Three dreaded words ~ annual performance evaluation. These words bring to mind sitting uncomfortably, waiting for critiques, hoping for some praise, feeling the need to justify one's position. An emphasis on individual performance is not new; it's a staple of human resources practice and consulting. Ideally, it's a time of reflection and personal goal setting.
For faculty, this is a time to recount the peer reviewed publications, re-tally the grant and contract dollars awarded, report on student course evaluation scores, refresh the list of advisees and update the list of campus and professional committee memberships, as well as add new honors and invited presentations. The renowned curriculum vita (CV) becomes current. Each university and each department has slightly different criteria for determining whether the productivity has been sufficient. But, all expect that their faculty members exceed whatever minimum has been set. In preparation of theses counts and updates, some faculty rush to submit manuscripts for publication and nudge students toward graduation. The annual academic clock is predictable.
For many doctoral students, this is a time for anxiety as they measure their accomplishments against the market expectations they will be facing. In some doctoral programs, students do a self-evaluation of accomplishments and updating of CV. As new students engage in this activity, they might be overwhelmed at the list of what ought to done before graduation. Like faculty, students are expected to serve as student representatives on various campus or professional committees, publish in peer reviewed journals, present their research, all while completing coursework at a satisfactory level.
For the university, the annual performance evaulation tends to focus on graduation rates, national university rankings, and total grant dollars summed across faculty.
Missing across these three levels are the intangibles of knowledge generated and shared, acceptances gained and restrictions lost, and critical thinking skills honed; The societal goods necessary for a healthy democracy.
Showing posts with label Academic Cycle. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Academic Cycle. Show all posts
31 March 2017
17 March 2017
Spring Break Reflecion
It's equinox season which also means it's spring break season. Students and faculty switch from thinking about beginning to ending. For students, endings range from the simple "end of the semester but still have lots of courses before graduating", to the more panicky "OMG I have so much to do so that I can graduate this semester." For students with many course still be be taken, the spring break functions more like a brief breather, a tiny landmark that denotes progress. For students in the OMG category, spring break provides time to get caught up on assignments, begin planning for the family attendance at the commencement ceremony, finish job applications, or just sleep and do house work. Admittedly, I've never heard a student complain about having a week of reprieve.
Faculty too have patterned responses to the spring break. Those with school age children often take the time for a brief family vacation. (Hence the sharp increase in the % of children on airplanes.) Other faculty, like so many of their students, take the time to get caught up on the variety of tasks that plague faculty, like accreditation reports, meeting agendas and minutes, low priority but necessary emails, grading papers and exams, polishing the manuscript that is almost ready to send, or search once again for a grant funding source for that kool idea that won't go away. Naturally, there are a few faculty who look like the slacker category, who, like some students, don't do work, but in doing nothing regain composure and energy for the remainder of the semester.
There are no strict rules, but academic norms about how to spend spring break. Sure, Human Resources has a policy, but academic freedom seems extended to flexibility in time management. In today's environment of productivity focused performance measures, how to recharge the intellect becomes an interesting question. Research on creativity and even more classical productivity converges on the need to have time to "do something different" as a stimulus for the next push. Spring break, no matter how it is taken, provides just that, a break, from the routine and a time in which the little grey cells can rejuvenate.
Faculty too have patterned responses to the spring break. Those with school age children often take the time for a brief family vacation. (Hence the sharp increase in the % of children on airplanes.) Other faculty, like so many of their students, take the time to get caught up on the variety of tasks that plague faculty, like accreditation reports, meeting agendas and minutes, low priority but necessary emails, grading papers and exams, polishing the manuscript that is almost ready to send, or search once again for a grant funding source for that kool idea that won't go away. Naturally, there are a few faculty who look like the slacker category, who, like some students, don't do work, but in doing nothing regain composure and energy for the remainder of the semester.
There are no strict rules, but academic norms about how to spend spring break. Sure, Human Resources has a policy, but academic freedom seems extended to flexibility in time management. In today's environment of productivity focused performance measures, how to recharge the intellect becomes an interesting question. Research on creativity and even more classical productivity converges on the need to have time to "do something different" as a stimulus for the next push. Spring break, no matter how it is taken, provides just that, a break, from the routine and a time in which the little grey cells can rejuvenate.
22 August 2014
Readiness and Capable
In my role as the Director of a PhD program, one of my responsibilities is to over see the student admission process. In general, the admission process follows the standard formula. Students submit an online application which includes transcripts, standardized scores, letters of reference, and a personal statement.
The entire packet is reviewed by a committee of faculty. We consider past performance, career goals, and the fit of applicant's research interests with the existing expertise of faculty. We do our best to be fair, meaning equitable and balanced. Assessing the capabilities of potential students to complete the program tends to be somewhat straightforward using the quantitative information in the packet. What tends to be more difficult to assess is the psychological and financial readiness of a potential student. We don't ask for financial information in the application packet, nor do we do conduct psychological readiness tests. We have to rely on the personal statement and what the potential student reveals about the desire to be in a doctoral program and what has lead to his or her decision to apply.
I wish I could say that Admissions Committees always make perfect decisions. But, nothing in life is perfect. We do tend to be pretty good at making the accept/deny admission decisions. We want our students to succeed by graduating and we would not intentionally accept an applicant who is not likely to finish.
We can make a decision error based on misjudging the applicant's capability to do the work; such students tend not to finish either at the Exam or the dissertation stages. We also can make an error based on misjudging the applicant's readiness for the 4-7 year intellectual and financial commitment of being a doctoral student. These students can drop out or merely fade away at any point in the program.
Ultimately, the Admissions Committee strives for decisions that become win-win's for the student and for the faculty how have foster the student through the program.
The entire packet is reviewed by a committee of faculty. We consider past performance, career goals, and the fit of applicant's research interests with the existing expertise of faculty. We do our best to be fair, meaning equitable and balanced. Assessing the capabilities of potential students to complete the program tends to be somewhat straightforward using the quantitative information in the packet. What tends to be more difficult to assess is the psychological and financial readiness of a potential student. We don't ask for financial information in the application packet, nor do we do conduct psychological readiness tests. We have to rely on the personal statement and what the potential student reveals about the desire to be in a doctoral program and what has lead to his or her decision to apply.
I wish I could say that Admissions Committees always make perfect decisions. But, nothing in life is perfect. We do tend to be pretty good at making the accept/deny admission decisions. We want our students to succeed by graduating and we would not intentionally accept an applicant who is not likely to finish.
We can make a decision error based on misjudging the applicant's capability to do the work; such students tend not to finish either at the Exam or the dissertation stages. We also can make an error based on misjudging the applicant's readiness for the 4-7 year intellectual and financial commitment of being a doctoral student. These students can drop out or merely fade away at any point in the program.
Ultimately, the Admissions Committee strives for decisions that become win-win's for the student and for the faculty how have foster the student through the program.
08 August 2014
Change and Differences
People have been asking, "so, how was your first year?" I reply, "I'm glad my first year is over." Then I explain that although I think I did okay, I'm glad to be past finding a new doctor, new dentist, new hairdresser, new dry cleaner, new nearby gas station, and a new route to the airport. These are the little realities that come along with having moved across country for a new faculty position.
How was my first year in my new faculty role? That's really what others want to know. When pressed on the issue, I usually talk about the differences I noticed between institutions. Change always seems to highlight differences ~
Travel arrangements and reimbursements: do it yourself online versus having a secretary do it all a month in advance and on paper.
Budgeting: carry-over funds across fiscal years versus zero out accounts two months before the end of the fiscal year.
Student advising: ad hoc process of notifying students of availability versus putting advising hours in the online advising schedule.
Parking: one hanging tag with annual new little dates and a swipe card versus a radio frequency hanging tag that is replaced each year.
Student textbooks: university owned and run bookstore versus Barnes and Noble as the bookstore.
Graduate School: no coordination across program directors versus quarterly meetings of all graduate program directors from across campus.
Clearly, one side or other is not better, just different. But, it's coming to accept the differences, embracing the accompanying learning curve, and getting fluent in the new jargon that makes it no longer the first year.
As campus fills with the new students, new faculty, new enthusiasm, new anticipations, and new hopes, I feel ready to step from being the new faculty to being the old faculty.
How was my first year in my new faculty role? That's really what others want to know. When pressed on the issue, I usually talk about the differences I noticed between institutions. Change always seems to highlight differences ~
Travel arrangements and reimbursements: do it yourself online versus having a secretary do it all a month in advance and on paper.
Budgeting: carry-over funds across fiscal years versus zero out accounts two months before the end of the fiscal year.
Student advising: ad hoc process of notifying students of availability versus putting advising hours in the online advising schedule.
Parking: one hanging tag with annual new little dates and a swipe card versus a radio frequency hanging tag that is replaced each year.
Student textbooks: university owned and run bookstore versus Barnes and Noble as the bookstore.
Graduate School: no coordination across program directors versus quarterly meetings of all graduate program directors from across campus.
Clearly, one side or other is not better, just different. But, it's coming to accept the differences, embracing the accompanying learning curve, and getting fluent in the new jargon that makes it no longer the first year.
As campus fills with the new students, new faculty, new enthusiasm, new anticipations, and new hopes, I feel ready to step from being the new faculty to being the old faculty.
27 January 2013
Hiring Faculty For the Uninitiated
Our department has not hired any new tenure track faculty for nearly a decade. We have been waiting for retirements and the accompanying salaries, and then we were waiting for the economic downturn to turnaround. Finally, and almost despite the dire state of our State's retirement fund, we are hiring junior faculty.
The hiring process within academe has its own rhythm and rituals. We do follow all legal requirements applicable to hiring, but those human resource practices are only a small part of the process. The hiring process is closely tied to the academic year, which determines the timing and time limits.
As with any open position, a job announcement is developed. Academic job announcements function as job descriptions. Unlike a job description, the faculty announcement tends to be created for each faculty opening, as though to explicitly explain how each new faculty will fill a unique niche within that academic unit. I don't recall ever seeing a faculty job description developed by HR and then distributed. That just seems like a weird idea in academia.
The work of developing the job announcement falls to the Search Committee. A group of faculty are chosen by the Department Chair, in the case of a departmental faculty opening, or by the Dean in the case of Department Chair search. The group of 4-6 faculty do a considerable amount of work. After drafting the position announcement, they develop criteria by which to select the top candidates. After reviewing the cover letter and curriculum vitea of each applicant, they list the top tier of candidates. We had over 125 applications; that's a lot of reading. The search committee then conducted phone interviews with the top12 applicants. From that pool, they invited 6 to come for a visit.
Notice that I said candidate visit, not interview, but calling it a "visit" is rather euphemistic. The applicant comes to meet with faculty, students, the search committee, the department chair, and to give a formal presentation on his/her program of research. For the candidate, it can be a grueling day or day and a half agenda that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings with key and interested individuals. During the visit, the candidate will also be on the "buying" side while the faculty, implicitly or explicitly, "sell" the position, themselves, and the academic unit.
In the end, the search committee gathers the impressions from faculty and submits a recommendation to the Department Chair. Then the salary and non-benefit befits negotiations begin. In the ideal situation, the Department hires the faculty's favorite candidate. But, there is no guarantee that the ideal happens. Worst case scenario is that no new faculty are hired and the whole process starts over the next academic year.
As you can see, this is not a quick process. It is a process that exemplifies the historical independence and self-governance of faculty, at least in the US and UK. It is a process intended to be democratic and deserving of a secure future. It is a process that can generate excitement and enthusiasm among a stably stagnant faculty body. It is a process that is long over due in my academic unit and about which I am hopeful.
The hiring process within academe has its own rhythm and rituals. We do follow all legal requirements applicable to hiring, but those human resource practices are only a small part of the process. The hiring process is closely tied to the academic year, which determines the timing and time limits.
As with any open position, a job announcement is developed. Academic job announcements function as job descriptions. Unlike a job description, the faculty announcement tends to be created for each faculty opening, as though to explicitly explain how each new faculty will fill a unique niche within that academic unit. I don't recall ever seeing a faculty job description developed by HR and then distributed. That just seems like a weird idea in academia.
The work of developing the job announcement falls to the Search Committee. A group of faculty are chosen by the Department Chair, in the case of a departmental faculty opening, or by the Dean in the case of Department Chair search. The group of 4-6 faculty do a considerable amount of work. After drafting the position announcement, they develop criteria by which to select the top candidates. After reviewing the cover letter and curriculum vitea of each applicant, they list the top tier of candidates. We had over 125 applications; that's a lot of reading. The search committee then conducted phone interviews with the top12 applicants. From that pool, they invited 6 to come for a visit.
Notice that I said candidate visit, not interview, but calling it a "visit" is rather euphemistic. The applicant comes to meet with faculty, students, the search committee, the department chair, and to give a formal presentation on his/her program of research. For the candidate, it can be a grueling day or day and a half agenda that includes breakfast, lunch and dinner meetings with key and interested individuals. During the visit, the candidate will also be on the "buying" side while the faculty, implicitly or explicitly, "sell" the position, themselves, and the academic unit.
In the end, the search committee gathers the impressions from faculty and submits a recommendation to the Department Chair. Then the salary and non-benefit befits negotiations begin. In the ideal situation, the Department hires the faculty's favorite candidate. But, there is no guarantee that the ideal happens. Worst case scenario is that no new faculty are hired and the whole process starts over the next academic year.
As you can see, this is not a quick process. It is a process that exemplifies the historical independence and self-governance of faculty, at least in the US and UK. It is a process intended to be democratic and deserving of a secure future. It is a process that can generate excitement and enthusiasm among a stably stagnant faculty body. It is a process that is long over due in my academic unit and about which I am hopeful.
14 October 2012
Clumpiness of Life
Astronomers have found that matter is not evenly distributed across the universe; it's a clumpy distribution. Hence we have galaxies. I find this a very useful analogy of how human life unfolds: in clumps of business and events. I've been in one of those clumps for the past few weeks. Not oppressively dense, but dense enough to need to stay focused on timelines and deadlines and tasks.
One contributor to the clump was an invitation to return to RWJF in Princeton, NJ, to continue the discussion of the future of public health nursing. We were a small group and spent a full day of identifying barriers and possible solutions to improving and supporting the existing workforce. So, I prepared a little handout for the meeting and made the round trip in two days. I felt as though it was a good discussion and now we will wait and see what RWJF decides to do.
Another contributor the recent clump has been students wanting to meet about their MPH capstone paper. It's usually this time of year that those who want to graduate in May come asking for help. I think of this as a good thing. But, these meetings do fill up the calendar. Thankfully, those I have spoken with seem to be on task, on target and on time. To be honest, the capstone paper is the one activity in which I really work with the students, helping them pull all the content together into a package that will help them get a job.
A third contributor to the clumpiness is the revisions to my textbook. In July I forwarded all the chapters for the 3rd edition. Now, I am getting those files back with questions from the editor. Things like "this url is outdated" and "where does this table go". Things that need attention to make the book as good as possible. But, these little things take time. There's no glossing over them.
The last clump contributor was the decision to write a grant proposal for a Dec 5 deadline. Although I am not the PI, the research team (more the proposal team) have swung into high gear. These deadlines have a way of motivating, being a distraction, and generating some anxiety. I'll update the blog with how the project progresses.
Now, that the clump is thinning, a little, I can make my way back to the routine work of HCMR editorship, course instructor, research collaborator, and manuscript writer. I guess the clumpiness analogy only goes so far; there's no vacuum in my life.
One contributor to the clump was an invitation to return to RWJF in Princeton, NJ, to continue the discussion of the future of public health nursing. We were a small group and spent a full day of identifying barriers and possible solutions to improving and supporting the existing workforce. So, I prepared a little handout for the meeting and made the round trip in two days. I felt as though it was a good discussion and now we will wait and see what RWJF decides to do.
Another contributor the recent clump has been students wanting to meet about their MPH capstone paper. It's usually this time of year that those who want to graduate in May come asking for help. I think of this as a good thing. But, these meetings do fill up the calendar. Thankfully, those I have spoken with seem to be on task, on target and on time. To be honest, the capstone paper is the one activity in which I really work with the students, helping them pull all the content together into a package that will help them get a job.
A third contributor to the clumpiness is the revisions to my textbook. In July I forwarded all the chapters for the 3rd edition. Now, I am getting those files back with questions from the editor. Things like "this url is outdated" and "where does this table go". Things that need attention to make the book as good as possible. But, these little things take time. There's no glossing over them.
The last clump contributor was the decision to write a grant proposal for a Dec 5 deadline. Although I am not the PI, the research team (more the proposal team) have swung into high gear. These deadlines have a way of motivating, being a distraction, and generating some anxiety. I'll update the blog with how the project progresses.
Now, that the clump is thinning, a little, I can make my way back to the routine work of HCMR editorship, course instructor, research collaborator, and manuscript writer. I guess the clumpiness analogy only goes so far; there's no vacuum in my life.
31 August 2012
Realities of the Semester Start
Each
semester begins with a mix of ease and stumbles. The stumble this semester
originated in the bookstore.
One
of my students sent an email the week before the first class asking whether it
was okay to use the book on the bookstore shelves, despite it not being the
same as the one on the course syllabus. Needless
to say, I was perplexed. After a few email exchanges with the bookstore, I
learned that they had substituted a newer book for the text that I had ordered which
was no longer in print. The stumble was
that the bookstore never notified me of this. An obvious communication failure.
Not
so many years ago, this mix up would have only had one resolution-buy what was
on the bookstore shelf. Now, students can get old books from a variety of
online sources. While having that option
is wonderful, it also left me with no way to know how many students had gone
online for the older book versus how many had purchased the newer textbook
at the bookstore. In short, I was stumped by the technology, the ready access
to a host of resources and no means to anticipate.
What
are the possible lessons?
1) Don’t
assume that a textbook stays in print.
2) Don’t
assume that the bookstore is prefect in its functioning.
3) At
least one student will point out the failings and problems.
4) Being
flexible remains a good approach.
During
the first class, I addressed the problem and hopefully calmed fears that both
would work, albeit slightly differently. I did not hear any complaining. I think they
were mostly glad that not to have to buy a different book.
23 August 2012
Semester Ready
Friday the SPH building will be full with new students, faculty and some current students. All attending the orientation. The orientation blends ritual with a tiny element of infomercial and blind dating. This year our division has so many incoming students that we no longer fit in the larger of the classrooms; the gathering of new students and faculty will, instead, be in the auditorium. Far less personal than preferred, but we also won't complain about having so many students. The numbers are a testimony to the current popularity of public health.
As I have more and more academic cycles behind me, the newness of the year is hard to generate. What is new for these incoming students is what we faculty have been working to improve for years. What is unknown to these students, we see as the beginning of a recognizable pattern.
One big thing remains impossible to predict as the students introduce themselves--who will whiz through without difficulty or challenging situations and who will falter, linger and fade unfinished. Naturally, we hope that we have admitted only students fitting into the first category. But, as I review and add to my advisee list, a few names have been there too long. These students, yeas ago at orientation, were also filled with expectations and hope for a public health career.
Hope, enthusiastic expectations, energetic commitment and excitement.... may the entire academic year be infused with these delightful qualities that fill the day of orientation.
As I have more and more academic cycles behind me, the newness of the year is hard to generate. What is new for these incoming students is what we faculty have been working to improve for years. What is unknown to these students, we see as the beginning of a recognizable pattern.
One big thing remains impossible to predict as the students introduce themselves--who will whiz through without difficulty or challenging situations and who will falter, linger and fade unfinished. Naturally, we hope that we have admitted only students fitting into the first category. But, as I review and add to my advisee list, a few names have been there too long. These students, yeas ago at orientation, were also filled with expectations and hope for a public health career.
Hope, enthusiastic expectations, energetic commitment and excitement.... may the entire academic year be infused with these delightful qualities that fill the day of orientation.
13 July 2012
Most people think of teachers as not working during July. So not true for me. Yes, I had a real 2 week vacation in June. So far, some surprises have emerged in July.
A junior faculty (Assistant level with only 3 years of experience) contacted me to be her mentor on a grant. A wonderful surprise. This type of being sought out not only makes the ego feel good, but it also validates my experiences and expertise. Naturally, I told her that I'd be delighted to work with her, which was immediately followed by a flurry of emails and meetings on making her topic doable within the grant budget. Being a mentor tends to be as much about giving support as it is about giving research advise. Only time will tell whether her grant gets funded. Meanwhile, I am blessed with pushing her and myself in new directions.
One of the looming dooming factors in her being able to apply for the funding is the state budget which has cuts to University support. Once again, the state support is scaled back. It breaks my heart to see the overall economy (local and global) has been affecting higher education. When I started as a faculty, the presence of international graduate students underscored the global prestige and value of the U.S. university system. I always viewed it as a huge national asset which never seems to be counted in import/export estimations. Over my career, especially in the past 7-10 years, it feels like we as a nation have lost so much in terms of higher education.
My concern is how to regain, in an innovative replace and replenish way, what has been lost, dropped or deleted. My concern is for other junior faculty who might become discouraged or disheartened with the state of higher education and seek alternative careers. We need the bright, new thinking represented by this junior faculty. As a society, we need to be willing to re-engineer higher education in ways that will keep the U.S. at the forefront of technology and knowledge generation.
A junior faculty (Assistant level with only 3 years of experience) contacted me to be her mentor on a grant. A wonderful surprise. This type of being sought out not only makes the ego feel good, but it also validates my experiences and expertise. Naturally, I told her that I'd be delighted to work with her, which was immediately followed by a flurry of emails and meetings on making her topic doable within the grant budget. Being a mentor tends to be as much about giving support as it is about giving research advise. Only time will tell whether her grant gets funded. Meanwhile, I am blessed with pushing her and myself in new directions.
One of the looming dooming factors in her being able to apply for the funding is the state budget which has cuts to University support. Once again, the state support is scaled back. It breaks my heart to see the overall economy (local and global) has been affecting higher education. When I started as a faculty, the presence of international graduate students underscored the global prestige and value of the U.S. university system. I always viewed it as a huge national asset which never seems to be counted in import/export estimations. Over my career, especially in the past 7-10 years, it feels like we as a nation have lost so much in terms of higher education.
My concern is how to regain, in an innovative replace and replenish way, what has been lost, dropped or deleted. My concern is for other junior faculty who might become discouraged or disheartened with the state of higher education and seek alternative careers. We need the bright, new thinking represented by this junior faculty. As a society, we need to be willing to re-engineer higher education in ways that will keep the U.S. at the forefront of technology and knowledge generation.
29 June 2012
Summer Summary
Life, academic life, has been unfolding in marvelous ways. I can go into details, if you ask, but here's the Cliff Notes version ~
One of the unanticipated benefits of being an Editor involves travel. In February, I went to Milan, Italy to spend a day with health economics and administration faculty at Bocconi University. Naturally, I added a little sightseeing after the work was done. In November, I will return to Italy as invited keynote speaker at an international conference, and again add a few tourist days.
But, travel invitations also come from being recognized as an expert in public health nursing. That's how I got the invitation to speak at a conference in Ireland next year, as well as the invitation to the ASTHO biannual meeting of human resource directors. in May.
I missed going to AcademyHealth in Orlando in June, having gone to the Keeneland Conference in April instead. Well, and truth be told, I had a vacation retreat where I earned nursing CEU for attending a 5 day workshop on Qigong from Dr. Roger Jahnke.
Meanwhile, back at the not-so-ranch, starting with the new academic year, we will have a new Division Director, after much ado. In spring, we lost our Administrative Assistant to cancer and that shook up faculty, especial our cancer survivors. In her position, we now have someone who has brought renewed energy and vision.
My grants keep my busy. The KRISP project is now in a final 6 months of intervention and I will be losing my project coordinator, Hilary. I loss to me, a gain for her. This is how soft-money life goes. The RWJF grant, nicknamed MCAH Preserves just to be cute and unique, is also going well with data focused activities underway.
Now, that gets you caught on the big strokes outline of what has been happening. More details and reflections to follow on a weekly or bi-weekly basis.
25 May 2012
Summer Plans
It may seem odd to reconnect to this blog, the work related blog, just as summer is getting started. The reality is that summer does not mean three months of vacation with nothing to do. Au contre!
It works like this. I have summer salary included in the budget for two of my grants. Therefore, I need to work on those grants during the summer months to justify the summer salary. Continuing to work on them during the summer had been written into the grant activities plan. Amazingly, I was in the ball park with what will need to be done over the summer months. In addition to the grants activities, I still have Editorship work to do and preparation for class in fall. That's the shortened list.
Fall class preparation actually began while teaching the course last fall. I made notes on what might need to be updated or improved. Over the next month or two, I'll make those changes, and get the Blackboard updated for the students. Interestingly, some students who have signed up for the fall class are already asking for the course syllabus and textbook list. I have a mixed reaction that is equal parts "why are you bugging me so far in advance" and "these must be ambitious students who deserve encouragement." Yes, faculty to do have their moments of ambivalence.
I have reconciled to the need to switch to MS Outlook. Not a conversion that is appealing, but increasingly necessary given the extent to which it is used by my collaborators. If I can get this done before the beginning of August, that would be good. Yes, I realize that this is not technologically difficult. It's more that staying current with the ever-evolving options takes some degree of energy and attention. At least I no longer wish for the DOS days.
It works like this. I have summer salary included in the budget for two of my grants. Therefore, I need to work on those grants during the summer months to justify the summer salary. Continuing to work on them during the summer had been written into the grant activities plan. Amazingly, I was in the ball park with what will need to be done over the summer months. In addition to the grants activities, I still have Editorship work to do and preparation for class in fall. That's the shortened list.
Fall class preparation actually began while teaching the course last fall. I made notes on what might need to be updated or improved. Over the next month or two, I'll make those changes, and get the Blackboard updated for the students. Interestingly, some students who have signed up for the fall class are already asking for the course syllabus and textbook list. I have a mixed reaction that is equal parts "why are you bugging me so far in advance" and "these must be ambitious students who deserve encouragement." Yes, faculty to do have their moments of ambivalence.
I have reconciled to the need to switch to MS Outlook. Not a conversion that is appealing, but increasingly necessary given the extent to which it is used by my collaborators. If I can get this done before the beginning of August, that would be good. Yes, I realize that this is not technologically difficult. It's more that staying current with the ever-evolving options takes some degree of energy and attention. At least I no longer wish for the DOS days.
21 October 2011
Bonding with students
Some students become intellectual children and stay close to home. Every once in a while, some chemistry happens between a student and a faculty that somehow bonds the two. It's a good feeling, that has overtones of successes and pride and optimism.
Lisa, Michelle, Erica and Jamie are good examples. It's more than us being Facebook friends or connected through LinkedIn. We went through the tough times of working out the research, plugging through the details of writing and data analysis. We shared some sweat and tears. By the time we had reached the graduation side of the mountain, we were friends who had shared a rite of passage in life.
Rite of passage. Graduate education has that potential to be more than getting a degree. It's about becoming someone new, with eyes open, sleeves rolled up, and enthusiasm in approaching the next challenge. This doesn't make either me or the student smarter, but it does make us each more than we were before. And, for that I am as grateful as for the new friendships.
Lisa, Michelle, Erica and Jamie are good examples. It's more than us being Facebook friends or connected through LinkedIn. We went through the tough times of working out the research, plugging through the details of writing and data analysis. We shared some sweat and tears. By the time we had reached the graduation side of the mountain, we were friends who had shared a rite of passage in life.
Rite of passage. Graduate education has that potential to be more than getting a degree. It's about becoming someone new, with eyes open, sleeves rolled up, and enthusiasm in approaching the next challenge. This doesn't make either me or the student smarter, but it does make us each more than we were before. And, for that I am as grateful as for the new friendships.
16 September 2011
Academic Year 2011-2012
Yes, it has started all over again. Such is the rhythm of academic life.
As usual, I am teaching the doctoral course called "Foundations of Public Health Inquiry". I really like teaching this course to the second year doctoral students. Over the years that I have been teaching it, I have come to see the pattern of learning that occurs among the students. They begin so naively, optimistically and earnestly. As they get into the middle of the course they begin to doubt themselves, and then the light goes on. And, they see where I have taken them. I love watching them on this journey.
Let's be clear. Having posted minimally over the summer is NOT an indicator of not having been working over the summer. Yes, I took a two week vacation and went to Iceland (the land of fire and ice, literally). But, the rest of the time I was working on: presentations, manuscripts, course preparation, grant management, hiring new RAs, writing and filing annual reports, writing grants, and editorship. Not such a bad list of work activities. Basically, all things that I wanted to be doing.
As usual, I am teaching the doctoral course called "Foundations of Public Health Inquiry". I really like teaching this course to the second year doctoral students. Over the years that I have been teaching it, I have come to see the pattern of learning that occurs among the students. They begin so naively, optimistically and earnestly. As they get into the middle of the course they begin to doubt themselves, and then the light goes on. And, they see where I have taken them. I love watching them on this journey.
Let's be clear. Having posted minimally over the summer is NOT an indicator of not having been working over the summer. Yes, I took a two week vacation and went to Iceland (the land of fire and ice, literally). But, the rest of the time I was working on: presentations, manuscripts, course preparation, grant management, hiring new RAs, writing and filing annual reports, writing grants, and editorship. Not such a bad list of work activities. Basically, all things that I wanted to be doing.
23 March 2011
Spring break, coffee break
Spring break week means quieter hallways, more closed faculty office doors, and less traffic. Some faculty actually take a break from being on campus, although few actually stop working. We still answer email, work on manuscripts and prepare for the next class. For me, spring break means nothing more than fewer students in the hallway and no faculty meetings. I just can't get into the spirit of not working in the middle of the semester. After all, I am paid to work spring break.
For a few students, spring break is a time to get ahead on RA hours in anticipation of a hellish finals week. For a few other students, spring break is a time to get involved and manifest the best of the Millennial Generation characteristics ~ service and social justice. I have two students who are on a trip to Haiti with a group led by a College of Medicine faculty. They are going to do a community assessment of needs. They are paying their own expenses and taking their enthusiasm for making a difference to a place in need of energy, commitment, and enthusiasm. They represent the best of the Millennial character.
Meanwhile, back in Chicago, I struggle to decipher the meaning of clinging to the coffee cup in the classroom. Somehow, a conversation veered to the topic of coffee in the classroom. A student was complaining about the ants that immediate surround her cup. I complained about the distraction of coffee drinking while teaching. Not long ago, I mildly chastised a faculty for taking coffee and food to each of his morning classes, arguing we are not servants or restaurants. (Maybe we ARE more like chefs than I want to admit.) Why does the collective we need to bring coffee wherever we go? Does it signify informality? Addiction? Insecurity? Non-respect? Individuality? Sleep deprivation?
I'd say that I need a coffee break, but, in daily life today, that no longer exists. Demarcations between work, play, break are faded, like old white car lane lines. I have no crystal ball (only a 9 ball) to tell me the future. Thinking of the students taking their spring break to work in Haiti, I see a future that looks promising and positive, if not caffeinated.
For a few students, spring break is a time to get ahead on RA hours in anticipation of a hellish finals week. For a few other students, spring break is a time to get involved and manifest the best of the Millennial Generation characteristics ~ service and social justice. I have two students who are on a trip to Haiti with a group led by a College of Medicine faculty. They are going to do a community assessment of needs. They are paying their own expenses and taking their enthusiasm for making a difference to a place in need of energy, commitment, and enthusiasm. They represent the best of the Millennial character.
Meanwhile, back in Chicago, I struggle to decipher the meaning of clinging to the coffee cup in the classroom. Somehow, a conversation veered to the topic of coffee in the classroom. A student was complaining about the ants that immediate surround her cup. I complained about the distraction of coffee drinking while teaching. Not long ago, I mildly chastised a faculty for taking coffee and food to each of his morning classes, arguing we are not servants or restaurants. (Maybe we ARE more like chefs than I want to admit.) Why does the collective we need to bring coffee wherever we go? Does it signify informality? Addiction? Insecurity? Non-respect? Individuality? Sleep deprivation?
I'd say that I need a coffee break, but, in daily life today, that no longer exists. Demarcations between work, play, break are faded, like old white car lane lines. I have no crystal ball (only a 9 ball) to tell me the future. Thinking of the students taking their spring break to work in Haiti, I see a future that looks promising and positive, if not caffeinated.
29 January 2011
Interviewing for a Faculty Position
Speed dating would be a cinch compared to the interview process for a faculty position. The process remains a mystery not only to those outside of academia, but also to most would be faculty members. Here's how the speed dating for a faculty slot goes....
First there is the blind submission of the personal details. Your CV (the full, long version, NOT a resume) gets sent to the search committee, along with a three page letter espousing your virtues and fit with the position. Letters of recommendation also need to be sent. Those letters are the stamp of approval from your most prestigious peers.
After the deadline for getting those materials submitted, the search committee might hold a brief teleconference to screen for obvious red flags. Red flags like not knowing the main textbooks in the field, looking for a position that isn't quite the one advertised, or just sounding dumb on the phone. If you pass that screening, the speed dating is next.
You get flown to the university for wining, dining, grilling, drilling, and a hefty dose of show and tell. The speed dating comes into play as you move through the day, meeting with faculty at the prospective university in groups of one or two for 30-60 minutes. The questions are predictable: what is your research interest, what would you like to teach, how do you feel about this workload, why are you interviewing for this faculty position, and what do you have to offer us that we don't have. Answered. On to the next date.
Somewhere in the middle of all that moving from office to office, time is set aside to give a presentation to the faculty as a whole. The presentation needs to have a wow factor as well as a high rigor factor. Ideally, it ought to also touch on enough of the interests of the faculty to be broadly appealing. I'm not sure I succeeded on these points. But, I enjoyed what I did. That's got to count for something.
One of the the interviewers is, of course, the Dean. Maybe a couple of students will show up for a meeting. Staff from a key project get included. Faculty who are retiring and you would be their replacement have the least interesting questions. Faculty from other departments who are keen to meet you also get some time across the table from me.
At the end comes the dinner. Admittedly, by the time the appetizer comes around, I'm worn out. Even if I really like my dinner guests, it's hard to pay deep attention and act sharp.
Then, like in speed dating, comes the waiting. Will I get chosen and if so, will I choose back? So much in life hinges on first impressions and meeting expectations.
First there is the blind submission of the personal details. Your CV (the full, long version, NOT a resume) gets sent to the search committee, along with a three page letter espousing your virtues and fit with the position. Letters of recommendation also need to be sent. Those letters are the stamp of approval from your most prestigious peers.
After the deadline for getting those materials submitted, the search committee might hold a brief teleconference to screen for obvious red flags. Red flags like not knowing the main textbooks in the field, looking for a position that isn't quite the one advertised, or just sounding dumb on the phone. If you pass that screening, the speed dating is next.
You get flown to the university for wining, dining, grilling, drilling, and a hefty dose of show and tell. The speed dating comes into play as you move through the day, meeting with faculty at the prospective university in groups of one or two for 30-60 minutes. The questions are predictable: what is your research interest, what would you like to teach, how do you feel about this workload, why are you interviewing for this faculty position, and what do you have to offer us that we don't have. Answered. On to the next date.
Somewhere in the middle of all that moving from office to office, time is set aside to give a presentation to the faculty as a whole. The presentation needs to have a wow factor as well as a high rigor factor. Ideally, it ought to also touch on enough of the interests of the faculty to be broadly appealing. I'm not sure I succeeded on these points. But, I enjoyed what I did. That's got to count for something.
One of the the interviewers is, of course, the Dean. Maybe a couple of students will show up for a meeting. Staff from a key project get included. Faculty who are retiring and you would be their replacement have the least interesting questions. Faculty from other departments who are keen to meet you also get some time across the table from me.
At the end comes the dinner. Admittedly, by the time the appetizer comes around, I'm worn out. Even if I really like my dinner guests, it's hard to pay deep attention and act sharp.
Then, like in speed dating, comes the waiting. Will I get chosen and if so, will I choose back? So much in life hinges on first impressions and meeting expectations.
30 December 2010
Holiday Break, Not
The week before Christmas has a reputation as being a low productivity week. The week between Christmas and New Year's has an even stronger reputation as a vacation week. So much so that the University shuts down non-essential services, including closing buildings and turning down heat in faculty offices and classroom spaces.
For me, December is always busy, with a long list of work that has January and February deadlines. Even more so this year. Early in January, Academy of Management has a deadline for manuscripts to be considered for presentation at the annual meeting. This year I am first author on a manuscript focused on organizational processes of implementing a new service line, and am co-sponsoring a symposium on health care reform. Right after the Academy of Management deadline is the deadline for AcademyHealth. I am undecided whether I have anything this year for AcademyHealth. Then, in mid-February is the abstract submission deadline for American Public Health Association. I foresee being first author and second on a couple abstracts. All of this takes focus, apply seat to seat, and type away into the night.
That's not all. The KRISP project is heating up with alots of trainings happening in January. Collaboratively planning those with the directors of the health departments and getting the schedules worked out takes time. And, then there is the KRISP budget. Problems uncovered and to be corrected. There's a reason why I am a control freak with regard to budgets. Maybe I just haven't had good luck or maybe it's the very weird and shoddy university system. Whatever the root cause, problems arise often and go unnoticed until an auditing approach is taken to account for the pennies. Moments like that require the "Breath!" mantra.
Meanwhile, other manuscripts in process ebb and flow between me and the co-authors. My editorship work rolls on and on, with more manuscripts submitted this year and ever. A good sign with accompanying more work. And, students who don't like their grades are now contacting me (on Christmas day, of all things!). Gotta laugh and love it!
.
For me, December is always busy, with a long list of work that has January and February deadlines. Even more so this year. Early in January, Academy of Management has a deadline for manuscripts to be considered for presentation at the annual meeting. This year I am first author on a manuscript focused on organizational processes of implementing a new service line, and am co-sponsoring a symposium on health care reform. Right after the Academy of Management deadline is the deadline for AcademyHealth. I am undecided whether I have anything this year for AcademyHealth. Then, in mid-February is the abstract submission deadline for American Public Health Association. I foresee being first author and second on a couple abstracts. All of this takes focus, apply seat to seat, and type away into the night.
That's not all. The KRISP project is heating up with alots of trainings happening in January. Collaboratively planning those with the directors of the health departments and getting the schedules worked out takes time. And, then there is the KRISP budget. Problems uncovered and to be corrected. There's a reason why I am a control freak with regard to budgets. Maybe I just haven't had good luck or maybe it's the very weird and shoddy university system. Whatever the root cause, problems arise often and go unnoticed until an auditing approach is taken to account for the pennies. Moments like that require the "Breath!" mantra.
Meanwhile, other manuscripts in process ebb and flow between me and the co-authors. My editorship work rolls on and on, with more manuscripts submitted this year and ever. A good sign with accompanying more work. And, students who don't like their grades are now contacting me (on Christmas day, of all things!). Gotta laugh and love it!
.
10 November 2010
Seeing Old Friends and Colleagues
Admittedly, the "old" refers to mostly to the length of time we have been friends or colleagues, but that correlates highly (and significantly) with our ages. I just got home from Denver for the APHA annual meeting, with a theme of social justice.
This year I went feeling relaxed and accepting, a definite change from my usual feeling of obligation, boredom and exasperation with this meeting. The fact that the meeting has 12,000 attendees and nearly 5000 presentations given at a convention center and several surrounding hotels does not give this meeting a feeling of intimacy. Nonetheless, connections are made, usually in hallways, bathrooms, receptions or lobbies.
I gave two presentations: one an interim report on the AHRQ funded grant for public health nursing research agenda, the other on some preliminary findings from the KRISP project. Both were nicely attended, generated questions (always a sign that the presentation was good; no one asks questions when the presentation is badly done), and fit well with the overall session theme.
As for seeing "old" friends, that was wonderful. Some had been former doctoral students. Some had been former co-students when I was in my doctoral program. Some had been co-authors/co-investigators on various projects. As for seeing colleagues, that too was wonderful. Some are current co-authors/co-investigators. Some had been consultants on earlier projects. Admittedly, it does take years of going regularly to build up this network.
The getting caught up usually starts with "How are you?" to which the response is a measured "Fine. Good" accompanied with a slight nod. The true answer is always in the non-verbal and you need to read that carefully as the cue for where to go next in the conversation. Eventually, the conversation gets past the gossip about who-is-now-where-doing-what to the spouse and children updates. A few conversations might get to the topic of what we can work on together next. I find those conversations most rewarding.
What was different for me this year was my attitude, not the altitude... I webnt to the conference expecting to see people, expecting to shake hands and make heads shake. I went to the conference with a commitment and my passion pinned to my name badge. And, I went ready to go with the rhythm of the meeting. I went ready to make new friends and colleagues. I went ready to have sore feet and eat conference food. I went ready to work.
To quote myself, some conferences you go to in order to disseminate and be of service. Some conferences you go to be renewed and stimulated. As facutly we need to go to both types. This year, for me, APHA was in the being of service category.
This year I went feeling relaxed and accepting, a definite change from my usual feeling of obligation, boredom and exasperation with this meeting. The fact that the meeting has 12,000 attendees and nearly 5000 presentations given at a convention center and several surrounding hotels does not give this meeting a feeling of intimacy. Nonetheless, connections are made, usually in hallways, bathrooms, receptions or lobbies.
I gave two presentations: one an interim report on the AHRQ funded grant for public health nursing research agenda, the other on some preliminary findings from the KRISP project. Both were nicely attended, generated questions (always a sign that the presentation was good; no one asks questions when the presentation is badly done), and fit well with the overall session theme.
As for seeing "old" friends, that was wonderful. Some had been former doctoral students. Some had been former co-students when I was in my doctoral program. Some had been co-authors/co-investigators on various projects. As for seeing colleagues, that too was wonderful. Some are current co-authors/co-investigators. Some had been consultants on earlier projects. Admittedly, it does take years of going regularly to build up this network.
The getting caught up usually starts with "How are you?" to which the response is a measured "Fine. Good" accompanied with a slight nod. The true answer is always in the non-verbal and you need to read that carefully as the cue for where to go next in the conversation. Eventually, the conversation gets past the gossip about who-is-now-where-doing-what to the spouse and children updates. A few conversations might get to the topic of what we can work on together next. I find those conversations most rewarding.
What was different for me this year was my attitude, not the altitude... I webnt to the conference expecting to see people, expecting to shake hands and make heads shake. I went to the conference with a commitment and my passion pinned to my name badge. And, I went ready to go with the rhythm of the meeting. I went ready to make new friends and colleagues. I went ready to have sore feet and eat conference food. I went ready to work.
To quote myself, some conferences you go to in order to disseminate and be of service. Some conferences you go to be renewed and stimulated. As facutly we need to go to both types. This year, for me, APHA was in the being of service category.
22 October 2010
Productivity comes to Academe
I don't normally think about my work in terms of productivity. I don't make widgets, gadgets or anything else. Productivity of faculty has historically been counted in the form of number of publications, number of grants submissions, and number of advisees. But, a recent Wall Street Journal article has pulled back the lid on Pandora's box.
As the operating budgets of universities have grown much tighter and tuition has risen, a focus on productivity of faculty (as well as of their colleges and universities) is a natural consequence. Natural, but not. Productivity is implicitly, as well as explicitly, linked to profit margins, organizational viability, and supply/demand curves. None of these concepts applies naturally, organically, or ideologically to the provision of higher education. The capitalist mind-set now exists globally (with the exception of a few notable hold-outs). That mindset has seeped into the corridors and mortar of our universities. What was once viewed a a public good, namely college education, has been turned into a commonplace, sometimes stock traded commodity.
I don't know if this change will turn out be good or not for society as a whole. I only know that it is the current reality to which faculty are having a challenging time adjusting. If we accept this change as de facto, then we would be wise to proactively say "here's the productivity metrics which we know to distinguish the good from the bad..." For my part, the metrics mentioned in the WSJ article are the predictable metrics, some of which reflect a naive grasp of the realities of our work. (Hence this blog.)
One stand I would take, as I feel are worth some advocacy effort, is to have metrics that take into account all or a combination of the following: (a) not all students will succeed, so allow at least a x% product failure rate; (b) the production of grants, manuscripts and graduating students does not occur on a regularly scheduled basis, so allow for smoothing over time of the rates (at least a 2 year rolling average); and (c) monetize the passion and enthusiasm for knowledge creation generated among peers and students, as a minor adjustment for the less than glamorous monetary rewards, as well as a necessary prerequisite to innovation.
To this last point, I refer the readers to the new report from the National Academy of Sciences,
.
As the operating budgets of universities have grown much tighter and tuition has risen, a focus on productivity of faculty (as well as of their colleges and universities) is a natural consequence. Natural, but not. Productivity is implicitly, as well as explicitly, linked to profit margins, organizational viability, and supply/demand curves. None of these concepts applies naturally, organically, or ideologically to the provision of higher education. The capitalist mind-set now exists globally (with the exception of a few notable hold-outs). That mindset has seeped into the corridors and mortar of our universities. What was once viewed a a public good, namely college education, has been turned into a commonplace, sometimes stock traded commodity.
I don't know if this change will turn out be good or not for society as a whole. I only know that it is the current reality to which faculty are having a challenging time adjusting. If we accept this change as de facto, then we would be wise to proactively say "here's the productivity metrics which we know to distinguish the good from the bad..." For my part, the metrics mentioned in the WSJ article are the predictable metrics, some of which reflect a naive grasp of the realities of our work. (Hence this blog.)
One stand I would take, as I feel are worth some advocacy effort, is to have metrics that take into account all or a combination of the following: (a) not all students will succeed, so allow at least a x% product failure rate; (b) the production of grants, manuscripts and graduating students does not occur on a regularly scheduled basis, so allow for smoothing over time of the rates (at least a 2 year rolling average); and (c) monetize the passion and enthusiasm for knowledge creation generated among peers and students, as a minor adjustment for the less than glamorous monetary rewards, as well as a necessary prerequisite to innovation.
To this last point, I refer the readers to the new report from the National Academy of Sciences,
"Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5." I doubt, but could be wrong, that a focus on productivity will not get this country out of the Category 5 storm they describe.
.
01 September 2010
Classes and Students
The 10th day of the semester gives the magic number: how many students we actually have registered. But, half way through this second week, I'd say we have a lot. The classrooms look full, with laptops half hiding faces, table tops covered with paper, and the faint hint of body heat seeping in to the hallways.
By the second class (for those of us doing once a week seminar class), we have a sense of the students siting around the table. With years of experience, we can make educated guesses about who has the most to learn, who will contribute, who we need to watch or manage. It's our work. Naturally, there can be surprises, hopefully good ones.
I'm starting the semester on a relative calm. The major projects from the summer are finished: the consultancy with the Chilean Ministry of Health, the class in Chile, the summer conferences, the manuscript revisions, and fall semester course preparation. And, the big anxiety generator has shifted to simply being work ~ the AHRQ conference has people registered. Whew!
I know that this calm streak will not last long, so I'm going to enjoy it, spread some relaxation, and give support to my stressed out colleagues.
By the second class (for those of us doing once a week seminar class), we have a sense of the students siting around the table. With years of experience, we can make educated guesses about who has the most to learn, who will contribute, who we need to watch or manage. It's our work. Naturally, there can be surprises, hopefully good ones.
I'm starting the semester on a relative calm. The major projects from the summer are finished: the consultancy with the Chilean Ministry of Health, the class in Chile, the summer conferences, the manuscript revisions, and fall semester course preparation. And, the big anxiety generator has shifted to simply being work ~ the AHRQ conference has people registered. Whew!
I know that this calm streak will not last long, so I'm going to enjoy it, spread some relaxation, and give support to my stressed out colleagues.
21 August 2010
The New Students
We use room 932 for the presentations of graduating students and faculty meetings. Today the room was filled with incoming MPH students who will be in the Community Health Sciences Division. And, the room was really filled, with eager, if not slightly apprehensive, faces. There were not enough chairs for the faculty to sit at the long parallel tables. So, we stood around the walls in the back of the room, looking a bit awkward.
Each of the 60 or so students gave a name, where they were from and something interesting about themselves. The Midwest states were very well represented, but students also came from both coasts. I don't recall any international students. (The decline in the number of international students corresponds directly with the tightening of granting student visa since 9/11.) Several students are training for marathons. Several like dancing or play a musical instrument. A few were funny. We have identical twin brothers. Some of the students will be taking all of their courses online, making this their only in-person appearance. Most of the students have some international experience either volunteering or studying abroad. Overall, wow, what a group.
For us as faculty, this first in-person introduction to the new students brings a certain satisfaction. We did good to have so many good applicants who want to come to UIC. We feel a renewed optimism about what they can do and how we can work with them. We feel anticipation for their learning curves and we feel confident in our ability to keep the curve at just the right slope. Then, we scurry back to our offices to finish our syllabi.
Each of the 60 or so students gave a name, where they were from and something interesting about themselves. The Midwest states were very well represented, but students also came from both coasts. I don't recall any international students. (The decline in the number of international students corresponds directly with the tightening of granting student visa since 9/11.) Several students are training for marathons. Several like dancing or play a musical instrument. A few were funny. We have identical twin brothers. Some of the students will be taking all of their courses online, making this their only in-person appearance. Most of the students have some international experience either volunteering or studying abroad. Overall, wow, what a group.
For us as faculty, this first in-person introduction to the new students brings a certain satisfaction. We did good to have so many good applicants who want to come to UIC. We feel a renewed optimism about what they can do and how we can work with them. We feel anticipation for their learning curves and we feel confident in our ability to keep the curve at just the right slope. Then, we scurry back to our offices to finish our syllabi.
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