7.4.08

the nitty gritty...

Thanks for your patience, everyone, awaiting details. Lots of emails coming in asking for more info and I've just been kinda swamped since the interview, then every time I started to post I kept forgetting stuff I wanted to mention. So if you'll permit me to copy from my email to Gio, it's the most thorough description of my Clems*n visit and of what my job will entail.

...I am still having slight difficulty believing it but the contract will only take a couple of weeks they think so once it comes thru I will have no choice but to believe I'm hired!

Most of the time in the meetings was spent asking me what questions I had and discussing any stuff that came up as a result - talked of lots of tech stuff with the younger group, for example, admin. stuff with the dept. chair of course (contract indefinitely renewable :), pretty much anything that came to mind with K., some more lecturer-oriented stuff with the one lecturer I met. They had virtually no questions for me in an interview way; any questions they had seemed just curiosity rather than bona fide Interview fare. As the day went on I confirmed my belief that it might be a done deal, tho I was fearful of letting myself really depend on it. I got to talk to several different people of several different jobs/levels in the dept and got a good rounded view of everyone's perspectives, or at least as much as four 1-hour meetings can provide.

They talked of LOTS of stuff they potentially will have me do in the next couple of years in addition to my definite job of advising the French club, some indefinitely, including the France program!! (the acting Chair said I could probably plan on doing it as often as every couple years), and K. has me slated for probable first year coordinating as of my 3rd semester or so (possibly earlier: the person doing it now is thinking of leaving). They are very keen for me to propose any special courses I think of, esp. culture courses for 300-level, etc. There is a 3-wk summer session in May before the actual summer session called the Maymester and K. kept mentioning my proposing a French songs class or something for next year or so... Then there are a few programs which have gone by the wayside that they are interested in having people start up again, like a two-week live-in immersion thing they used to have ea. summer before the France program was created - they're keen to start it up again for anyone interested who can't go to France but wants intensive French -- also K. mentioned the idea of my developing a Quebec program for the Maymester in the next couple of years if I am interested in creating/proposing it... Also they want to see if we can develop any programs involving Mich*lin (anything from occasional lectures/conferences/speakers to a Mich*lin-sponsored faculty position -- they have a similar arrangement with BMW in Gville and the German dept) and they see me as the obvious person to broach that with the company... So basically they are completely open for any and all new ideas proposed which would bring more students/interest to the dept. Lots of excitement towards helping the departmental offerings and student count grow and seemingly huge openness towards any ideas which would encourage either, whether they're proposed by lecturers or profs or whomever.

I honestly can't believe my luck in finding a dept. so willing to esteem Master's-holders --in fact K. said they're going to start favoring them for the lecturer spots b/c they're tired of the PhDs moving on to bigger and better things so often, especially when the dept. is so willing to give Real Tasks to lecturers (extracurricular roles, teaching a varied courseload, etc.), not just 1st-year teaching spots for eternity (nothing against A*burn - I am well aware of my extreme good fortune at having been here; I know that THAT is the norm - but that is why Clems*n's perspective is so incredible). They want of course to have a crop of lecturers who will be permanent or semi-permanent members of the dept.


So there! That's probably more than many of you needed but it's better than forgetting stuff.

Happy Monday!

2 commentaires:

Jessica a dit…

That is so AWESOME!
Especially the France stuff and the 2 week things and the songs and the program stuff. And well... everything!!!!

I am so happy for you!

ap a dit…

It's funny how you picked the same letter for your asterisk that Clems*n does! Ha!

http://specialtysportsdesign.com/catalog/images/Clemson.jpg

-nn