Well, why don’t a bang a little dent in that list of things I wanted to post about?
The other day, while Kathy was the only person in the office, the President of the University apparently came in, talked about the foreign instructors’ office needing a facelift with his crowd of assistants, and then walked out. The figure I heard was pretty surprising, as it was expressed in terms of each employee.
The reaction to this news was mixed. Some people were very excited about getting new desks, furniture, computers, and whatnot. Others seemed to think it’d be silly to “waste” money on new stuff and would have preferred just to get a cash bonus instead. And some people were skeptical about how this kind of “gift” might play out in terms of leverage in the upcoming discussions of new contracts in the light of a new, more demanding curriculum in the coming year.
And the skeptics have at least a little reason to worry, I feel. But on the other hand, if I end up with a new, working computer on my desk, I’ll be happy. And as another faculty member pointed out, while raises and bonuses can be taken away, office furniture is likely to simply be left where it is.
I just wonder what will happen. I really would be quite happy to keep my old desk, and just get a working PC on my desk. But as one staff member noted, it’s much more likely the furniture that will be upgraded, as it looks old and kind of banged-up. Given the recent facelift of the building, it’s likely that the Uni Administration just wants to have the office looking nice and new and dignified, even if the teachers within look worn out and frustrated from an increased workload.