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[badlands]

Hi everyone. Later this month I'll begin my third VAP position; this one is a one-year contract at a public university of around 20,000 students. It required me to move about a twelve hours drive from the previous place I lived.

I have received a letter from the provost "strongly encouraging" me to to participate in a new faculty orientation, lasting one day and starting exactly a week before classes begin. It promises to be an "informative and engaging event." 

I don't want to attend for two reasons. I would like to spend more time with my family and was not planning to arrive on campus until maybe three or four days before classes begin. And, having attended new faculty orientations at my previous universities, I find them a colossal waste of time. Despite, of course, the opportunity to meet other new faculty, this one may prove to an even bigger waste of time than before. I already moved my stuff there a few weeks ago, obtained a school identification card, toured the campus and library,  and accomplished other matters necessary before classes begin. So it is not the case that I need to be acclimated to the specifics and uniqueness of this learning environment.

Still, though, I have this nagging fear that even though this orientation appears to be voluntary, I might get in trouble for not going or that the staff and other professors in my department might view me as unprofessional or not collegial. Then again, would they even know or care that I did not attend? I just don't want to start off on a bad foot.

Any advice?  I'm curious to know if other forumites, particularly those starting contingent positions, plan to attend their orientations. Maybe share stories on good and bad experiences. Do those with T-T positions care whether or not your new colleages attend these events? Thanks.       

[offthemarket]

I think it would be a good reason to go for networking reasons. If you have any interest of hopefully trading up to a TT job (which does happen), then this would be a chance to get to know who the administrators are, as they'll all pop their heads in and give a pointless 15-minute welcome. Also, you'll know who the people new on the TT are, and get a feeling for how things are done at this place.  A good place to potentially make new friends, too.

But if you're just in for one year and know you're moving on, then you can just skip it, and count on your departmental admin person to help you through dumb paperwork that you might have learned about at this meeting.

[notaprof]

I think it would be a good reason to go for networking reasons. If you have any interest of hopefully trading up to a TT job (which does happen), then this would be a chance to get to know who the administrators are, as they'll all pop their heads in and give a pointless 15-minute welcome. Also, you'll know who the people new on the TT are, and get a feeling for how things are done at this place.  A good place to potentially make new friends, too.

But if you're just in for one year and know you're moving on, then you can just skip it, and count on your departmental admin person to help you through dumb paperwork that you might have learned about at this meeting.

For the record, my pointless pop-in welcome is only 10 minutes.

[minimimi]

I did two VAP gigs before my current (tt) one. I would go to the orientation for the networking reasons you cite. I still correspond and even collaborate with colleagues I met during those orientations. It's true I would have met them later, but orientations make introductions easier. Plus you get a better idea, for good or not, of the institution's culture. One-year positions can even be extended with soft money, given the reluctance to commit to tt lines in the current climate. Plus, at the moment, you don't know how "optionally mandatory" this orientation is.

[watermarkup]

Is there someone in your department that you can get a frank answer from? Your department head might tell you that the dean takes attendance, or that it's a waste of time for non-TT faculty. Will HR be passing out any crucial forms?

I've seen a range of orientation routines, from nothing at all to a week-long pedagogy workshop that I was paid a hefty stipend for attending. If the orientation is specifically for non-TT faculty, it may well be worth attending. If it's for non-TT faculty, TT faculty, staff, and new janitorial staff - not an exaggeration, I had one like that - then it's likely a waste of time. The more specific the orientation is to your college, the more useful it will be.

[badlands]

Thanks for the replies. Good idea, Watermarkup. I will ask one of the several faculty members who have welcomed me through email. This event is for all new faculty but does not include non-faculty employees. I also checked and found out that Human Resources will be at the orientation to review benefit options but one actually fills out paperwork later during an individual appointment. As I mull this over, I realize that I can tolerate the "pointless pop-in welcomes." If the event were only two days later, I would attend. After all, there will be free food. The main issue for me, though, is having to change my plans and leave my family earlier than I wanted for something that may not be that important in the grand scheme of things. Granted, it would be only three or four days less time spent with them. Thanks again. I still may attend but I'm leaning heavily toward not but I will see what one of my colleagues says.   

[anthroid]

When does your contract start?  If it's a week or ten days before the start of school, you're obligated to go and if the Provost is strongly encouraging you to go, you ought to go.  In my place, full-time faculty (VAP, TT, instructor) begin their contract obligations August 15.  If I invited you to the orientation with that kind of contract, I would absolutely expect you to be there.  I understand that you want to be with the family, but you did choose to take the job. 

It really does depend on what your actual contract start date is.

[mountainguy]

Respectfully, I think the belief that orientation "may not be that important in the grand scheme of things" and "pointless" is a poor attitude to begin any job with. Yes, there may be blabbermouths who talk about things that aren't relevant to you specifically, but it's a good chance to learn more about the organization and to show to others that you take your responsibilities seriously.

[systeme_d_]

I'm pretty much with MG.  Orientation is where the university represents itself.  One can learn a whole lot just by paying attention to that.

At my university (and at the one I just left), new lecturers, VAPs, and adjuncts are required to attend. 

[tuxedo_cat]

It's one day.  You don't know the culture of the place.  There are lots of known potential upsides to attending if you go with the proper attitude -- and lots of unknown potential downsides to ignoring a pointed invitation from your new Provost and not being familiar with important university protocol.  Yes, it's annoying, and people blather, and you have to learn a bunch of stuff you probably won't need to use.  Everyone hates these things, not just you.  It's one day.

[polly_mer]

When does your contract start?  If it's a week or ten days before the start of school, you're obligated to go and if the Provost is strongly encouraging you to go, you ought to go.  In my place, full-time faculty (VAP, TT, instructor) begin their contract obligations August 15.  If I invited you to the orientation with that kind of contract, I would absolutely expect you to be there.  I understand that you want to be with the family, but you did choose to take the job. 

It really does depend on what your actual contract start date is.

This was my thought.  If you are on contract, then you go.  Part of what you are being paid to do as a VAP is attend those kinds of meetings.

Of course, I'm also with MG that

the belief that orientation "may not be that important in the grand scheme of things" and "pointless" is a poor attitude to begin any job with.

Wanting to roll in a couple days before classes start instead of being there the day that the contract starts indicates a very poor attitude.  Sure, it's a VAP, but it's still a year that you will want colleagues and a network.  You don't build a network by never being around when other people are in procrastination mode and willing to help the new person or even just chat with any warm body.

Oh, and the administrative staff are far more likely to help the new person asking questions a couple weeks before school begins than the person who shows up the minute that classes begin needing things when everything that first week is chaos under good circumstances.

Go.