Academics Chat Thread Mark II

[SignsofSpring]

As the one who didn't look and then managed to close the last thread, I'm going to be the one to start this one! All thoughts, rants, ideas on being an academic especially in Covid-19 times are here...

Hurray Keflavik!!!!!

Congratulations Professor!

congrats on the professorship!!

i got offered that job i applied to ealier this year
it s a big deal for them, apparently - as they had to find the funds for this position and fight for it.

it s a major deal / decision for us: different country, different system, different language and school system for the kids.

i need to think hard and explode if i am a big chicken (or not).

moving away would be tough: leaving projects, people behind and an organisation i know v well, and having that awkward convo

turning the job down will be equally tough in term of having that difficult convo and staying put in a place which is not 100% great (toxic toxic colleagues)

scary exciting times!

Thanks 😊 big decision time Marasme! Let us know what you decide.

Also, to the childless male colleague who emailed me this afternoon surprised I hadn’t responded to his email of this morning, fuck off fuckhead.

loving "fuck off fuckhead"

as to what i ll do - no idea. Pretty terrifying life altering choices to make

He deserved whatever expletives available for emailing you on the weekend, single or otherwise, @KeflavikAirport.

Wouldn't it be lovely to set up an autoreply for out-of-hours with the three words "fuck off fuckhead".

Congratulations on your promotion *ProfessorKeflavikAirport"!

Oh yes, congratulations prof @KeflavikAirport!

thanks again ladies :-) Ugh reason #328773 for leaving my current job. I sat on a committee last week to distribute bonuses for excellence in research. One applicant was in my department. Everyone was commenting on his prodigious output over the past four years. No-one had the balls to say YES BECAUSE HE WAS QUIETLY PUT ON TEACHING LEAVE FOR BEING A SEX PEST TO HIS PhD STUDENTS. Fucksake.

Congratulations Professor Keflavik! But sorry to hear about the annoying co-workers.

No luck yet on my academic job applications. But I've heard back about a non-academic job I applied for. They are offering 20-30 hours per week and it's half what I am earning now, as main breadwinner (they didn't specify a salary in the advert). Back to the drawing board...

Found out yesterday I've been turned down for promotion. I'm teaching only in a vocational field and was going for the reader equivalent grade.
I'm absolutely gutted. I failed at this one in 2019 and was told I was borderline. Since then I've published a book chapter, gained SFHEA, got a new PGT programme up and running more or less single handedly, covered the leadership of a UG programme which has gone through 3 different leaders for various reasons and of course moved all of my teaching online, hardly an easy task in a performing arts field.
DH has pointed out that it's not personal, it's just a tick box exercise, I can try again next year etc and I know he's right but it just feels like such a kick in the teeth. I've hardly had any time off since last March and I'm so tired.
Sorry to rant and moan but I haven't really got anyone I can talk to about this irl. Family & friends don't understand academic promotion, colleagues in other institutions are mainly small specialist universities who don't have these set-ups and I don't want to moan at my immediate team. My line manager/HoD has been supportive but became quite distant a few months back and has just announced he's leaving.
Any wise words would be welcome!

Appeal? Point out that you were borderline in 2019 and since then you have done X,Y and Z and ask for feedback on what would be needed for success.

Or spend the next week getting cross with family and colleagues, bursting in to tears or shouting at people and burning lots of bridges.

I would probably do the second, but would like to think that I would be doing the first.

Or go for the HoD post that will soon be advertised?

@KeflavikAirport

thanks again ladies :-) Ugh reason #328773 for leaving my current job. I sat on a committee last week to distribute bonuses for excellence in research. One applicant was in my department. Everyone was commenting on his prodigious output over the past four years. No-one had the balls to say YES BECAUSE HE WAS QUIETLY PUT ON TEACHING LEAVE FOR BEING A SEX PEST TO HIS PhD STUDENTS. Fucksake.

Ugh. That's awful. Given you are leaving can you now say stuff like this? It's hard.

@DrGilbertson you have just made me lol! Thanks so much for replying. I too am likely to do the crying angry thing for a bit I think. Maybe setting up the Fuck off Fuckhead auto reply as previously suggested.
A long time and 2 promotions ago I appealed a decision as I was basically being bullied by a former manager. It was a drawn out and stressful experience and unsuccessful. DH suggested last night I should appeal but I'm not sure I've got the fight. I'll have a look at the process anyway and have a think.
Very much considering applying for the soon to be vacant post...

@KeflavikAirport why do men get away with this sort of thing? I hope with #metoo their days are numbered.

@IvySquirrel I doubt it, too many women busy saying NAMALT and pandering.

I didn't get shortlisted for the job I applied for because I don't have enough "recent publications in major journals in the field".
I have spent the last 9 years (since DC1 was born) on mat leave, working part time, on mat leave again, working part time again, and home educating during a pandemic. All of this is in my CV.

I'm going to ask for proper feedback from the HoD but as a friend said, they er should have looked at how to overcome this type of thing when shortlisting.

The other issue is that I'm a specialist (could work in one of two departments - the other department wouldn't publish in these major journals because they just don't do that kind of research) so my research tends to get rejected from generalist journals anyway.

Ugh that is so damn irritating. They really should have systems in place to mitigate for career impacting events like that.

@worstofbothworlds sadly I think you are right there.
It is so infuriating that recruitment processes are clearly so weighted against women in that way. Despite endless EDI initiatives.

I think EDI initiatives are mostly aimed at helping women become more like men (and rewarding those that do, especially in terms of working patterns) rather than responding to difference. In saying that, I'm not at all blaming the women who do succeed on those terms (sort of wish I was one of them)!

@woodington

I think EDI initiatives are mostly aimed at helping women become more like men (and rewarding those that do, especially in terms of working patterns) rather than responding to difference. In saying that, I'm not at all blaming the women who do succeed on those terms (sort of wish I was one of them)!

Totally agree. The 'Lean In' idea. Take 2 weeks off after your baby is born via c-section and get back in the saddle! You can't?! What is wrong with these women, not driven or ambitious like the menz. No wonder they don't get promoted. What do they expect?

/sarcasm

One of my colleagues has just applied for promotion to SL. Was asked to indicate on her application how Covid has impacted her performance due to childcare commitments, yet apparently it won't be taken into account. What's the point I ask?

Surely that is clear evidence of an intention to discriminate? I would raise that with HR.

Also angry on worst's behalf.