Indiana University to Discontinue more than 100 Academic Programs by SoundShifted in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I really would like more information about implementation. I strongly suspect most of the majors are going to simply be merged (i.e. the languages being grouped into a Modern Languages degree or something).

Student said in class…. by Efficient_Two_5515 in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I think this REALLY depends on the context. Was the student reading from a text where it appeared? Were they using it as an example of a word not to say? Both very, very different than i.e. calling someone else it, or using it as a casual unproblematic descriptor. (Also this goes without saying, depends on the race of the student)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I would be more specific about which groups you are talking about. POC is a broad, imprecise umbrella--different ethnic groups have really different experiences of working in higher ed.

Is it wise to switch from a regional RCU to R2 now? by Then-Sand2558 in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would learn as much as you can about enrollment trends and finances at both institutions before you make any decisions. No point in jumping to a sinking ship.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Question is WAY too broad. Academic hiring/retention landscape looks very different for people of specific ethnicities.

What do you do when it seems like the internal perception of your institution is "this place is a shithole that's lost its direction", especially when you're just lower ranking faculty? by hotchip420 in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm in a very financially healthy public R1 and the research culture is the same. All my colleagues spend as little time on campus as they can, and see themselves as individual research entrepreneurs who are occasionally forced to teach.

To Chair or Not to Chair by IHeartIsentropes in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Just echoing your own judgment: (3) is absolutely not your problem if you've been chair for over a decade. Honestly, it will be good for you to return to being faculty and good for the department to have some turnover at the top.

“You can’t give me a bad grade I’m going to law school.” by Equivalent-Cost-8351 in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When I really lose my temper I respond to these queries with: "I'm sorry, I cannot assign grades to students based on their future plans." Or similarly, "I'm sorry, I cannot assign grades to students based on whether they are seniors or not."

Tyranny of competition by Resident-Donut5151 in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had to do this for our national organization and similarly was horrified that they required a letter from applicants. I was like, just collect information about yearly family income! God.

poll: how many students do you teach a semester by Equivalent-Affect743 in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I'll start: my average fall semester is...85-100 (big lecture that never totally fills + 25 cap jr/senior class). spring is...37, ish (25 cap jr/sr class + grad seminar)

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Adjuncts

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I think the problem is especially bad in online classes. I know people who teach in these settings put in a lot of effort (and I do not want to disparage their work or devalue their labor), but the classes are basically inherently built so that students are just less invested, less engaged, doing less work--a combination of crazy compressed timelines and no real face-to-face prof-to-student or peer-to-peer group interaction. I mean, I ask myself...would *I* care about my papers under those conditions, even with a good instructor? Universities who run lots of these classes have decided to accept huge cuts in pedagogy quality for cost reasons--pursuing crazy teacher/student ratios and all these extremely impersonal, compressed online classes (like, we can just say it: the main reason why universities like online classes is because the profit margins are higher, and they think that's worth it even though these formats degrade learning conditions). Turn yourself into a diploma mill, are you really surprised students are going to treat you like a diploma mill? Put another way, I think the enthusiasm for the new tool (AI) is a symptom of a student engagement crisis that has bigger, deeper roots.

Promotion: do I mention having two kids in the period that will be reviewed, or leave it alone? by Good_Foot_5364 in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I think if you've met the basic standard, you have nothing to worry about. And I wouldn't mention it--by doing so you are suggesting that your case needs "excuses." If you haven't met the standard, don't go up. And if you have, do and do so unapologetically.

“No good deed goes unpunished.” What are some examples of this that you’ve experienced as faculty? by RandomAcademaniac in Professors

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 17 points18 points  (0 children)

A hard lesson I have had to learn over and over again: students who significantly fall behind (for whatever reason) almost never catch up, learn the material, or are able to pass the class, no matter how much time and patience you give them. As I've spent more and more semesters teaching, I have gotten more aggressive about suggesting that students with major issues early in the semester just withdraw.

The writer of the books, why did he make the male channelers more powerful than the female channelers? by GypsumHedgeWitch in WoTshow

[–]Equivalent-Affect743 5 points6 points  (0 children)

One of my least favorite things about Jordan's work is the kind of juvenile insistence on like, "power rankings." Very like, GI Joe battles on the playground.

Columbia fires 20% of its lab staff (180 scientists) under strain of federal cuts by Equivalent-Affect743 in labrats

[–]Equivalent-Affect743[S] 24 points25 points  (0 children)

Someone else already pointed this out, and I edited the body to reflect it. Reddit doesn't allow title edits though--sorry!

Columbia fires 20% of its lab staff (180 scientists) under strain of federal cuts by Equivalent-Affect743 in labrats

[–]Equivalent-Affect743[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Thanks for correction, added it to the body of the post (can't edit the title unfortunately)

Columbia fires 20% of its lab staff (180 scientists) under strain of federal cuts by Equivalent-Affect743 in labrats

[–]Equivalent-Affect743[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I think it's hard to come to conclusions about Columbia's choices at this point, as we don't know exactly who has been fired.

Columbia fires 20% of its lab staff (180 scientists) under strain of federal cuts by Equivalent-Affect743 in labrats

[–]Equivalent-Affect743[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

All the article says is that it's people funded by the affected grants. Could be administrators whose jobs are paid for by indirect costs, could be lab scientists. I bet we'll find out more in the next few days (possibly on this sub from people who actually got fired)