Foreign Exchange Student Reports.

I may have mentioned that we took on a foreign exchange student. She has been a lovely person, does her chore (dish washing) unfailingly, is available in advance for babysitting, is fun, and loves to play with the kids.

She is however, adventuresome and therefore home very little during waking hours. One week we saw her for 45 seconds, I exaggerate not. That week I really laid down the law that we expect her to be a part of the family, and we wanted to be more than a bed and source of water for her. We came upon a compromise that she would arrange to be home ONE night per week for dinner. Its been that way for about 6 weeks. Everyone seemed happy. Is workin' great from our end...

Since that time, I've been contacted repeatedly and urgently by her supervisor and heads of her program. Even though they say its just routine, requests like insisting that every interaction with them is written and the urgency of me filling out "reports" is weirding me out. Moreover, the "reports" that I must fill out are very pedantic in nature, asking me how I've grown personally from this experience, etc. I'm totally turned off by the program's requirements and am suspicious of what "liability" they are protecting themselves from. Either that, or the whole thing is a goofy, unthinking bureaucracy. And why so urgent that you would insist that I drop what I am doing to fill out your form?

What do you think is going on here? To me it sounds as if everyone has the impression that the situation has failed? Am I over reacting? I asked Stu directly, and she genuinely replied that everything is OK from her end.

Here's a letter:________________________

In communication with Supervisor, I understand that you are having some difficulty in setting up a time to meet together with her and Coordinator. Because I know you are very busy, I thought I might chime in and ask you a few questions to learn more about how things have gone and continue to go from your perspective as you host Studentette.

Based on some of the previous communications we've shared, I recall hearing from both you and Stu at different times and am aware that while there have been some high points in the year there have also been some very difficult times between you and that you've had some pretty intense discussions.

-What more can you share about some of the difficulties you've experienced as you relate to Stu?

-What have been some of the greatest challenges you've experienced this year relating to Stu? Ongoing challenges?

-What are/were your expectations for this hosting situation? Un-met expectations?

-What did you wish you had known going into this experience? How can/could we have done a better job supporting you as Administration and the partner organization?

-What have you learned as result of this experience?

-Are you happy with the current hosting arrangement of having Stu living in your home?


I trust that you know that we value hearing from you, Prof, as we want the best for everyone involved in the program; host, partner organization, Student. Kindly take some time to think about these questions and let us know your thoughts. [I expect this to be returned on Monday.]

ADDED NOTE: Have talked with coordinator. Student FAR UNHAPPIER that she let on, or there is a major drama-amplification process from our home to the program office. In any case, I thought all was good, but alas, apparently not. I really don't like drama, besides the stuff I create in my blog ;)

Three types of sabbatical to choose

I'm thinking of my upcoming sabbatical. I have to apply to my administration/ faculty committee this October or next October. Before I apply to the people here, it would be really nice to have a fellowship of some sort in hand. Sabbaticals are competitive here, and the best way to get one is to have someone else pay for it... In any case, before I apply for a fellowship, I need a host.

I really wanted to go someplace like Europe, Asia, or the Middle East. When I floated this past Hub, he asked his PI, who said that he could go anywhere he wanted but would probably be replaced in that year! OK, so my dream died right there.

My goals were/ are: 1. Get away! Reunite my family! Go someplace new and get a real break from teaching and this place. Live with my husband. 2. Get back into heavy-duty research and hone my skills and re-sharpen my mind. Be surrounded with excellent scientists. 3. Get a publication! Especially one that will make my mentors proud. 4. Be able to bring something back to my lab, strengthen my ability to run my lab, find new projects for my students.

Looks like I'm tied to the urban area where Hub works. So I and my husband and my husband's PI have been brainstorming. There are some seriously high-powered institutions there, so OK, not a huge loss. Perhaps we could put my kids in something like Saturday Chinese school to try to feign exotic. Here's the brain-stormed options:

1. Technique-based: I could work with a biggish-shot (C/N/S regular) at a prestigious institution two public transit-hours away from Hub's work. I would be working on something different using the technique I do now, which would be a real advantage to be able to troubleshoot my equipment here and branching out with questions and projects for my students. I know the PI, and this person is very nice. Lab seems happy. Have already been invited. Would not learn something entirely new, just more depth.

2. Subject-based: Another PI at same institution studies the same question I do in a different system. This new technique would not be portable to my lab, but I would be able to investigate bigger questions. I would learn a lot more about the entire system I study and be far less reductionistic. Don't know this PI or lab.

3. Prestige-based: At a VERY prestigious institution which has a visiting scientist program WITH housing ($!). The PI seems to be doing very technically-challenging work and getting the pubs to show it. The question is really important and I would love to learn more about it. The institution is pretty close to Hub's work, which means fewer weeks of my or Hub's life lost to the steel cage (driving). Hub's boss describes the PI as "a bear, and not the 'teddy' kind". It may serve to note that of all of my strengths, sheer technical power is not at the top. But I would love to have a pub with that name on it...

Your thoughts?

Now I officially have tenure

The board met this weekend-> Not only did they finally approve my long-term contract, they also approved the change to use the term "Tenure" and "Tenure-track".

repeat of last spring

Last spring I wrote that I was crushed under my workload and sole responsibilities at home. Looks like its going to be a repeat this year. I am NOT, repeat NOT prone to depression, I have only had this feeling after my Mom died young... and last Spring. The last two weeks I have been feeling bad, but I am doing these things differently:
- going to therapy. It's free from the "Employee Assistance Program"
- letting my Chair know its not going well. He said last year during my yearly evaluation "I had no idea! You seemed to be keeping up" (keeping up, my a**!)
- going to the gym on the weekdays by having our exchange student sit for me
- admitting that socializing is not a luxury and moving it up on the priority list.
- knowing that in 5 weeks it will be summer, and I can renew.
- working only 3/4 time next year, financial consequences be damned.
- making sure my thyroid meds are in order

I think that the #1 problem is chronicled here, here and here, my daughter's inability to sleep through the night. Two nights ago she woke up 5 times, last night three (and that felt great to me). Yes, its been an entire year and nothing has changed. What does that say about me/us?

Well, I am willing and desperate to hear your suggestions, or even empty encouragement at this point. :)

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?!?!?