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• 1 year - 61 posts - Latest - RSS
• Thread: 304 Goods vs 58 No Goods

1. Economist
   225b
   

   if your department supports you, what could be the reasons that your Dean doesn't support you?

   This is actually really good advice

   Thank you.

   Dean is more important than anyone in your department? why?

   Tenure is granted by the University not the Department. The most relevant corporeal form of the University is the Provost but they are unlikely to care about your case. Maybe in very small schools. In most schools, in my experience, the highest-up person who cares is the Dean.
   The Dean will, 9 times out of 10, just follow what the Department advises him to do. But do not piss him off. On the contrary, you want the Dean to say "Man, Smith is really doing great work. Such a nice fellow. Good job on hiring him."
   

   dting the dean's daughter.

   1 year ago # QUOTE 5 Volod 1 Vlad !

2. Economist
   bc9d
   

   Out of all those the only one I agree with is 4.

   1 year ago # QUOTE 1 Volod 6 Vlad !

3. Economist
   b7d9
   

   seems like almost all obvious stuff.

   1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 2 Vlad !

4. Economist
   88cc
   

   what to do when your tenured colleagues rope you into conflict?

   1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 0 Vlad !

5. Economist
   7f3d
   

   You forgot the little-known but often-violated "don't fieck the undergrads". More than once I've seen this get some into trouble.

   This has to be evaluated in context

   1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !

6. Economist
   bc1b
   

   what to do when your tenured colleagues rope you into conflict?

   Run

   1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 0 Vlad !

7. Economist
   26a1
   

   First post is spot on. I'd add: give a holiday gift of cash to your department admin. First ask around a bit if there's a department cash gift you contribute to instead. The admin can help in ways you don't yet anticipate, like the copier breaks right when you really need it, or can blow you off. It's a good investment, especially since the admin is very aware of the pay difference between the two of you.

   1 year ago # QUOTE 6 Volod 1 Vlad !

8. Economist
   5ab7
   

   if your department supports you, what could be the reasons that your Dean doesn't support you?

   1. The Dean, an historian, thinks it would be better to take your salary and hire two fresh historians.
   2. The Dean doesn't appreciate the relative difficulty of an AER versus an APSR.
   3. The Dean still holds a grudge against the economics department head for stopping the history department from moving to the shiny new building eleven years ago.
   4. The Promotions Committee noted you repeatedly turned down the local radio station's requests for comments on inflation.
   5. You pissed off the VP for Diversity at the mandatory training.
   6. Anything, really. Unless it is a clear cut case, and they are rare in equilibrium, it's the Dean's call.

   1 year ago # QUOTE 9 Volod 0 Vlad !

9. Economist
   d6df
   

   All excellent points, except 2, change that to "shut up for 6 years", not 1. Nobody will complain that you didn't comment on a candidate.

   1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 1 Vlad !

10. Economist
    805f
    

    First post is spot on. I'd add: give a holiday gift of cash to your department admin. First ask around a bit if there's a department cash gift you contribute to instead. The admin can help in ways you don't yet anticipate, like the copier breaks right when you really need it, or can blow you off. It's a good investment, especially since the admin is very aware of the pay difference between the two of you.

    are you serious?

    1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !

11. Economist
    c4cf
    

    solemn.

    First post is spot on. I'd add: give a holiday gift of cash to your department admin. First ask around a bit if there's a department cash gift you contribute to instead. The admin can help in ways you don't yet anticipate, like the copier breaks right when you really need it, or can blow you off. It's a good investment, especially since the admin is very aware of the pay difference between the two of you.

    are you serious?

    1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !

12. Economist
    36f4
    

    First post is spot on. I'd add: give a holiday gift of cash to your department admin. First ask around a bit if there's a department cash gift you contribute to instead. The admin can help in ways you don't yet anticipate, like the copier breaks right when you really need it, or can blow you off. It's a good investment, especially since the admin is very aware of the pay difference between the two of you.

    1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !

13. Economist
    476d
    

    Get a senior mentor you trust who is reasonably savvy.

    This will save you from having to figure out which of the million regulations really matter, what are the important norms / unwritten rules, etc.

    1 year ago # QUOTE 1 Volod 0 Vlad !

14. Economist
    6535
    

    seems like almost all obvious stuff.

    This. Good advice but very obvious. Read the book. "Tenure hacks" for this and more details.

    1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !

15. Economist
    678c
    

    This is actually really good advice

    Thank you.

    Dean is more important than anyone in your department? why?

    Tenure is granted by the University not the Department. The most relevant corporeal form of the University is the Provost but they are unlikely to care about your case. Maybe in very small schools. In most schools, in my experience, the highest-up person who cares is the Dean.
    The Dean will, 9 times out of 10, just follow what the Department advises him to do. But do not piss him off. On the contrary, you want the Dean to say "Man, Smith is really doing great work. Such a nice fellow. Good job on hiring him."

    I am aware of cases at a large school where a provost reversed positive tenure recommendations from lower levels for unknown reasons. As opaque as a Dean may be, a provost is even more so.

    1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 0 Vlad !

16. Economist
    29e4
    

    This is the correct take for 90% of the schools I know. Ask the people who got tenured before you.

    In my experience most universities function based on history and precedents NOT handbooks. Talk to the older but not too old folks who got tenured but a long time ago. Their wisdom is crucial to your success.
    

    It’s some joint distribution. This is all good advice though.

    1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !

17. Economist
    29e4
    

    It doesn’t quite have to be this- a holiday gift of some sort is a good idea- but do nice things for admin assistants and it’ll pay off fivefold.

    First post is spot on. I'd add: give a holiday gift of cash to your department admin. First ask around a bit if there's a department cash gift you contribute to instead. The admin can help in ways you don't yet anticipate, like the copier breaks right when you really need it, or can blow you off. It's a good investment, especially since the admin is very aware of the pay difference between the two of you.

    1 year ago # QUOTE 0 Volod 0 Vlad !

18. Economist
    c9fd
    

    This is marvelously insightful, OP: Despite my solo top field hit, my major minuses continue to be a lack of specialization in research and I haven't tried to crack the grant money market. Gonna start looking for a microgrant today.

    -- uvlrm lac AP broh

    1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 0 Vlad !

19. Economist
    c9fd
    

    First post is spot on. I'd add: give a holiday gift of cash to your department admin. First ask around a bit if there's a department cash gift you contribute to instead. The admin can help in ways you don't yet anticipate, like the copier breaks right when you really need it, or can blow you off. It's a good investment, especially since the admin is very aware of the pay difference between the two of you.

    are you serious?

    This is 100% serious: treat your secretaries like goddesses. It will make your life so much easier in ways you cannot yet fathom.

    1 year ago # QUOTE 2 Volod 0 Vlad !

20. Economist
    42d4
    

    Don’t argue or get into beefs with *anyone* — student, staff, admin, off-campus civilian, Twitter tr00l — anyone at all. Never say anything negative about anyone or anything. Best to have no opinions at all. If someone asks your opinion on campus governance or anything remotely controversial, excuse yourself by saying you have an urgent bathroom need.
    Your goal should be to make sure everyone loves you or at least does not dislike you. You can make enemies after tenure if you still feel the need.

    This is great advice yet exactly why academia is pathetic and dying. “Best to have no opinions at all”, meanwhile job description is to advance knowledge

    1 year ago # QUOTE 5 Volod 0 Vlad !

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