handling a work situation with non-academic center director

[research_prof]

I think OP mentioned above that indirects (overhead, that is) go to center.

But as I believe Mleok mentioned above, this is a two way street. His university gives him the place to work, and that place is the center. If he threatens pulling the overhead, where would it go? I think a Dean could interpret that as essentially quitting at that point, so be careful. You can only use this threat if you have somewhere else to go (not necessarily another job, but other unit, etc.). Plus, this is a rather heavy handed response in duel of iron fists. Calmer reactions and *absolutely* well-informed reactions, would work better.

To Vid: figure out what the frack is going on first. Research_Prof is right about one thing here: Your money gives you leverage. But don't think of that as permission to threaten. Just use it as permission to speak freely, as in asking questions.

I agree--did not mean OP should threaten. Just say that this situation is not helping them be productive so it might have impact on the indirect cost that is being generated. Or even say that this does not allow the OP to work on their funded projects, so it might not be the best option for attracting funding in the future. This is not a threat, but rather a true statement when an unpleasant situation is going on.

[Ruralguy]

That makes sense, research-prof, and is a good point.

[Vid]

resarch_prof. & Ruralguy: Thank you. No I donot threaten anyone, I am a kind and nice being, behaving respectfully,  but I stand up for myself, Iamnot a doormat! Politics is just another monster here! The policy of being with the center 100% was not discussed with me when I accepted the offer nor they discussed how my indirect will be disputed between department and the center. My offer letter looks like I am with the academic unit but affiliated with the center but after joining the job it turned reverse (I am now affiliated with the academic unit and 100% with the center:(

If I want to move from the center to the academic unit, there is an internal interview if all politics and everyone are supportive of you! I am sorry but such a crap place! 

[Kron3007]

resarch_prof. & Ruralguy: Thank you. No I donot threaten anyone, I am a kind and nice being, behaving respectfully,  but I stand up for myself, Iamnot a doormat! Politics is just another monster here! The policy of being with the center 100% was not discussed with me when I accepted the offer nor they discussed how my indirect will be disputed between department and the center. My offer letter looks like I am with the academic unit but affiliated with the center but after joining the job it turned reverse (I am now affiliated with the academic unit and 100% with the center:(

If I want to move from the center to the academic unit, there is an internal interview if all politics and everyone are supportive of you! I am sorry but such a crap place!

It seems like they have reasons that they need you at the centre.  As I mentioned earlier, we have a similar situation where we have a prof located in an off campus site.  If he were to leave and join us on campus (as he and especially his students may like), our department would lose any influence or control over that centre.  For us, this would have a lot of ramifications so we really do need him to be physically located and active at that site.  I suspect you are in a similar situation in that your department needs faculty that are active in the centre so they can "lay claim" to it.  This could have significant long term purpose.

The real issue is the lack of communication.  They should just clearly tell you why they want you in the centre.  If you knew why they needed you there instead of on main campus, it may be a lot more palatable.  In our case, the professor down there seems content with the situation, but he also gets a lighter teaching load etc. as a result. 

[Ruralguy]

Yeah, when I hear "center" I think of something like "Center for Climate Change"--which likely has climatologists, biologists, physicists, computer scientists, political scientists, etc. But it should be clear whether or not a CS person involved with such a center works on models that are relevant to climatology, at least in concept, or otherwise its sort of pointless. Same with say, an artist who does paintings of animals in their environment. That might make sense for such a center, but just randomly putting any artist or any physicist there, without a real purpose for being part of the Center's mission makes no sense.  So, Vid, would your situation be analogous? That is, generally speaking, some people in your specialty *might* have relevance to the Center's mission , but you don't?

Anyway, what Kron said, for sure. Its OK for *us* not to know what is going on here, but if you don't , it can be a career of aggravation.

[Vid]

Ruralguy; forget it not that type of modeling research.

Kron, yes. there is a lack of communication and inconsistency. I asked my chair several times and every time he said different things. But he told the ass dean for research (I think this is his main reason) that if Vid comes to the campus (if Vid gets a secondary lab/office on the campus) Vid will be separated from the rest of center faculty and they don't collaborate! for collaboration you don't need to be physically close to each other, do you? you just need to find common ground and build up the idea however it heavily depends on the RPFs.

My chair provided a lab in the department to another center faculty, he joined this institution after me! I really don't understand  his (my chair) logic! anyway...maybe it's a good time to apply out!...If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room!

[Ruralguy]

I wasn't really trying to guess where you were. I'm just trying to get a handle on the dynamics. The specific fields don't matter (to us).

Also, why do you say you are in the wrong room if you are the smartest in the room? You have many advantages if you are the smartest. Then again, being the dumbest is easier.  You just happily hum tunes, teach classes, publish incremental crud and go home.

All kidding aside, you seem unhappy, so on one hand you can try to solve the problems, and on the other you can apply out.

[mleok]

Vid, it's clear you're unhappy, but you also seem to have a real challenge navigating the politics of higher education, and that's a skill you're going to have to acquire, whether you like it or not. Moving is not going to obliviate the need for you to acquire that skill.

[research_prof]

Vid, it's clear you're unhappy, but you also seem to have a real challenge navigating the politics of higher education, and that's a skill you're going to have to acquire, whether you like it or not. Moving is not going to obliviate the need for you to acquire that skill.

So you are saying there are no universities and departments where politics does not exist? I still wanted to believe that there is an ideal place for researchers (like me and Vid!), who just want to do their research, write their grants, publish their papers, work with their students, and not waste energy and time on how to play politics.

[Ruralguy]

That's too ideal of a situation. How can you not have politics where humans are involved? Now there are places where people deal with problems a bit more maturely, and solve them to everyone's benefit when possible.

As a faculty member, you are expected to be a leader (and that's true of any type of school). It may be leading a research group, a student group, a dept., whatever. You can't just lock yourself up in an office all day.  You can certainly make time for yourself, but you are expected to competently lead and direct others, and that's where politics always seeps in.

[Ruralguy]

Sorry, I might have been a bit glib above. I don't mean to imply that Vid and Research_prof aren't leaders and aren't leaving labs/offices. I just mean that in the course of doing these expected interactions, you will need to become a bit crafty in dealing with others and not being avoidant of problems. This circle of folks will also likely expand as you age. Unfortunately (or fortunately, in some people's views) it does mean politicking and such is unavoidable. Note: this does not mean *scheming*--it just means dealing with people in a reasonable way. Some people *will* be schemers, but you need to know how to deal with them too. There's almost no way to avoid it. After you go fully up the promotion chain I suppose you can start to pull back a bit if you'd like, so long as you don't become a burden to others.

[mamselle]

The point is to develop and use your Spidy-powers for good.

You are always, inherently as a human being, living in the political dimensions of life as well as all others, as RG and others point out.

How you live and work and have your being is influential; learning to steward that is the charge to the mature individual.

M.

[Vid]

I agree with all you guys said and thank you.

Ruralguy and mleok: I agree with you, 100%. Politics has been the main driver of action and decision in academia. But we have *good* politics and *bad* politics. The former one helps to empower institutions, respect all people irrespective of their race, gender,..., build collaborative teams as it believes in UNITY. But bad politics always tries to concentrate power in individuals and criticize individuals for problems. I know how to play *good* politics well as I have done/am playing it now.

but *bad* politics really drains my energy and I am not sure how to deal with it!! but I have learned to be quiet and focus on my research and goals instead and not dowel on something that is out of my control.

[Ruralguy]

It never stops making you angry, but you get better at dealing with it. You have to use that inclusivity inclination to also include the jerks, and hope it rubs off. Its sort of does. That's not to say that they change their world view, but they do become a bit better at dealing with others.

And its not just academia. There are many jobs that are even more political. Think about politics and government itself! 

[mleok]

Vid, it's clear you're unhappy, but you also seem to have a real challenge navigating the politics of higher education, and that's a skill you're going to have to acquire, whether you like it or not. Moving is not going to obliviate the need for you to acquire that skill.

So you are saying there are no universities and departments where politics does not exist? I still wanted to believe that there is an ideal place for researchers (like me and Vid!), who just want to do their research, write their grants, publish their papers, work with their students, and not waste energy and time on how to play politics.

Unless you are a department of one, the answer is no. In academia, there are always issues of shared resources, and resource constraints, that we have to navigate. You make it sound like grant writing and publications are totally devoid of politics, which I think is a somewhat naive statement.