Wondering at the moment if malaise is a normal part of post-tenure life.
I've heard that successful post-tenure academics have a couple of paths: administration or really getting embedded in research. NewU has been pushing hard to get me on the administrative path, but I am holding out, mostly because I think I'd deeply hate it. Like, a lot. No. No. I don't want to run a major campus-wide program. Nope. Don't want to be a department chair, thanks. At some point I'd snap and tell a student they are being ridiculous or a parent that their student lacks the maturity to success. Not good. You really, really don't want me to do this.
I think the general malaise and uncertainty of living in the US at the moment may be getting to me. But work is definitely a low spot. We've got a lot of changes at NewU, and in my unit in particular, with a new dean after 13 years or something (old one was there when I got here) and he is making tons of changes I strongly disagree with - like to the point that I think they are immoral. Students are getting on my nerves more than they should, to the point that I dread going to class. Oddly, it's usually fine when I am there. They are good kids, and they are usually engaged and trying hard. Nothing wrong with that. But I've started expecting the worst and then being pleasantly surprised. My research is doing pretty well. Got my first book-length thingie (I'm just an editor, so not all THAT major) coming out next month, and three more in the pile. But that's the only career-type thing I'm really excited about. I tried applying for a sabbatical for next year to try to clear things out of my head, but denied. Which sucks, so much.
So, malaise.
Yeah.
I've heard that successful post-tenure academics have a couple of paths: administration or really getting embedded in research. NewU has been pushing hard to get me on the administrative path, but I am holding out, mostly because I think I'd deeply hate it. Like, a lot. No. No. I don't want to run a major campus-wide program. Nope. Don't want to be a department chair, thanks. At some point I'd snap and tell a student they are being ridiculous or a parent that their student lacks the maturity to success. Not good. You really, really don't want me to do this.
I think the general malaise and uncertainty of living in the US at the moment may be getting to me. But work is definitely a low spot. We've got a lot of changes at NewU, and in my unit in particular, with a new dean after 13 years or something (old one was there when I got here) and he is making tons of changes I strongly disagree with - like to the point that I think they are immoral. Students are getting on my nerves more than they should, to the point that I dread going to class. Oddly, it's usually fine when I am there. They are good kids, and they are usually engaged and trying hard. Nothing wrong with that. But I've started expecting the worst and then being pleasantly surprised. My research is doing pretty well. Got my first book-length thingie (I'm just an editor, so not all THAT major) coming out next month, and three more in the pile. But that's the only career-type thing I'm really excited about. I tried applying for a sabbatical for next year to try to clear things out of my head, but denied. Which sucks, so much.
So, malaise.
Yeah.
4 comments:
Ugh, sounds like you really need a sabbatical. I hope you get it for the year after next!
Empathy! Got the opposite problem - want to at least dip my toe in the admin water but continually being denied because my work in the classroom is "so valuable" (not valuable enough to get me a promotion, or a sabbatical, or a pay rise, but enough to keep me from taking on roles which WOULD help me do those things). But definitely malaise! Mind you the UK seems to have looked at the US and be trying to show it, too, can destroy itself and its democracy, so that is part of the precipe here too.
Oh JaneB - so much sympathy for you in the UK. And the being too valuable part.
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