The Fora: A Higher Education Community

Quote from: jimbogumbo on Today at 01:07:24 PMI have made clear I think claims of violence and occupation have been overstated. It is reminiscent of the hysteria in the suburbs and rural America that BLM and Antifa were coming for the shopping malls en masse. Here is a take on the "outside agitator" narrative, with a discussion of what I think diamalist was getting at with the ownership comment: https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4663670-colleges-police-outside-agitators-campus-protests-students-israel-hamas-gaza/

That article basically defends outside agitators.

I have made clear I think claims of violence and occupation have been overstated. It is reminiscent of the hysteria in the suburbs and rural America that BLM and Antifa were coming for the shopping malls en masse. Here is a take on the "outside agitator" narrative, with a discussion of what I think diamalist was getting at with the ownership comment: https://thehill.com/homenews/education/4663670-colleges-police-outside-agitators-campus-protests-students-israel-hamas-gaza/

Quote from: bio-nonymous on Today at 09:48:28 AM

Quote from: Ruralguy on May 16, 2024, 08:06:47 AMOur phased retirement plan is basically just a delayed buyout at 1 yrs. salary. Honestly, if I am ready to teach for 10 years, I'd start by asking for 10 years salary. I'd be laughed out of the office for that, but that's my initial bargaining position.

Yeah we do have a phased retirement plan which I think is actually pretty good (everyone is eligible when the time comes)- it is 3 years at 50% salary--with no service. I think it is a great plan, a colleague just recently finished up with this program and is "officially" fully retired (no teaching, no service), but is still here for a couple more years, only on their 25% research salary as their R01 winds down.

Beware of "no service" offers in phased buyouts. Even if you are not supposed to do any service, you will be guilted into doing service and your contributions in the area of guilt-service will be un-officially considered when "they" determine budgets that support your remaining duties. One of my former chairs learned this the hard way.

I saw James Greggory in Florence SC while he was touring.  I enjoyed his humor then.  Wow... That was over 20 years ago, so he was under 60 then.  I would look at his tour page every now and then, but he didnt seem to be where I was, when I was near. 

Quote from: Ruralguy on May 16, 2024, 08:06:47 AMOur phased retirement plan is basically just a delayed buyout at 1 yrs. salary. Honestly, if I am ready to teach for 10 years, I'd start by asking for 10 years salary. I'd be laughed out of the office for that, but that's my initial bargaining position.

Yeah we do have a phased retirement plan which I think is actually pretty good (everyone is eligible when the time comes)- it is 3 years at 50% salary--with no service. I think it is a great plan, a colleague just recently finished up with this program and is "officially" fully retired (no teaching, no service), but is still here for a couple more years, only on their 25% research salary as their R01 winds down.

Aiming for 14 pages today.

Quote from: Langue_doc on May 16, 2024, 01:06:56 PMIn other news,
Columbia Faculty Group Passes No-Confidence Resolution Against President
Hundreds of professors at the university weighed in on the resolution, which said the president, Nemat Shafik, had committed an "unprecedented assault on student's rights."

A wonderful example of [Robert] Conquest's Third Law of Politics: The simplest way to explain the behaviour of any bureaucratic organisation is to assume that it is controlled by a cabal of its enemies, here the faculty.

Good morning!

Got to genius with pangram so far.  Yesterday we almost got to team QB but needed bee buddy for ligating.

I also had broil-launched yesterday.  Got a quick 2fer today!

Happy solving!

Good morning!

QBwH yesterday, last word ligating. Genius with pangram today.

LB: I had crunched-diabolo. I was surprised that the second word was accepted! Various solutions this time.

Happy puzzling!

Quote from: kaysixteen on May 16, 2024, 08:33:40 PMWhat say you fire him in order to make an example of him?

Firing TAs in the middle of term produces a difficult choice:

A. Fire, and then try frantically to find someone who wants the job partway through the term, (especially with the potential need to sort out the previous person's mess), knowing that if you can't find someone you have to do it all yourself.

B. Keep them on and try to push, plead, etc. just to get through the term with their problematic efforts but knowing that after the term ends you're done with them.

"Making an example" is a pretty short term effect, since the nature of the job involves a candidate pool who have at most a couple of years of institutional memory. And the other TAs who are doing a good job don't need the example.