The Fora: A Higher Education Community

Good morning!

QB. QB yesterday, with oniony as the last word.

biographs/stormy, bigamist/topography

Happy solving!

I can only drool over the idea of a year or more's pay as severance incentive. I just looked at our most recent offer (2021).  We had the option of:

1.  Full insurance coverage (i.e., both the employee's and college's portion) for up to 24 months--based on one month of coverage per full year of employment.  (In my case, if that were offered today, it would be worth about $2200/month for 20 months); or

2.  1.5% of the employee's current base salary x the number of years of FT employment, UP TO a maximum of $30,000. (For me today, that would be about $24K.)

So, not jack-diddly-squat, though if it happens again tomorrow I'd jump to take the insurance (as it would bridge me to Medicare coverage).

Crappy as the options are, though, I have to admit that things are sufficiently rocky here now that I'm eagerly awaiting another VSIP (voluntary severance incentive plan) offer. (I do have the advantage of having a good pension waiting, with about $200K available to me right now as a partial lump sum, plus a guaranteed monthly net payment of about 75% of my current take-home. I won't get much in SS since I haven't paid in for the past 20 years.)

I lived poor for a long time before getting this job, so I know how to do it and can do it again. I just didn't expect to have to go back to living that way after working my ass off (in grad school and on the job) all these years. Still, I know I'm way better off than a lot of people, so I guess I should STFU.

There are four hungry little robins in the nest, and increasing numbers of hummers at the feeders!

I've never thought about it. At a glance, two years seems insufficient--I'd be relatively comfortable with five, I think, and I guess I could make three or four work. But I'd really have to believe that my writing was on the wall.

Quote from: Parasaurolophus on May 13, 2024, 07:24:33 AMMore today.

I did it.

There's a rumour going around at my place that some senior faculty will be offered buyouts this fall.

I can be bought, and everyone has their price. I'm sure my price is too high, but I'm curious . . . . .

What's your price? Two years' salary? Three? One? A fake gold watch and steak knives?

There's been a few bear sightings in the DC area lately:
https://wtop.com/animals-pets/2024/05/watch-black-bear-politely-wanders-through-arlington-co-neighborhood/
Scroll past ad breaks to read full article. Posted online 5/13/24

We went to the shopping outlets and had To Go dinner from Olive Garden. It was a nice day to be outside too!

Quote from: bio-nonymous on May 13, 2024, 12:09:04 PM

Quote from: apl68 on May 08, 2024, 06:15:49 AMI heard coyotes a good deal growing up, but never saw any.  They apparently don't get close enough into town here to hear them.  We do have them in the region.  A couple of years ago a young woman in our church went deer hunting and said that all she saw was a coyote.  Somebody told her "You should have shot him--I hear they make great tacos!"  I really don't think that coyote tacos will ever catch on.

Ick! That seems to me to be like eating dogs--not my style. I hope they were just kidding around?

Definitely kidding. 

Although, now that I think about it, I've never been to a coyote function on Taco Tuesday.  For all I know, maybe they do know how to make great tacos.

Quote from: apl68 on May 08, 2024, 06:15:49 AMI heard coyotes a good deal growing up, but never saw any.  They apparently don't get close enough into town here to hear them.  We do have them in the region.  A couple of years ago a young woman in our church went deer hunting and said that all she saw was a coyote.  Somebody told her "You should have shot him--I hear they make great tacos!"  I really don't think that coyote tacos will ever catch on.

Ick! That seems to me to be like eating dogs--not my style. I hope they were just kidding around?