Administrators do face a big challenge covering all of the needed classes and finding a place to hold them, but they often seem needlessly insensitive to the needs of instructors.

One semester I agreed to walk across campus to teach in a room that had space for 500 students instead of the 100 students I usually teach. I did point out that they shouldn't schedule me for back-to-back classes because it wouldn't be possible to make it across a campus serving 40,000 students in the time between classes. Of course they scheduled me for back-to-back classes. I did get in pretty good shape that semester, and still know every shortcut across campus so I have forgiven them that.

But after the first exam I was told that I had used up my photocopy allotment and and would not be allowed to copy the remaining exams for the semester. It turns out that each class gets an allotment based on usual size (100 in this case) and that it couldn't be changed just because there were now 500 students in the class. It wouldn't be fair, I was told, if other people teaching the same class got a lower allotment than I did. I pointed out that I was generating an extra $400,000 in tuition by teaching in the larger room, and that it seemed pretty pathetic that they were trying to stiff me on $50 worth of copying as a result, but this seems to be the sort of thing that is just beyond the ken of an Assistant Dean. I had to collect bits and pieces of photocopy credits from colleagues to get by.

On the other hand, and this is more to the point for Hil, now every time a Dean asks me to go out of my way for the common good I trot out this story and they always sheepishly withdraw the request. When Hil really needs an accommodation perhaps she can use this semester's affront as an example of how flexible she has been in the past.

Well, I did ask for the classes to be moved closer together. I'd expected that they'd move the statistics class. Instead, they moved the calculus class. And they moved it to a room with leveled seating, with stairs going up to the seats. It's a flipped class. I need to be able to move around the classroom and talk to the students in all the different groups, and I cannot go up and down stairs like that. (That classroom is also awful for group work in general, since it's got the desks and chairs attached to the floor in rows.)

This would have been so much easier if it was dealt with weeks ago, rather than moving everything around three days before the new semester starts.

Well, I found out why the class schedule got switched around in the first place -- a grad student's wife had a baby, and there's no parental leave for grad students, so they gave him an online class so he won't have to come to campus as often. Which is fine, but again, could have been done months ago.

So, they have a clue about accomodation at least!

Good morning beautiful people! I am happy to report that things are going well in casa Deena. The kids are in school. The Gregory is working away at something. I did actual, paying work this morning, and I've had a lovely cup of coffee. How are all of you?

Good morning, Deena!

Quiet here for a Monday morning. My list is long, but getting through it. I have so many balls in the air right now so trying to finish something, anything!

Now that I'm working on projects with people in both Singapore and Europe, I have twice as many emails waiting for me in the morning to wade through, since they've had all day to send things! And usually lots of morning meetings too—I get so stressed out every morning and feel better only around like 2 or 3pm!

Oh meara, that just sucks. I hope you knock it out of the park early today.

Well, my classroom situation still isn't resolved. I've sent more emails.

Also, I'm looking into maybe buying a condo. I feel like I need an adultier adult for this. How does this whole thing work? My mom couldn't give me any advice except, "Talk to a realtor."