Relief.

I have to tell you a secret about a course- I have blogged about this course before. That blog post complains about students from another department, but I am happy to report that this year they are really good and engaged. I have also changed my attitude to where I really enjoy teaching them. Hooray for victories!

This blog post is about the same course, but a different attitude problem of mine. In this course, the other faculty member has the majority of the course, becuase the course is designed for hir majors. However, that other instructor is not really trained in this subject. Despite hir best efforts at studying and preparing, the lectures (in my mind) reveal the lack of training. He/she sat through all my lectures, and now I feel obliged to sit through hirs, and frankly, I find it painful. Mistakes, lack of full understanding of the topic, intellectual short-cuts... "farming out" topics to marginally-related videos. Cringe, cringe, cringe. I have my twice-weekly vents to my husband (who is also in the same field as this course) and he listens carefully- and repeatedly entreats me to just vent to him and keep my mouth shut otherwise. He's right. Oops, blog!

This is probably a small-PUI problem: reaching too far in the generalist domain. My maternity leaves have caused my department to temporarily reach also, but I have a lot of confidence in my colleagues' competence, so THAT has never bothered me.

Today my co-teacher said, I wanted to tell you in person before you hear otherwise: I'm leaving. I'm going to another institution where I can teach graduate students in my field. I've been thinking about it for a while, and I just don't want to teach courses like [ours] for which I'm not adequately trained.

I will miss my colleague because he/she is a very, very enjoyable person. But I feel relief in two ways: 1. the course could be taught by someone more qualified, and 2. My deep dark secret wasn't so deep and dark after all!

THE Letter !!!!!!

Dear PUI Prof (used my first name),

The University Faculty Status Committee met to take action on promotion requests and contract recommendations. I am happy to report that the committee took the following actions to approve your contract review.

Action XII: that we recommend to the board of trustees the approval of an initial 6-year contract [tenure!!!] for PUI Prof, 2012-2018.

The action is pending and final decision of the Board of Trustees at the Spring meeting. The committee urges you to pay special attention to enhancing your scholarship portfolio during this initial 6 year contract. [I haven't published as much as my peers in the sciences- though more than the humanities- but we are judged by those in our field] The committee also expressed particular appreciation for the thought and expression of your personal faith statement [a treatise we had to write for our portfolio].

Congratulations and best wishes as you continue to contribute in significant ways to the life and mission of Small Religious U.

Sincerely,

Da Provost.

Would YOU hire this person?

A note from my dept. chair:

_______________
Also, another application came in, I made it available to the committee electronically. However (and a BIG however...I've never had this happen to my knowledge) the teaching statement looked suspect so I did a quick google and yes, in fact, it is plagiarized (ttp://someones-statement-on-the-web.com).
That knocks this person out of any further consideration as far as I'm concerned...
_______________

Ya Think?!?!?

Gush, gush, gag.

I co-teach a class with a professor who is absolutely lovely. She is sweet, she is caring, she is generous. She is also ebullient in her praise for her students when they do the smallest little thing. For some reason, this just totally grosses me out. I'm pretty sure that the students recognize that *everyone* is excellent in her eyes, and therefore don't take her praise seriously? Or could it be that they really DO expect that and that by comparison I'm the crotchety grouch? HMMMM. Well, I ain't changin' the way I do it. *GRMPH*

Money bummers

In my daily life I don't think much about my salary. But this week two things happened;

1. I got my W-2, and that reminded me that others are making a lot more than I am. But I'm happy and fulfilled in my work, darn it!

2. We ran out of money while I was checking out at the grocery store and I had to physically put food back. With a line behind me. That was mortifying, and that DID NOT make me happy.

There were several factors leading to the grocery store incident: We still shop like single people despite being a family of five (organic, name brands, treats, you name it). My last paycheck was before Christmas, so there were five weeks on this check. We spent money traveling over Christmas.

But I have to admit that I'm having this thought: "We are two Ph.D's with secure jobs. We shouldn't be having these difficulties. Professors are supposed to be- not wealthy- but comfortable."

That is entirely selfish and entitled, I know. Forgive me. All of the professors I have been exposed to clearly do not have to clip coupons. Money was not a motivator for me going into academia, but that expectation must be in there somewhere. Guess I need an attitude/ gratitude adjustment.

One thing this money crunch is good for: if I ever decide I can't stand the "separated family" thing, I will learn better how to survive below the poverty line. This is what would happen if I quit my job and moved the family to live in Major Urban Area on Hub's post-doc salary.

Faculty Search updates 2

Moot point. Field + / Faith - candidate withdrew. Back to the drawing board?
At this point very glad that we advertised as a one year position. Despite the option of not renewing any contracts before tenure, when we hire on for a tenure-track position we are really committed to the success of that person. Getting the right person up-front is very desirable. Drat! about our shallow pool this year, drat.

Faculty Search updates

We've had a narrow field of candidates for this year's search. We advertised for a one-year position with the possibility of continuance. We had in the tens of applicants and chose about 4-5 to follow up on. Here are some reasons for us not following up on applicants: incomplete applications, never mentioned teaching in the application, wrote a cover letter addressed to an R01-type institution, among others.

Of those we had narrowed down, we then asked for a "essay on faith / worldview". Religious institutions vary in the stringency of their requirements for faculty. Some don't care what your beliefs are as along as you can support the mission of the institution. Some (rare and fringe) institutions insist that you interpret the holy scripture just like they do. We are in the middle of those extremes; we need you to really believe in our faith but not be in our denomination.

For example: One of our top three candidates returned a statement of faith explaining that they were a cultural [other faith completely]. We had to let that one go. Now we are down to two; one who is an excellent academic fit, very qualified, honors, etc. but s/he wrote in his/her statement of faith that they had been brought up in our tradition but didn't really believe it anymore. The other is a great faith fit, but not academically the desired discipline. The "faith plus/ field minus" candidate could certainly contribute to the whole department, but not for the sub-field we were looking for. We could re-arrange the loading to take advantage of his/her skills.

Whether or not the department is rigorous in the "faith fit", the applicant has to be hired also by the Dean, Provost and the Board of Visitors. And they are far more stringent on the "faith fit" than the department is. So there's no use throwing it all out the window for the right "academic fit".