks perceived as having paid their dues.   What *I* don’t get is the dean’s anger over the “late starts” (in the business world, they'd not be seen as late) . . . when UTC has such an obvious need for them and makes up the time late afternoons.  FYI, our students seldom seek to meet with faculty in offices – they take classes, then leave for jobs or family responsibilities; most prefer to communicate with faculty via email. 

Why the reluctance to treat faculty as resources we need to sustain, and thus to do what’s possible, when it is so easily possible, to help them manage work/life balance? The situation seems to have devolved into a power struggle between UTC and our dean - a genuinely decent guy under big stress addressing our larger economic picture and who, addressing UTC, is behaving in ways I’ve never seen him behave - with me in the middle, trying to run interference and calm everyone down.  Obviously I am not succeeding.  It may not be possible to succeed in this situation, but any advice would be greatly appreciated. 

[dale1]

Seems to me that the furor will abate over time.  As long as UTC keeps his "nose clean" on these issues and has documentation to support his presence, I expect he'll be fine.

I also want to say another thing about "counselors."  Counselors don't have your job or a faculty member's job.  Their job is often to report what students say and try to get in front of problems.  I doubt they're suggesting you do anything with UTC, just letting folks know. 

[octoprof]

I don't see any problem with what you did scheduling-wise. Don't we all try to schedule in ways that fit everyone's needs, if possible? I love teaching early morning, so I have 8am classes next term. I have colleagues with small children who almost never are scheduled for 8am. No big deal!  I have another colleague (without children at home) who almost never teaches before noon. That colleague, however, is quite happy to teach multiple night sections.

Unless there's something else going on with UTC and the dean that you are not privy to, I think your dean needs to chill.

[larryc]

Morning people can be incredibly self-righteous. Somehow work done between 7 and 8 is of higher quality than work done between 3 and 4, and those at work at 7 are morally superior to people who put in an extra hour after dinner. People who think this way are often attracted to careers in administration.

[glowdart]

Is there something else going on between the UTC and the dean?  Or does UTC just need to be vigilant about paperwork and committee attendance and being seen for the next year to assuage the dean?

I find it problematic that the dean is getting upset over a faculty member's reasonable and justifiable schedule request, but I also wonder what else is going on since you're suggesting that this is not normal behavior for him. 

[systeme_d_]

Morning people can be incredibly self-righteous. Somehow work done between 7 and 8 is of higher quality than work done between 3 and 4, and those at work at 7 are morally superior to people who put in an extra hour after dinner. People who think this way are often attracted to careers in administration.

Ain't that the truth.

HoF'd.

[msparticularity]

Morning people can be incredibly self-righteous. Somehow work done between 7 and 8 is of higher quality than work done between 3 and 4, and those at work at 7 are morally superior to people who put in an extra hour after dinner. People who think this way are often attracted to careers in administration.

Ain't that the truth.

HoF'd.

Exactly--and far too many of them use this as a litmus test--in place of any other indicators. Often, in my experience, it's a sign of someone who has no idea at all how to manage people.

[mountainguy]

I have no concrete advice to offer here. However, I will share the observation from my work experience in both the academy and the U.S. Federal government that scheduling disputes can be reflective of bigger challenges facing the office/organization.

[scampster]

Morning people can be incredibly self-righteous. Somehow work done between 7 and 8 is of higher quality than work done between 3 and 4, and those at work at 7 are morally superior to people who put in an extra hour after dinner. People who think this way are often attracted to careers in administration.

Ain't that the truth.

HoF'd.

Pshaw. You are all just jealous of how productive all we morning people are. Only lazy ass people sleep past 6am.

[mystictechgal]

Morning people can be incredibly self-righteous. Somehow work done between 7 and 8 is of higher quality than work done between 3 and 4, and those at work at 7 are morally superior to people who put in an extra hour after dinner. People who think this way are often attracted to careers in administration.

Ain't that the truth.

HoF'd.

Pshaw. You are all just jealous of how productive all we morning people are. Only lazy ass people sleep past 6am.

I know you're joking, but I hate that. I am, and have always been, an owl. I have dealt with that mismatch with corporate life throughout my career. What really bites? My change of major. If I was still majoring in business all of my classes would be late in the day. And? business, generally, in my experience, insists on an early start. With the exception of this semester, changing to science has meant an 8:30 start. I have an hour's commute, so that means my day has had to begin at a point where the song-birds are starting to wake. It is not a point where I am anywhere near my best. And, overall, my experience is that, in the field of science, start-times are much more flexible than in business. There seems to be a disconnect here if training people to the expectations of their chosen field, but I am not up to dealing with it. I just try to go with the flow, even if I am half-asleep in my morning classes.

[prytania3]

Is there something else going on between the UTC and the dean?  Or does UTC just need to be vigilant about paperwork and committee attendance and being seen for the next year to assuage the dean?

I find it problematic that the dean is getting upset over a faculty member's reasonable and justifiable schedule request, but I also wonder what else is going on since you're suggesting that this is not normal behavior for him. 

This isn't about the schedule. This is about your dean having a prior beef or beefs with UTC.

I can't believe how micromanaging she is, though. If I were you, I'd get all huffy that she dared to question your schedule.

[rebelgirl]

Is there something else going on between the UTC and the dean?  Or does UTC just need to be vigilant about paperwork and committee attendance and being seen for the next year to assuage the dean?

I find it problematic that the dean is getting upset over a faculty member's reasonable and justifiable schedule request, but I also wonder what else is going on since you're suggesting that this is not normal behavior for him. 

This isn't about the schedule. This is about your dean having a prior beef or beefs with UTC.

I can't believe how micromanaging she is, though. If I were you, I'd get all huffy that she dared to question your schedule.

The dean didn't question my schedule - approved it without question, actually, since I'd resolved the issue.  The dean's complaint is that UTC pushes for a schedule that works for UTC, and historically, untenured folks here don't act that way.  STFU and suck it up is the campus culture.  Once tenured, things relax. 

Pry, I think you hit it - I had not realized the degree to which prior beefs w/UTC - that have been small but steady drumbeats through the year - have ticked off my dean.  We're a state school, and, yeah, you have to fill out paperwork and do it on time.  If you're on a committee, yeah, you need to show up regularly and pull your weight, and if you're sick, you need to let people know what's going on, not just not show.  I think Glowdart's right, that as long as UTC behaves circumspectly next year, things should be fine.

Re: the dean himself, I think I've given a wrong impression - I've served under many, many deans in my 20+ years in this profession, and this guy is one of the best.  He genuinely cares about helping faculty do our best for our students, and having been one of us, and for a long time, he really gets the issues.  That's why I was so taken aback - this response just didn't seem in character, and I figured it had to have to do with the fiscal crap he's stuck struggling with. 

Another issue here is that we're an older faculty w/ almost no colleagues under 40, and it's startling how few of the faculty have children of their own-those who do, as a rule, came here after the kids were grown and gone, or at least in high school.  UTC is the only person in our department who has kids.  I suspect many just can't relate to his situation. 

mystic, larryc:  yeah, morning people, we can be @ssholes, I know.  I used to be an owl, then worked to turn my system around years ago when some aspects of work/life balance made it really advantageous, and now it works for me.  But I remember well enough how rough early starts were for me when I was an owl to want to run interference for UTC. 

dale1:  our counselors (who have faculty status, btw, though they don't teach) don't just say that students said something. They report it as TRUTH.  A prior dean took them seriously and made life living hell for faculty just b/c students who hadn't attended class and turned in required work ran to counselors and blamed everything on the faculty when they realized they were going to fail a course.  I've been on the receiving end of that and so have many colleagues.  That's one reason we value our present dean - he didn't rest his concerns re: UTC just on counselors' say-so. 

Thanks to all of you for your thoughts.  I'll keep encouraging UTC to follow the rules, and maybe this time next year, if I submit a schedule for him w/out early starts, it won't even be noticed.

[glowdart]

We're a state school, and, yeah, you have to fill out paperwork and do it on time.  If you're on a committee, yeah, you need to show up regularly and pull your weight, and if you're sick, you need to let people know what's going on, not just not show. 

Showing up, doing the work, and calling in sick are not behaviors expected only at state schools with a love of paperwork, though.  That's just normal professional behavior.  Sounds like UTC needs a mackerel slap. 




My best work happens between midnight and 2 am.  Suck it, "traditional" morning people.  While you're sleeping, I'm drafting pulitzer-prize winning scholarship. 

[rebelgirl]

We're a state school, and, yeah, you have to fill out paperwork and do it on time.  If you're on a committee, yeah, you need to show up regularly and pull your weight, and if you're sick, you need to let people know what's going on, not just not show. 

Showing up, doing the work, and calling in sick are not behaviors expected only at state schools with a love of paperwork, though.  That's just normal professional behavior.  Sounds like UTC needs a mackerel slap. 

Sorry - UTC of course does call in when sick, classes get posted, alternate instructions given, yes.  If he didn't, I'd be having issues with him.  I was talking about letting a committee chair know when out on a committee day. . . . a courtesy I'd assume but which I imagine UTC's not the only young faculty member to need acculturation about.

I'm almost afraid to ask this, but . . . "Mackerel Slap"?  I'm assuming this is getting whacked in the face with a big wet fish for cluelessness?

[My best work happens between midnight and 2 am.  Suck it, "traditional" morning people.  While you're sleeping, I'm drafting pulitzer-prize winning scholarship. 

LOL (though congratulations if you are serious!). . . . might be fun to have a "duelling morning & night people" thread on Balancing Work and Life!

[glowdart]

I have no idea who came up with mackerel slap lo those many years ago, but yes, it's the fora equivalent of a dope slap with a fish. 

(And I wish I were winning pulitzers -- maybe some day!)