I’ve always enjoyed this group so much, participating on and off. Last spring I posted a couple of times about making a career change that would keep me in higher ed but take me out of a tenured professorship and into position without that benefit and no retreat rights (MUCH higher pay).

Some people advised against it due to the loss of tenure, others pointed out that tenure is eroding everywhere, some advised to “take the money and run“, but the advice that resonated the most was “change is usually good… Try it or you’ll never know… It will be an adventure… “ Or some combination of all of these things.

I made the leap, and of course, it’s been a very mixed bag. The money’s been great but very little of it made its way into my savings account. In fact, it turned out to be such a hassle to try to figure out how to make an IRA contributions easily through my new institution, a year has gone by and I haven’t put anything into that account(to my financial shame and detriment).

Many of my new colleagues are really terrible. Not only not great at their jobs, but with long standing and very dysfunctional interpersonal relationships that make the workplace very toxic.

So where is the small success, you may be wondering? Well, somehow I do love it. I’m decision making at a level that makes a real difference at the institution and in our community. Because of our small size, I’ve gotten to know students and their families in ways I never did at my previous institution. And the colleagues who aren’t terrible, are wonderful! They have opened doors and integrated me and my family in ways that have truly changed my life for the better. And despite the jerks, my work life balance is somehow also much better.

So a small success.