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Boundaries: Hard for This Workaholic

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I’m always very honest in my blog posts and I have to admit that I don’t like seeing email in my queue. I try to get to the emails as quickly as possible. And, I don’t like seeing several hundred emails on Monday mornings. This means that I do respond to work emails during the weekend. Now, I don’t respond to all of them, as I will flag some noting that they are higher priority come Monday and then others I will respond to in a timely (immediately through the next 24 hours) manner. I have now taken to responding to some student emails and stating that I will get to their email (answer their query) on Monday and also state, “It’s the weekend, I hope that you enjoy it.”

I know that I’ll hear from people who swear that they don’t respond to students’ emails over the weekend or that no one at their campus does. Cue Bill Cosby acting like Noah and saying, “Riiiight” at the 58 second mark or 1.17.  It’s not that I don’t believe these people–it’s just that my reality is that if I don’t respond in about 24 hours, I hear repeatedly from the student. I rather say that I got the email and will attend to it. I also will make a point of responding to all emails when an assignment is due the next Monday. It’s the nature of my job and the students who I work with in the department. I also am responsible for this access, I know. Some will tweet me or Facebook message me. I am a heavy user of social media and this is one cost–access to me and my time. I am not going to complain, but I will try to have some work life balance.

I am trying to set a good example for my kids, co-workers, and the Teaching Assistants who report to me. I explain to my team of Teaching Assistants that they also do not have to respond to emails from students over the weekend and not from me, too. I ask them to act as if the email (if one gets sent during the weekend) arrived Monday morning and respond thereafter. I want them to see me encourage boundaries. This takes hard work, but I have to say that during the last year it’s been worth it. I’m protecting my schedule more and I feel happier. I still love my job, and look forward to walking into the classroom, office hours, and other teaching related events. I’m loathe to say that I love meetings, as that’s a lie. I like some meetings and do not look forward to others! How do you deal with your email queue?

UVIC Next? Salary Study

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I don’t normally share my emails, but this one is worth doing so.

Dear Colleagues: After the UBC Gender Salary Correction went live on January 21st, I heard from many of you. Then the Globe and Mail covered the issue and noted how women faculty were being “given” a raise. I have some good news to share. On January 25th, I was told that the Administration and Faculty Association had signed a Letter of Agreement (LOA). The LOA notes that the Administration and Faculty Association will investigate gender salary issues at UVIC. This LOA was signed on June 29, 2012. Since I am not part of the Faculty Association’s Negotiating Team, I was not privy to this LOA.

At first you can imagine my frustration finding out six months after the fact. After I had invited a UBC colleague to share their story, and then after spending an all day meeting in Vancouver strategizing with our sister Chairs. However, I realize that this was privileged information and that by having presentations, meetings, and discussion this was a good thing. It kept our membership thinking about what we need to do and our Administration was paying attention to this work. Now, we know that the Administration is going to work with our Faculty Association. The UBC Report through correction took four years. I hope that it doesn’t take as long at UVIC.

There will be a committee including Administration reps, Faculty Association reps, and an AWC rep. The AWC Steering Committee will meet later this month to discuss this issue as well as other ongoing events. This is a sign of good faith from the Administration. I urge us to celebrate this move forward, but to be cautiously optimistic.

Please take a look at our colleague, Richard Pickard’s, blog post about this matter at:

http://notstrategic.blogspot.ca/2013/02/gendered-salary-inequities.html

Richard notes that he is not speaking for the Faculty Association’s Negotiating Team. Also, generally speaking it’s worth taking a look around his other posts.

Hope to see you at next week’s Faculty Association meeting–for the special Valentine’s Meeting! Thursday, February 14 at 3:00pm in Social Sciences and Mathematics Room 102.

~~~~~~

Within minutes of sending the above email I have had numerous positive emails. Thank you! This is not going to be an easy process. But, let’s move forward in good faith.

Reminder: Breathe

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Mid-terms are about to begin and I’ve been struck with a few things. I can announce things in class, send messages via our on-line learning platform, hold office hours, and attempt to hold G+ Hangout office hours. But, there are those moments when students just do not pay attention. It’s not yet important, as the assignment or exam is weeks away. Then, snap, suddenly everyone needs me. I had to remind myself of a few things in the last week.

1. Keep the hockey schedule in mind. Some of my students are avid hockey fans and my office hours cannot conflict with the game.

2. Remember that instructors need to remind students. They are taking three to five other courses and have multiple deadlines and are juggling so much. The majority will need the reminder. Move on.

3. Be more patient around this time of the term. Students will appreciate the patience and the last thing they want is for you to chastise them. Really–do I need to put any emotional energy in chastising students? No. I have other places to expend my energy.

4. Related to the previous point, I need to also be more available the week of the mid-term. I am also juggling multiple projects, but my first job is teaching and I know that this week my students need me.

This short  post really serves as a reminder to me–patience, compassion, and support. These are the three things that I must have this week. Wishing all students good luck on their mid-terms. And, sending an extra deep cleansing breath to other instructors, mentors, and ancillary staff who work with students. Ommmm!

These post its work for this week!

These post its work for this week!

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year! I hope that 2013 bring you joy, happiness, and good health. What else do I hope for with this New Year. Sure, I can say world peace, a cure for Cancer and AIDS, and for the government to really take action with the Fiscal Cliff/Idle No More Movement. And, I truly do wish for all of the above, but this post will instead focus on what I hope for my students in this new year.

The 2012-13 school year is essentially halfway through and I hope that first year students learned how important time-management was during their September term. I also hope that all students realized that office hours are priceless. You might have to queue up and wait for five or fifteen minutes–but those meetings with your Teaching Assistant or Professor really is worth the wait. I have never heard a student tell me that it was a waste of time to see me or one of my Teaching Assistants. In fact, I get follow up emails, note cards, or tweets thanking me for suggesting that we meet or that they met with their Teaching Assistant. So, dear student, please take advantage of our availability!

I also send the gift of reading the syllabus to students. This means highlighting due dates and the instructions for assignments. This is a rich You Tube video about Reading the Syllabus. This made me laugh! Oh, wow. How many of us have had one of these moments?!  There is also a Facebook page about Reading the Syllabus. In all seriousness, the syllabus is the contract between the professor and the student. We expect students to read and review the syllabus.

Get into the library. Attend a workshop about research or citation. Learn how to use the databases and get outside of your Wikipedia or Google comfort zones. Learn other better ways to conduct research. The vast  majority of you are not yet skilled at researching and could use a workshop or two to hone these skills. The A students are the ones who have taken the time to use databases and dig deeper. Do not be embarrassed -go speak to the Reference Librarians and your academic mind will be blown.

My last wish for 2013 is that students stay healthy and this includes their physical well-being and mental health. I feel terrible when a student gets hit with a serious illness that turns their term upside down. I also feel for the student who is dealing with mental health issues and is having a really difficult time. I am not a medical doctor and I certainly am not a mental health professional, so all I can do is be supportive and suggest the health center or the counseling center. Remember, when you’re having a tough time, don’t be embarrassed -contact your professor. We are here to help and it’s much better if we are in the loop.

Happy New Year!

janni 2012

Who Was I Kidding?

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My last post was one after a family crisis and I really thought that I was back in the saddle. Ha! I am still catching up and feel like the proverbial hamster doing her run. Things are getting better, but I am behind. Behind with my research, emails, and other work-related things. But, I will say this, after these last two months, I am so happy for my good health and that of all my family members.

What did I learn during these last two months? Well, I learned that I had two types of friends: those who really wanted to help during my family crisis and those who only wanted to know what was happening. You can guess which ones I now prefer. I also found out who I could count on and it hit me the other day that many of the most dependable, selfless people I know right now are people who I first “met” on Twitter. These people have become some of my closest friends in real life and I have to give a deep thank you to Twitter for connecting us. I also know that others are colleagues from work, who have become close friends. And,I consider myself lucky in this respect.

It also became apparent to me that some students lack any semblance of compassion and were absolutely heartless in their expectations and demands–even though they knew that I had a family member in the hospital for two weeks. I was frustrated and saddened to have met with such harsh expectations and comments. But, I have to remember that some students really do not care about anything else but their assignments and their lives. I learned a good lesson with this–that some students do not want their professors to be human. And, well, I might have an invisible S for Superwoman on my chest, but this term that pesky Kryptonite brought me down to Earth. Hopefully next term I can do the usual 4-10 day grading turn around, but it didn’t happen this November or December!

I am back in the saddle, but not cinched in or seated properly! That’s life, right?

Revisiting Positive Thinking

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Students are really stressed out this time of year. Frankly, so are faculty. November means tons of the usual deadlines, meetings, and a partial “reading break.” What a misnomer that is! Given my profession as a college professor, I am surrounded my young people, by students. And, this year if I could wish them anything it would be more positive thinking. I know that some will scoff and say, “They are so self-indulgent and have a sense of self-entitlement.” Well, that really is a small percentage in my opinion. There is a larger contingent who are really trying to figure things out—who they are in the world and what they want to do.

My wish to students is for more positive thinking. Remember that there are people who believe in you and your success. This does not mean that I am going to give you A’s. No, I do not give grades, students earn them. If you get a grade you do not like, this does not mean that I do not like you or that somehow the rubric was unfair. Instead, take a step back, inhale and exhale and own your performance. Then, think about how much research, time, and writing you put into the assignment. Go into your classes and assignments with a positive attitude. The attitude and interest in your classes can carry you a long way.

Likewise, you really should sleep on the comments and mark and avoid firing off an email. If you have concerns or questions about the assignment, you really should confer with your instructor during office hours or make an appointment. I’ve had many apologies from students face to face–once I’ve commented on an inappropriate email that was sent my way. I do not engage these emails. My usual response is something like this: This email is problematic and this conversation must take place face to face and not via email. My advice to everyone: never send an email when you’re angry, as you’ll usually regret it.

Back to positive thinking and visualizing your success. As I have previously said much of what I do is validate students. Yes, you are on the right track. Yes, that paper topic sounds promising. However, you ultimately have to do the work. Your first step is being honest and optimistic. The second step is planning. Planning your thinking, studying, and writing time. Stop reading this post and get back to work!

My Breast Thermography Scan

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I am revisiting this post, as once again it is Breast Cancer Awareness month. I happily participate in the Race for the Cure and last week I had my hair cut as part of the fundraising Cut-a-thon at On the Fringe. Remember, it’s important to take care of your girls year round! This post is slated on the second to last day of the month because I want to remind you that you need to think about breast health all of the time.

I am blogging about breast health! To this end, this post is about my Breast Thermography scan at Valentus Clinic in Victoria, BC. In the spirit of disclosure, I did not pay for the scan, but was contacted to get a scan to coincide with Breast Cancer Awareness month and to blog about my experience. And as it so happens, I can also compare the Thermography scan to the mammogram that I had two days prior. Note to others—try to space out the mammogram and Thermography scan about a week apart so that your breast are no longer sore from the pancake, I mean mammogram procedure.

I was asked to not wear any perfume, lotion or deodorant, so I went in for the scan first thing in the morning. If you have long hair, bring an elastic band for your hair. They will have a clip for your hair, though. You will need to disrobe from the waist up and different scans will be taken of your breasts from the front and side profiles. What I liked best about the scan was the ongoing conversation about breast health. I did not feel rushed and asked questions about this scan and breast health.

During my scan the technician, Dr. Joylin Starling was great. She explained everything that she was doing. She also made sure to scan my low back more as she saw lots of “hot” spots there. (I am recovering from a car accident and it was very interesting to see the scan that included my shoulders and low back). The Thermography scan is not invasive or painful. I had to sit still and move according to Dr. Starling’s directions. Frankly, being inquisitive I was interested in the scan and what the different colors mean—more vascular work going on under the skin. The scans are then sent to the US for evaluation. Then, I return for a follow up from the scan.

The next portion of the exam is a digital and ultrasound exam by the technician. During this exam, Dr. Starling was again thoughtfully answering my questions. I was amazed that she was able to assess which breast gave me more “trouble” when nursing my kids. She felt scar tissue in one breast and it was the one that I could recall massaging in the shower and using cabbage to help ease pain after my breast milk came in when I was nursing my babygirl, who is now 13!

Likewise, I was shocked to know that I had scar tissue from the underwire in my bras. She showed me where it was and after touching these areas and other spots around my breasts, I realized that the feel of the tissue was different. I need to make an appointment at one of the suggested bra shops in town for some bras without underwire.

I left the examination feeling lucky. I felt lucky that I had a thorough exam and I read through the folder of information that they provided me with after the exam. I was contacted about a week later for the follow up. I gave a sigh of relief when I heard and read that my breasts were fine. Breast cancer does not run in my family, but like most women the thought of breast cancer is a punch to the stomach.

I have to say that the Thermography scan, digital examination and ultrasound is less painful than a mammogram. For those of you who have not had a mammogram, the technician gets friendly with you and places your breast in a vise and takes photos. OK, that is not wholly accurate, but it sure feels like it. The important thing to note with the mammogram is that you want to have it done when your breasts are the least tender and that will vary from woman to woman, but most experience more tenderness right before their periods.

Now, extended health care might cover the cost of the scan, but you will need to look into it. Mammograms are covered under the province of BC if you meet certain age or health requirements. Regardless of what you opt to do, please make sure that you check your breasts. This includes under the arms, too. And, for younger women, you should also check your breasts. Young women in their teens and twenties have occasionally been diagnosed with Cancer. Cancer does not discriminate.

For more information about Valentus Clinic:
Oak Bay Professional Building
#103 – 1625 Oak Bay Avenue
Victoria, BC, V8R 1B1
Tel: 250-590-5090 Email: Appointments@valentusclinics.com

Now, in the year since the exam, I have replaced some of my underwire bras, but not all. It’s hard–some of the underwire free bras are–shall I say–not as pretty. Yes, I’m shallow here, when I really should be thinking about breast health. Blushing. The major take away is make sure that you examine your breast monthly–include the underarm area, too. Be healthy!

Thank you again, Twitter

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This is a revised post. Initially I posted this some two years ago giving a shout out or hat tip to Twitter and tweeps. I’d like to add to it. I’ve been on Twitter for more than five years and in this time I’ve found it one of the most dynamic platforms. Sure, I loved all those Mayorships–cough, cough. Wait, I broke up with Foursquare in the Spring. Seriously, Twitter has given me the most engagement and networking opportunities.

Lately I have noticed that I have had some provocative conversations about higher education #higher ed  or #edchat, PhD programs #phdchat or #newPhD or other topics related to work. I am quite thankful to Twitter and the array of people on the twitterverse for these engaging discussions. I have learned from others and frankly, it’s nice to have conversations about things we like or dislike that help remind me of how lucky I am to work at the University of Victoria #UVIC. I have placed Twitter hashtags in the post with the hashtag symbol, #, normally this was the number symbol, but it has been reclaimed!

Some of the other tags that I’ve followed with great interest: #femlead #saturdayschool #election2012, and the various tags that I use for more courses. Each of these tags has meant connections. Getting to know people across the globe and have conversations about women leaders, history, politics, and then my great students at UVIC. The list is not exhaustive, but what I can remember on an early Monday morning. So, I raise my cup of coffee to Twitter!

Tough Mudder: Give a Sister a Hand Up

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I am a champion for women and girls. This does not mean that I do not support men and boys; however, I have dedicated my life’s work to supporting women in higher education, and in other aspects of my life. I mentor and coach women and men equally, but that is not the point of this post. I feel that another part of my efforts is supporting women athletes. I live with one competitive swimmer and her little sister is following the same path. I also participated in team sports throughout high school, so I feel a special kinship to and for women athletes.

It gives me great pleasure to blog about one of my UVIC students who is a Tough Mudder. She’s a bad ass. She’s an athlete, personal trainer, and scholar. And, I’d like to introduce you to her: Lindsay Van Gyn. Lindsay is a student in the Social Science Faculty at UVIC in the Anthropology Department, who is focusing her degree on First Nations of British Columbia. Lindsay is taking one of my courses this term and approached me about her upcoming competition.

Previously Lindsay has volunteered for Adbusters Magazine. And, she comes from a family of women athletes. Her sister is a professional snowboarder! Why am I sharing this? Well, Lindsay qualified for the Tough Mudder competition in New Jersey and she’s fundraising for iBelieve Foundation—dedicated to finding a cure for Hunter Syndrome. Here is her Indiegogo site. Did I mention that Lindsay was the first woman to cross the finish line at the Seattle Tough Mudder. She must sit in my first year class and think that the environment is nice, warm and friendly—compared to the grueling Tough Mudder competition. It’s not easy to qualify for the World Competition—only some 5% of Tough Mudder competitors are invited. What can Lindsay expect at the Worlds:  8 miles that includes more than 40 obstacles and all at a balmy freezing or below freezing temperature! Lindsay will compete in this race for 24 hours completing the course as many times as she can. Yes, I did say that the she will run complete the race multiple times. This Tough Mudder race makes the Camp Pendleton Mud Run seem like a cake walk (but please don’t tell the Marines this), and I can tell you that the Mud Run is a hard race. So, I’ll support Lindsay in spirit and more. Don’t you want to open your hearts and wallets?

I am asking readers to share this information and think about donating to one Tough Mudder—Lindsay, who is raising money for a great cause. Please share this post! And, as  usual, thank you for reading and commenting on my little slice of the Interwebs!

Innovative Teaching

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I’m still percolating from a conversation about Teaching Excellence. What does Excellence in Teaching mean on your campus? How does your department or students judge this? I imagine that the questions will field different answers. But allow me to think (write) aloud here about the question. From this professor’s point of view Teaching Excellence means that the instructor is dedicated to teaching, and the learning outcomes for the students. This means that there is a focus on the learners’ success, but also the overall learning environment.This might sound odd, but the instructor does lots to influence the learning environment. Students sense when we phone it in–they just know when we are not really focused. Can you blame them? But, we know that it’s hard to hit one out of the ballpark every time at bat. (Sorry for the baseball example, but it works for me).

Instructors also influence the student experience by important thing–the syllabus, the course content, and then the way you interact with the material and the students. The students are concerned with their evaluation: assignments and marking styles or expectations. I have found that students are more patient about certain things, but do not mess with their learning environment. For instance, they do not like it when one or two students “hijack” the class with comments or side conversations and they expect the instructor to take care of that. We’ve seen the eye-rolling or pleading looks that say, “Hey, you’re in charge.”

How else do students judge Teaching Excellence? Well, I feel like I’m going off on a tangent and maybe this is a two-part post. Generally speaking many others have noted that instructors are apt to earn higher student evaluations if they like the instructor. Is this fair? I’m not sure it is. In my experience, some students are more likely to like or approve of an instructor who offers an “easier” course. I hear repeatedly, “Oh, I won’t take a class with Prof X–s/he is known as a GPA buster.” This makes me cringe, as Prof. X might offer a much needed learning experience or possible letter writer, yet the student is thinking obsessively about the GPA. Mind you–I get the need to keep a strong, competitive GPA, but to intentionally avoid a great class merely on reputation and not trying it out yourself for a week or two–frustrates me as a professor and mentor.

Giving dynamic lectures or facilitating good discussion seems like an obvious part of Teaching Excellence. Fair marking or assessment of student assignments also ranks as important. But, I’m sitting here wondering what do students think, when they hear the words: Teaching Excellence. And, what do you think constitutes Teaching Excellece?