Nice new corner! Come and chat!

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

We have our new board! Calling all cademics/aspiring academics/fed-up academics - come and chat!

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

Oops. What is cademics?

[Impostersyndrome]

Hi there!

I'm a bit fed up, having missed one of my loveliest PhD student's graduation this week as I had to go to a post op stitches removal. Other than that, wondering where the summer went. I've two research projects I've kept ticking over throughout, alongside PhD and Master's supervisions, course planning, article writing... Waiting for the 'did you have a nice restful summer' from less clued up friends.

On a happier note wondering if it's fair enough to treat myself to a new outfit for my first seminar of the year. It is unseasobly cold, after all.

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

I have a pile of masters' projects to mark which I have hidden under the laundry. And I'm finishing up a paper before teaching starts. But before that I'm going to take a couple of days off JUST FOR ME.

[Impostersyndrome]

Time off sounds perfect. I'd managed to forget the Master's dissertations needing marking, but they can wait, right?

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

I'm sure they can. I'd find out when the deadlines are, and then factor in time off. :)

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

I'm mostly working from home until teaching starts and am happily planning stuff I can have for lunch without having kids moaning about what they don't like. :) :)

[miaowroar]

How academic do you have to be to join this corner?

[Impostersyndrome]

I'd like to say Come and join us, but, who am I to be setting the rules about joining?

(But I hope we won't have people starting threads to complain about low contact hours... It helps we're in the work threads, rather than education)

But do come on in!

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

I would say "academic" as in people who have an interest in working in academia rather than "relating to scholarly performance", as they so nicely put it in thefreedictionary.com.

[Impostersyndrome]

Perhaps Mumsnet might rename this Academic Common Room to avoid further confusion?

[goblinhat]

I think we need more definition of the exclusivity of this thread.

Having worked in "academia" for many years I am aware of those who make a self definition of being an "academic".

A tip from the top however- there is a big wide world out there. Existing within these dusty towers for so long can limit your understanding - even of basic word meanings.

So unless your goal was to start an inclusive "clever club" I suggest you re-name this thread.

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

I don't quite understand what you mean goblin.

I think the aim was that people who work in academia, or people who used to work in academia, or people who want to work in academia, could chat about work issue that arise in academia. It is not about being "clever".

I have no objection to a more descriptive name!

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

Perhaps we should be in Education under some sort of "staff room" type name?

[Impostersyndrome]

I've just reported my own posting on the Site Stuff thread: I think this should be renamed something less ambiguous, as neverever just said. 'Academic Common Room' was my suggestion above, which chimes well with your idea of an equivalent to 'staff room'.

[miaowroar]

There already is a Staff Room though.

[Impostersyndrome]

That's my point miaowroar: 'staff room' for school teachers and 'academic common room' for university teachers.

[Impostersyndrome]

... ... And researchers, etc.

[goblinhat]

never- I totally understand why you chose the name- it's simply that outside of academia, the term "academic" has a slightly different meaning.

Being " academic" is often synonymous with being intelligent or clever, not some educational engagement.

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

Someone will object to "Academic". And I thought "Academics' Corner" with that apostrophe means that it's unambiguously a Corner for Academics, but apparently I'm wrong.

[Impostersyndrome]

goblin it is MNHQ who named the board, not the OP

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

xpost goblin.

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

No, I didn't name the board.

To have such power!

[miaowroar]

Oh, I see - higher or further education - or both? So the current staff room is for primary and secondary teachers (like me)?

[NeverEverAnythingEver]

I do know the several meanings of "academic".

I thought "academics" is not so ambiguous.

[Impostersyndrome]

Here's the original thread that outlines the intentions - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/site_stuff/2404665-Can-we-have-some-kind-of-Academics-Corner?msgid=56442254#56442254 - so yes, for people working in higher or further education primarily, though plenty of PhD students took part as well.