A few weeks ago, I had a suck day. That is the only word for it, suck. A two-hour program meeting that morphed into three-- some hard discussions and poor decisions, IMHO. We are about to search for a new dean, and frankly, I worry about how the administration is going to approach it. We have interim leadership next year--I am concerned.
There were other annoyances, of course, and if I don't contextualize them well, I can feel really bummed out.
There were other annoyances, of course, and if I don't contextualize them well, I can feel really bummed out.
But, in spite of these annoyances, I love being a professor. Yes, it is easy to say when you are tenured. Yes, it is a position of great privilege-- I do not take that for granted.
Still, I love academia. My job is busy and full, no question.
But, is it really alienated labor, as some suggest?
I have had a lot of hard jobs when I was younger:
busboy
chemical plant laborer
darkroom tech, when it was sort of like being a chemical plant laborer
lamoman (ran the lamination machine in a graphic arts house--lot of burns and small scars for memories)
residential counselor for abused, abandoned and neglected children
therapist in multiple residential treatment facilities
multiple social work positions, direct services and admin
Some good times--but all hard jobs. Really hard jobs. Really hard, 40-hour plus a week jobs where I did not pick my schedule and had three weeks or less of time off a year.
Today? On my worst days, my job is reasonable. It is not soul crushing. It allows my body to continue to heal from my two total knee replacements. It is not alienating. Some of my other jobs, well, yeah, they were alienating. I could be fired on the spot, at will, for little cause. Like, that day.
In social media discussions of higher education, being pro-academia is viewed suspiciously. There is a lot of shaming of those who have positive feelings toward higher education. I have seen a lot of very tentative celebrations of new positions and tenure--this pisses me off. We should not be afraid to celebrate success. There is a huge difference between rubbing our triumphs in others' faces and life-affirming celebratations. We can celebrate and still be of service to those who need help--they are not mutually exclusive.
Yet, there is nothing wrong with loving the academe, in spite of its problems. Our leaders do not become evil, flesh eating zombies (trigger warning on link--not for those sensitive to gore) the moment they move into administrative roles. I have been an administrator--its not an easy role.
Yes, we have a lot of work to do to make universities better places to work, but there is little value of dismissing the academe out of hand. Doing so plays into the agendas of those that wish to dismantle public higher education. Consider that, please.
So, if you love higher education, the academe, in spite of its problems. Go ahead, love it.
But, is it really alienated labor, as some suggest?
I have had a lot of hard jobs when I was younger:
busboy
chemical plant laborer
darkroom tech, when it was sort of like being a chemical plant laborer
lamoman (ran the lamination machine in a graphic arts house--lot of burns and small scars for memories)
residential counselor for abused, abandoned and neglected children
therapist in multiple residential treatment facilities
multiple social work positions, direct services and admin
Some good times--but all hard jobs. Really hard jobs. Really hard, 40-hour plus a week jobs where I did not pick my schedule and had three weeks or less of time off a year.
Today? On my worst days, my job is reasonable. It is not soul crushing. It allows my body to continue to heal from my two total knee replacements. It is not alienating. Some of my other jobs, well, yeah, they were alienating. I could be fired on the spot, at will, for little cause. Like, that day.
In social media discussions of higher education, being pro-academia is viewed suspiciously. There is a lot of shaming of those who have positive feelings toward higher education. I have seen a lot of very tentative celebrations of new positions and tenure--this pisses me off. We should not be afraid to celebrate success. There is a huge difference between rubbing our triumphs in others' faces and life-affirming celebratations. We can celebrate and still be of service to those who need help--they are not mutually exclusive.
Yet, there is nothing wrong with loving the academe, in spite of its problems. Our leaders do not become evil, flesh eating zombies (trigger warning on link--not for those sensitive to gore) the moment they move into administrative roles. I have been an administrator--its not an easy role.
Yes, we have a lot of work to do to make universities better places to work, but there is little value of dismissing the academe out of hand. Doing so plays into the agendas of those that wish to dismantle public higher education. Consider that, please.
So, if you love higher education, the academe, in spite of its problems. Go ahead, love it.
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