Academic common room
Anyone else feeling completely, utterly, entirely fucked?
KStockHERO · 02/02/2022 13:52
This is my 'light' teaching term. But between admin, marking, student emails, and teaching prep, I haven't even thought about research once since way before Christmas. Every day I feel like I'm just about surviving, just about keeping on top of immediate tasks. But with absolutely zero space for planning future activities or directions.
I feel completely overwhelmed and I'm just not sure how it will let-up. I haven't signed up for any extra stuff so there isn't really anything I can say no to. I feel as though I'm doing the bare minimum and I'm not making huge efforts to be any good at it (just good enough if my new year mantra). But the bare minimum has become absolutely massive.
I feel like our workloads crept up during Covid and we were told that its temporary because of Covid. So we all accepted it and got on with it. But now Covid is going away (in the sense that we're back face-to-face rather than faffing with pre-recordings and Zoom lectures), the mad workload is here to stay with no signs of letting up.
Does anyone else feel this way? I feel so alone.
Itchylegs · 02/02/2022 14:07
I don't get a moment to breathe. Now DM has had a stroke and am dashing to hospital. Have to make it back to teach later. Will do my best. This is relentless. Marking, teaching, writing next lecture, admin, never good enough, students passing on their stress too etc etc endlessly. So tired. solidarity. At least the strike will give a breather, even if I can't pay my bills.
KStockHERO · 02/02/2022 14:16
I'm sorry you're going through it too @Itchylegs
And I'm sorry about your mum.
I'm not in the Union so won't be striking. But I'm looking forward to the pace easing up over those weeks - hopefully fewer emails.
Chemenger · 02/02/2022 17:11
I've been doing this for 30 years and I definitely feel this year is extra hard. Nobody strikes in my department (maybe a handful out of 100) so no respite there. The last three weeks have been non-stop with exam meetings, teaching, interviewing (as the token woman, of course), a new HOD who clearly doesn't like me (mutual), and dealing with student crises. And my own daughter's major mental health crisis and moving house. Thankfully the house move is to downsize so I can stop working. Even the return to face-to-face lecturing hasn't been the boost I thought it would be - usually I love it, but it's been meh. And now the exam question setting deadline looms, peer teaching observation is due and project marking is piling up. I'm too old for this.
KStockHERO · 02/02/2022 17:42
Hi @Chemenger
I'm sorry you're having personal/family issues on top of work madness. I agree that F2F hasn't been the boost we were all expecting. It's also added commuting to my 'to do' list and means I'm wasting at least an hour for every day I go in.
I also feel too old for this. I'm so over it. But I'm only 35
I'm planning to get the fuck out as soon as I possibly can.
BuffaloHigh · 02/02/2022 18:43
Totally. I would have just about been ok, but it’s been endless child illnesses (including Covid twice) since the end of November. Every time I think I have time to do research, I’m asked to do something else. The circumstances can’t be helped (colleagues on sick leave etc) but it’s just building up. It’s like we’re lurching from one crisis to another.
wordleaddict · 02/02/2022 19:39
we have management desperate to get us to take voluntary redundancy too - like they don't even want us.....and if people go, we all just have to pick up the slack. Oh how different it as to be a Prof 30 years ago.
SkippettyDoDah · 02/02/2022 19:44
It's relentless and there's not even any appreciation for the extra work. For those who are looking to get out, what areas are you thinking of? How old do you think is too old to change career?
TabithaHazel · 02/02/2022 23:05
@SkippettyDoDah
I got out of academia when I was 37, now work in a small museum doing exhibition and loans admin and I love it. The pay isn't anything to write home about but it is mostly zero stress and I don't have to deal with any petty departmental politics or increasingly demanding students. My advice to anyone would be get out while you can!
Greenday11 · 04/02/2022 23:04
I'm in professional services and it's similarly relentless. The pressure from senior mgt is intense and all about preventing any complaints and improving NSS. We've been cut down to the bone staffing wise and in adding Covid and stress related absence to the mix, everything is falling on a few staff to cope with all the student demand.
Morale where I work is at rock bottom at the moment and I fear we're going to lose some really good staff 
I'd be interested to hear if the picture is the same everywhere!
JoanThursday · 04/02/2022 23:13
@Greenday11
Morale where I work is at rock bottom at the moment and I fear we're going to lose some really good staff
I'd be interested to hear if the picture is the same everywhere!
Yes yes yes- same here! I'm PSS too. Our Department has been stripped of support staff. My (original) role is to manage ug and pg admissions, but now I'm covering on-course support too. I have a team of 6 ... but that used to be 9. When the peaks of admissions and on-course demands clash, we really struggle. There is a significant pressure to recruit through more and more open days and offer days, with targets going through the roof. But more students = more pressure on everyone. The Department's staff (Academic and pss) just isn't able to grow to support the increasing numbers.
I absolutely love what I do, but it's bloody hard right now.
Chemenger · 05/02/2022 10:21
I totally sympathise with my professional services colleagues. We’re in exam meeting mode at the moment, just after our teaching support term have had to sort out a completely screwed up timetable (we have a central timetabling organisation who managed to omit about a third of our honours courses from the timetable). My HoD decided it was appropriate to complain to the head of professional services because a set of marks were processed late, without bothering to investigate why (eg by asking either the staff involved or the convenor of the board (me)). The actual problem was that a staff member in a different department was off sick. HoD’s nickname isn’t “the man who points fingers” for nothing. It’s a rare staff meeting where I’m not publicly named and shamed for something, unlike his pals, who can do no wrong.
KStockHERO · 07/02/2022 13:40
It's sad to see that PSS staff are also feeling the stress.
I'm looking forward to the strike next week. I'm not striking but the email and meeting traffic should ease off considerably and give me some actual breathing space.
ChocolateChocolateEverywhere · 07/02/2022 13:55
I'm PSS and I'm (thankfully) all right, Jack, but I'm genuinely concerned for both my senior and junior academic colleagues. I'm the admin on a research project led by a senior professor and I can't see how he's keeping on going... it's no better for the ECRs who might not have the project lead load but are teaching more, trying to research more, needing to publish more... I can only sympathise. I've been there in a different role and it breaks people.
JoanThursday · 07/02/2022 19:44
I'm PSS ... and currently working late grappling spreadsheets to try and assess which teaching sessions may or may not be at risk during the strikes.
Oh the irony!
(Solidarity, btw ✊)
Greenday11 · 07/02/2022 22:14
Sorry to hear things are tough for fellow professional services staff
I love what I do but the constant pressure to do more with less isn't manageable long term. It's not good for staff nor for our students.
goingpearshaped · 22/03/2022 21:04
Totally, I am a whisper away from being signed off again. I just can't manage workloads any more. As others have said, increased workload post covid, increased student distress, admin and pressure to get grants. No reward for grants though in terms of reduced teaching admin etc. Just more work. Losing great staff in droves. I can't sustain this.
Marasme · 22/03/2022 23:45
same here, @goingpearshaped.
I got a grant rejection today and thought "one less thing i ll have to add on the todo list".
I am plagued with anxieties, doubt, intrusive thoughts - I don't trust my judgement even for super stupid things like not ccing the entire university on emails, or filling admin forms (sooo many forms)...
goingpearshaped · 23/03/2022 10:38
Really sorry to hear that @Marasme. Sorry about the grant rejection too although I totally appreocate the random relief about one less thing to do. I don't have any answers at all but I stand with you in solidarity. I find no good staff support at all at my HEI, student support is great (as it should be) but crap for staff.
Greenday11 · 23/03/2022 15:26
Quite possibly @Longcovid21 but sadly could be any HEI in the UK by the sound of others on this thread.
Day by day I'm moving closer to leaving HE altogether - my stress levels and anxiety are simply not worth the increasing crappy pay!
@goingpearshaped - fortunately we seem to have quite good support for staff here. However, it doesn't change the inherent issue of being chronically understaffed and overworked. Ironically our students are far more understanding of the situation than senior management!
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