Academic side job ideas

[Puget]

So I have a colleague who is flipping houses over the weekend. Why this activity needs to be reported to the university and why would the university claim any of the profits? It is totally unrelated to what he does for the university and has no impact or conflict with the nature of his work.

Guys, a university simply employs you. It does not own you or your life.

It wouldn't-- that's not what you were asking about though, you were asking about side jobs *related to your academic career*. Those have to be declared to your employer to determine if there is a conflict of interest, a conflict of commitment (neglecting your job duties), or IP issues.
You don't have to like that, but if it your university policy you do have to do it or risk being fired. Your choice.

I'll repeat my question-- if you don't like the academic lifestyle or teaching, and could earn more in industry for fewer hours, why not go do that?

[onthefringe]

So I have a colleague who is flipping houses over the weekend. Why this activity needs to be reported to the university and why would the university claim any of the profits? It is totally unrelated to what he does for the university and has no impact or conflict with the nature of his work.

Guys, a university simply employs you. It does not own you or your life.

Correct, but mine (at least) has a very complex and legalistic document about what constitutes a reportable conflict of interest or conflict of effort. Generally, anything for which my university position might be thought to make me "marketable" or anything that requires skills similar to the job I'm employed for is reportable (even if I don't make any money!) So teaching somewhere else, consulting in my area of interest, sitting on the board of a charity related to my area of interest all need to be reported, regardless of whether I earn any money.

Driving an uber, flipping houses, pulling shifts at Walmart etc do not need to be reported as long as they don't interfere with fulfilling my university duties.

Did you take the R1 position?

[Parasaurolophus]

So I have a colleague who is flipping houses over the weekend. Why this activity needs to be reported to the university and why would the university claim any of the profits? It is totally unrelated to what he does for the university and has no impact or conflict with the nature of his work.

Guys, a university simply employs you. It does not own you or your life.

You need to read your employment contract. And you need to remember that it's a legally-binding document.

[mleok]

You can teach a course as an adjunct for another university or college. If you can get an introductory course at a time that doesn't interfere with your day job (or an online course) you can make $3000 to $10,000 per semester, depending on the going rate and how many courses you teach.

For my institution, teaching a class at another university would constitute a conflict of commitment, and would require prior approval.

[mleok]

So I have a colleague who is flipping houses over the weekend. Why this activity needs to be reported to the university and why would the university claim any of the profits? It is totally unrelated to what he does for the university and has no impact or conflict with the nature of his work.

Guys, a university simply employs you. It does not own you or your life.

I have a real estate license, but since it does not involve the professional skills for which I was hired as a professor for, I am not required to disclose it. But, if I were to teach or conduct research for another institution, that would need to be disclosed.

[Ruralguy]

We actually need to report anything that impinges on our time. In practice though, after one  much despised Dean didn't let someone participate in a paid position involving sports, all of the following Deans, in practice, have only enforced positions involved with teaching, research or (paid) service to the profession. In fact, we famously forced someone to chose between us and another school he was teaching at part time. It turned out he had plenty of money to live on any way, so he just retired and I don't think he's taught a class anywhere since.

[Wahoo Redux]

You could do what this guy did:

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/manchester-university-tutor-second-job-porn-star-old-nick-a6914206.html

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3477906/The-mucky-professor-Divorced-university-lecturer-61-moonlights-porn-star-Old-Nick-X-rated-videos-women-age-students.html

He apparently did not report his side job.

[jerseyjay]

I think that policies regarding outside employment vary greatly. My university does, in fact, require that I notify the university ethics officer of any outside employment. However, I have never known the university to tell somebody they cannot teach a course somewhere else (assuming of course, it is not another full-time job, or something that would clearly prevent them from their primary job). Instead, they seem to be more interested in whether the position is with a company that does business with the university/state, or with another state agency. Teaching an introductory history course for a public university in another state seems to not concern them.

[artalot]

Just chiming in that we also have to report all outside employment, not just activity that we think might constitute a conflict of interest.
Though I agree that the more corporate the university becomes, the more we need to look at our work as a job. The corporate university will never love us back. I try to work 8-5, and I will say that there is not enough time to do all of the work that is expected of me. I have tenure, so I sometimes just do a poor job or leave inane emails unanswered. Mostly, though, my research suffers during the academic year and I try to catch up in the summer.

Some ideas: a colleague basically runs a small tour business to a country where he does research - he makes money and gets to stay on after the tour is over to do research. Another colleague teaches courses in China over the summer (apparently the pay is quite good). A friend grades AP exams in her field. I have a small etsy business that really just pays for my crafting hobby with a little extra that I end up spending on books.

[Sun_Worshiper]

Can you go overload? Although this might send the wrong signal if you are an assistant.

[Ruralguy]

He has a new job at an R1. I think overloading in his first semester (or likely first few years) would probably be a mistake. It may or may not send the wrong signals, but it could, or it could just be a time suck. RP, I think time may end up being more valuable than money for you now, unless you need it to survive (or help someone else, such a loved one survive).

[mleok]

He has a new job at an R1. I think overloading in his first semester (or likely first few years) would probably be a mistake. It may or may not send the wrong signals, but it could, or it could just be a time suck. RP, I think time may end up being more valuable than money for you now, unless you need it to survive (or help someone else, such a loved one survive).

At a R1 on the tenure-track, it is definitely not sending the right message to request a teaching overload, or teach during the summer. That's the equivalent of eating the seed corn.

[jimbogumbo]

ditto to mleok.

JUST DO YOUR RESEARCH, AND ADVISE STUDENTS!

That is all.

[Sun_Worshiper]

He has a new job at an R1. I think overloading in his first semester (or likely first few years) would probably be a mistake. It may or may not send the wrong signals, but it could, or it could just be a time suck. RP, I think time may end up being more valuable than money for you now, unless you need it to survive (or help someone else, such a loved one survive).

Sure, but whatever side hustle he does is going to be a time suck.

[mleok]

He has a new job at an R1. I think overloading in his first semester (or likely first few years) would probably be a mistake. It may or may not send the wrong signals, but it could, or it could just be a time suck. RP, I think time may end up being more valuable than money for you now, unless you need it to survive (or help someone else, such a loved one survive).

Sure, but whatever side hustle he does is going to be a time suck.

Many (most?) R1 faculty do not value teaching, and overemphasizing it can create a negative impression of his fit and motivation.