What happened?
This coming week I have a couple of meetings I am not looking forward to. Monday's is with my chair to get an earful (I expect) of how I need to be more supportive of fellow faculty members and students in the department. Tuesday's will be in front of a university panel to discuss my reappointment packet from this past fall.
At the second meeting I'm planning to make a surprise announcement.
Back in high school I had spent several summers working at a couple of golf courses in my hometown. The work involved driving golf carts around and maintaining the driving range. Obviously it was pretty laid back and a fun way to spend a summer. My first summer back from college I got bumped to the grounds crew because I couldn't get back early enough in May to start my old job. My supervisors had the best of intentions with swapping jobs: more hours with a (slightly) higher hourly wage. But what they hadn't factored in was the change in my daily routine. My workday starting time was 6:00 and was about to move to 5:30. Factor in time needed to get up, dress, eat breakfast as well as my commuting time (which was nearly 20 minutes) and it was pretty obvious this was going to take a pretty serious hit on my summer social plans.
My first job after finishing my PhD was at Emporia State. That spring semester I made the 45 minute commute several times a week from the Little Apple to teach. Although I had sent out numerous applications that semester, Emporia was the only one that offered me a position for the coming fall (let alone interviewed me). I initially accepted only to turn it down a few weeks later. It was a leap of faith as I had no other offer at the time.
A dedicated work ethic, for better or worse, is something that was deeply engrained growing up. These stories are the only ones I can come up with where I resigned rather than finish out a season or contract. The second tale may not count as I had not actually started work and had only agreed to start working on a more permanent basis some 3 months later. But it fits in the sense that it was not easy to exit without having given it a shot after I had agreed to.
My current position has become a joke. Students, both undergrad and grad, have routinely rewarded my efforts in the classroom with high marks and the administration across campus is pleased with my efforts to develop new courses and participate in conferences on a regular basis. My department, save one, unfortunately, has done everything possible to indicate they don't want me around without directly saying so. A couple of weeks ago I had a meeting with the dean of my college (whose wife happens to be one of my strongest supporters). He was at a loss as to how to address my packet. "These comments are all over the place! Normally there's something to focus on." The more we discussed the comments, the more aggravated he became, not at me, but at my department. Comments from a college committee that I met with back in December were similar: supportive of me, quite critical of my department going so far as to question whether or not many of the criticisms were fabricated.
There's a pretty good chance that even if the department wouldn't want to retain me this fall that they would not have justification to terminate my position given my accomplishments since starting back in 2008. However, I would likely have to endure this process a second year all the while knowing I was fighting to keep a position my closest counterparts didn't want me to have. There has been a temptation to announce my resignation August 18th, the day before classes begin this fall. But I think that would likely harm the students more than the faculty whom I would like to get back at. The question that has been running through my mind is "What is the proper Christian response?" "WWJD?" if you will.
The decision I have come to, and am praying is the right one as I continue to seek His lead, is to finish the coming year before stepping down Fall 2014. But before stepping down, Tuesday I will be announcing my resignation.
At the second meeting I'm planning to make a surprise announcement.
Back in high school I had spent several summers working at a couple of golf courses in my hometown. The work involved driving golf carts around and maintaining the driving range. Obviously it was pretty laid back and a fun way to spend a summer. My first summer back from college I got bumped to the grounds crew because I couldn't get back early enough in May to start my old job. My supervisors had the best of intentions with swapping jobs: more hours with a (slightly) higher hourly wage. But what they hadn't factored in was the change in my daily routine. My workday starting time was 6:00 and was about to move to 5:30. Factor in time needed to get up, dress, eat breakfast as well as my commuting time (which was nearly 20 minutes) and it was pretty obvious this was going to take a pretty serious hit on my summer social plans.
My first job after finishing my PhD was at Emporia State. That spring semester I made the 45 minute commute several times a week from the Little Apple to teach. Although I had sent out numerous applications that semester, Emporia was the only one that offered me a position for the coming fall (let alone interviewed me). I initially accepted only to turn it down a few weeks later. It was a leap of faith as I had no other offer at the time.
A dedicated work ethic, for better or worse, is something that was deeply engrained growing up. These stories are the only ones I can come up with where I resigned rather than finish out a season or contract. The second tale may not count as I had not actually started work and had only agreed to start working on a more permanent basis some 3 months later. But it fits in the sense that it was not easy to exit without having given it a shot after I had agreed to.
My current position has become a joke. Students, both undergrad and grad, have routinely rewarded my efforts in the classroom with high marks and the administration across campus is pleased with my efforts to develop new courses and participate in conferences on a regular basis. My department, save one, unfortunately, has done everything possible to indicate they don't want me around without directly saying so. A couple of weeks ago I had a meeting with the dean of my college (whose wife happens to be one of my strongest supporters). He was at a loss as to how to address my packet. "These comments are all over the place! Normally there's something to focus on." The more we discussed the comments, the more aggravated he became, not at me, but at my department. Comments from a college committee that I met with back in December were similar: supportive of me, quite critical of my department going so far as to question whether or not many of the criticisms were fabricated.
There's a pretty good chance that even if the department wouldn't want to retain me this fall that they would not have justification to terminate my position given my accomplishments since starting back in 2008. However, I would likely have to endure this process a second year all the while knowing I was fighting to keep a position my closest counterparts didn't want me to have. There has been a temptation to announce my resignation August 18th, the day before classes begin this fall. But I think that would likely harm the students more than the faculty whom I would like to get back at. The question that has been running through my mind is "What is the proper Christian response?" "WWJD?" if you will.
The decision I have come to, and am praying is the right one as I continue to seek His lead, is to finish the coming year before stepping down Fall 2014. But before stepping down, Tuesday I will be announcing my resignation.
posted by The Bearded | 12:27 PM
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2 comments
