In case the legislature thinks you are not working and needs to know what lazy professors do all day long, let me tell you about my flexibly scheduled day so far. This is after working 6-1 and 2-9 yesterday, 14 total hours with a one hour lunch break on which I both ate and went … More Flexible
It appears that many people have more flexible schedules than I do, so I am going to leave it to them to protest on the steps of their respective state capitol buildings to point out that what we do is work. One of the reasons I have a less flexible schedule than some of you … More Transgressive Talent
Perhaps the reason the girls who envy the “golden boys” do so because they thought they would be in those kinds of positions one day. I never did, so I do not experience the same kind of resentment. I do envy the girls who are in the kinds of jobs where “golden boys” even exist, … More My Most Wicked Thoughts, Written Out
When was the idea that research was so hard for people with Ph.D.s invented? (I do note that in the mythology, it appears that research is only hard after you get the degree — before that, it is expected. This is symptomatic of the mythical nature of the idea that research is hard, I think.) … More An Idea
A third of the semester is gone. One of my five classes (remember, I have five classes and five graduate committees, and administrative work and a major grant proposal and research, and in order to do this work I must fight obstruction daily) — well as I say, one of my classes did a really … More On Enemy Propaganda
Scene: Christmas party. Person: So what are you doing for Christmas, Z? Graduate Student Zero: The main event is, go to the MLA. Professor for whom I am a Research Assistant [overhearing]: That is a bad idea. You have not filed your dissertation. You will have no interviews. Graduate Student Zero: I have seven. Do … More Further Examples of Poor Advice
Consider the condescending tone taken toward faculty here. Blended learning can be a dirty word among some members of your faculty. The fears of embarrassing technical snafus, poor student attendance, and job insecurity often enter the discussion when it comes to using lecture capture in a blended learning model. This web seminar will explore why … More Déguelasse
All my Portuguese students this semester are women. I threw the men out in the spring by giving them Bs. They were good but not serious. I am dealing with two Golden Boys right now — you know the type, they were designated Golden Boys at birth. They have had advantages and that is why … More On Golden Boys
What did you teach today? This semester I am teaching: Spanish 2 (30 students) Spanish 3 (50 students) Portuguese Reading and Composition: for seniors in Linguistics, and graduate students preparing for the reading examination (5 students) Latin American Film: one of those hybrid senior/graduate courses, a highly diverse group (15 students). I am also Secretary … More My Grading Innovation
It is hardly that I do not agree that academic work is work. I have been quoted as saying so on the front page of the Los Angeles Times and that was because of handing out union cards. It was decades ago, and you can tell that to have been allowed to say it on … More Still Mo’ Woikin’
coldhearted scientist وداد 