Our department is being forced to take on a new hire—not because they’re great at research or teaching, but because of their family’s money and political connections. They’re joining as an adjunct for who knows how long. When asked why they picked our university, they literally said, “I need to be in the States to finish my book.”
Our department chair is against this, and most faculty who’ve interacted with them aren’t happy either. Is this kind of thing common where you work?
So this person thinks teaching here is just some easy hobby? Fine, load them up with the worst classes—the ones no one else wants to teach. No syllabus, no support materials, let them figure it out.
They’ll quit by spring.
@Dev
8pm-10pm Friday night biology labs… sounds like the perfect fit for them.
@Dev
But then you’ll just get flooded with student complaints. And they’ll probably be fair ones.
Vale said:
@Dev
But then you’ll just get flooded with student complaints. And they’ll probably be fair ones.
Forward every single complaint straight to admin. Or better yet, tell students to go straight to the higher-ups.
@Dev
If they were hired for their connections, nothing you do will make them leave. I’ve seen it happen—the rules magically change for those people.
@Dev
The students just get screwed in that case. Better idea—create a random elective that no one signs up for. Schedule it at 8am. Let them sit in an empty room and do nothing.
@Dev
Gen-ed courses with the highest fail rates. That’s how you get them to run for the hills.
We had three professors forced into our department because the chancellor knew them and said they were ‘good people.’ They were bad teachers, terrible at research, and didn’t fit our department at all. To top it off, they were impossible to work with.
Four years later, they’re still here. Every attempt to non-renew their contracts gets blocked by the chancellor.
At least your situation is just an adjunct. It could’ve been a lot worse.
If this person comes with connections, then your department should at least get something out of it—funding, opportunities, anything.
Ali said:
If this person comes with connections, then your department should at least get something out of it—funding, opportunities, anything.
Exactly. Play the situation to your advantage. They’re not going anywhere, so you might as well make it work for you.
This kind of stuff happens more often than it should. At our school, the president’s partner got a teaching job with barely any qualifications. They taught a minimal course load and focused on their ‘book.’ It never got published.
We also have someone in a “residency” role who’s been here for 10 years doing nothing but collecting paychecks. No teaching, no research, nothing.
Meanwhile, the university keeps looking for ways to cut costs. Unreal.
@Hollis
And then some people wonder why others are frustrated. Activism or connections shouldn’t count more than actual work.
If they’re just an adjunct, how much will this really affect your department day-to-day?
Blair said:
If they’re just an adjunct, how much will this really affect your department day-to-day?
Exactly. It’s just another adjunct. Why does this even require ‘making room’?
Blair said:
If they’re just an adjunct, how much will this really affect your department day-to-day?
Exactly. It’s just another adjunct. Why does this even require ‘making room’?
Worst case? They get an office and teach a few core classes. Not really a big deal.
Kind of. I’ve seen worse though—like when a tenure-track position gets handed out for political reasons.
Why do they need to be in the States to finish this book?
Sawyer said:
Why do they need to be in the States to finish this book?
They said they want to collaborate with some researchers at nearby universities.
Our office once hired someone as a staffer and promised them a permanent teaching role. Now our department is getting pressured to make it happen.