Ailanthus’ weekly column on the trials and triumphs of being a woman in academia.
This is not a “how to get published.” This is not a “how not to get published.” I wish I could give you an insider’s perspective because I wish I could be an insider. But I can show you a little bit about the weird, wild world of academic publishing.
The end of a class is bittersweet. After nine weeks, I’m tired, too, and ready for a break. But I’ve gotten to know my students, and wish I could spend more time with them. I think about them after class has ended and wonder if they use what I have taught them. I hope they […]
I tend not to respond to op-eds, columns, and blog posts about adjuncting. I’d never have time for anything else. But Charlotte Allen’s recent op-ed for the L.A. Times contains a worn argument that I can’t ignore anymore: “Don’t be an adjunct.”
As a child, I hated beginnings. So much was unknown: What would the teacher be like, the other students? What would we learn? I always longed for October, when routines had firmly taken hold. But now I prefer those beginnings because they are so full of hope.
Final papers were turned in this week! Guess what is consuming me mind, body, and soul right now.
Everything I know about getting an academic job. Which, admittedly, isn’t much.
I make about $10 to $25 an hour. I receive no benefits other than a discount at the school store.
It’s not news that university funding is stretched thinner than paper, but the University of Guelph is tackling their budget shortfall in a troubling way: every department and division, both academic and non-academic, has to submit a report to a task force describing what exactly their department does, and why they are essential to the […]
A few days ago, an article by Richard Vedder on the lack of benefit given the costs of research was published at Bloomberg.com. In the article, Vedder argued that the benefits and quality of research conducted at many U.S. universities may be greatly overstated and that the ongoing push to limit teaching in order to emphasize […]
This is my last post in this column for the 2012 calendar year and in the 2012 fall quarter/semester, depending on the system your university uses. I cannot be more thrilled. 2012 has been a topsy-turvy year, though perhaps not as topsy-turvy as last year’s Occupy swept the nation. Still, once the final grades are […]
The title is not particularly catchy. None of mine usually are, to be honest, but at least in this case, it is accurate. Without further (or any, really) exposition, let’s get down the heart of the matter: universities offer many services that appear to be underutilized. I want to talk about this a little bit […]
If you are reading this post on this particular website, then I assume that you love to read. In fact, if you demur and say, “Oh no, no, no, reading is for people with expensive library card holsters and gigantic, butt-cuddling armchairs, not for regular ol’ people like me,” I will throw down a gauntlet […]
I try to keep a running list of ideas for topics to talk about for these posts. I do this because my brain tends to oscillate between full of ideas and totally and completely useless; and for some reason, this particular cycle has no understanding of or sympathy for deadlines. However, in coming up with […]
Every so often, I get an alarmingly colorful newsletter in my inbox shouting about the importance of creating and cultivating a web presence. I generally agree: if you have something to say, and if you want to get yourself out there, then creating a Real Name Spot on the Web is not a bad idea. […]
The Internet is rife with amazing things: grouchy cats in hats, interactive games, new recipes. The list just goes on and on. But often, each great thing has its equal and opposite horrible, terrible thing. For all the grouchy cats I enjoy, there are that many posts and blogs dedicated to pointing out the foibles […]