11.11.08

This is what really might turn me into (even more of) a monster.

From our esteemed university president today via email:

Today, we announce a budget strategy that includes a five-day mandatory furlough for all administrators, faculty and staff this fiscal year...



Of course you have to OK the days with your supervisor and of course you are encouraged to take the time on days where you have no class (big help to all of us lecturers who are teaching 5 days/week).

Plus the added stress of having to finagle your syllabus ahead of time or make up for time afterwards when we barely have time to cover what we're supposed to cover in the first place. Guess I'll be setting up some Blackboard assignments.

Up to now the only effect we were seeing at my level from all the economic crap going around was that we weren't going to have overload classes in spring. I don't bank on them anyway but some have been so it was a bigger blow to them.

Icing on the cake today is no more xeroxes in the main office except for tests. Of course regardless of how IT-progressive our school purports itself to be in theory, in practice for its own employees (at least for those who teach) the truth is somewhat different. We have very few smart rooms in our building and not a single smart cart for those without smart rooms. (IT-oriented stuff is the biggest/only thing I miss from the Plains besides my friends.) So guess we'll be going back to writing quiz questions or activity word banks/question cues on the actual blackboard unless we want to shell out of course. Unless I plan stuff far enough in advance to post on Blackboard (virtual) and require students to bring their own copies. Yeah, that'll happen (my posting ahead of time and the students' bringing with them are equally likely).

My sister-in-law has it far worse expense-cut wise so far in her public school job in Maryland, so I of course shouldn't bitch. And yet... :)

2 commentaires:

Jessica a dit…

Dang, Man, what the hell just happened?
Wow.
Maybe all the students can get a slate and a penny pencil like in the Little house on the Prairie

I had no idea that the budgets would get this bad so fast. Holy cow! What is it going to be like when the parents can't pay the tuition since they're 529 plans have all tanked?

Maybe they'll use scredi (which sounds like Switzerland credit or something - this word verification has been hilarious lately).

Jessica a dit…

i meant their not they're. I'm an emotional typer.