Do you guys know that I am going up for tenure this year? Have I blogged about that?
It should be fine. It should be a medium-sized hassle to get the materials together, and then a medium-sized exercise in patience to wait for the decision. I'll hear from the college in January; I won't get the official letter from the provost until May. But my university doesn't like for people to get surprised by tenure decisions, and the institutional culture reflects that preference. I've been reviewed favorably every year by the committee that will make the all-important recommendation to my dean. I've fulfilled my service obligations responsibly; my teaching evals are all fine except for that one sad class; I am comfortably ahead of the game on publications. It doesn't make sense to freak out.
And yet. I'm going up for tenure with the same people who did their mid-probationary reviews with me two years ago. I learned today that the two of them have been meeting every week to work on their applications. As I did two years ago, I'm finding their stress level contagious. One of my colleagues today showed me her 33-page in-progress application to the provost. Dude. If mine is a third as long, I will be surprised. She was worried about providing artifacts for the service portion of her application. I don't even know what that means. Meeting agendas? I can't imagine. Who would want to review a pile of old meeting agendas? Is there a big problem with tenure applicants fudging their service commitments while their departmental committees fail to notice? I think not.
But...I'm having that same reaction I did two years ago. Maybe they are right and I am wrong? Maybe I should empty out my folder full of cards from students and scan them all for the teaching artifacts section?
My mid-probationary report from the departmental review committee said "We appreciate the conciseness of your materials." They said up front that we should keep it streamlined; they thanked me afterward for doing so. Anxious Brain is wondering whether that was actually code for "Gosh, you didn't put much effort into this, did you, Jamie Gladly? Be wordier next time!"
I think I told you this two years ago, but G did the EXACT SAME THING with the worrying. His dean told him later "I don't know why you worried. Actually, I do. The ones that don't need to worry, worry excessively. The ones that need to, never do."
I'm confident you're in the "worrying even though you don't have to" pile. And maybe those sending "artifacts" like meeting agendas (?!) are trying to cover up their lack of actual Good Stuff.
And I am sure they really do appreciate your conciseness. I would; wouldn't you? :)
Posted by: mary d | July 12, 2018 at 08:01 AM
Yay! That is awesome!! You will be absolutely fine :)
Posted by: Gina | July 12, 2018 at 08:32 AM
The people in charge of this stuff have no reason to be coy; it’s not the plot of a 19th century romance. If they went out of their way to praise you for your conciseness, believe them.
How did you handle the college-application process as your kids went through it? You never mentioned going crazy that I can remember, but I’m finding it very challenging to stay calm, and for the exact reasons you’re listing here. “Everyone else is doing so much more; what if I’m failing my kids?!”
Are their calming skills you acquired during that process that you can deploy on your own behalf now?
Posted by: Jody | July 12, 2018 at 08:33 AM
Argh! Phone typing and autocorrect.
ARE THERE. (Face palm)
Posted by: Jody | July 12, 2018 at 08:34 AM