For me, tenure has meant becoming more deeply invested in my institution: suddenly caring about everything, from wonky procedural matters to bigger-picture college-wide initiatives.
But caring leads to constant irritation. And my prior capacity for irritation was not small.
5 comments:
The same thing happened to me. By and large, it's a good thing--tenure is supposed to make to make you more invested in your institution. But yes, irritation. When it flares, I try to recall two pieces of good advice, the first from my fabulous dept. chair: focus on what you can control. The second, from my mother: there are no perfect institutions. Ranting w. friends over bourbon also helps. Cheers, TG
Well, if my advice is worth anything (and it probably isn't) I'd pick one area and become the person who understands it. Then at least in that area you can succeed. It doesn't matter what it is - personnel process, mentoring, gen ed, undergrad curriculum. Try to keep to one, and you'll be a bit more sane. And yes, worry about things you can fix. The accounting systems are beyond your control.
That's interesting. When I became tenured, I did become more interested and vested in the substantive well-being of my institution. But I also became inured to procedural gibberish and bureaucratic absurdity, as I realized that my ability to influence such matters at an institution that is now in its fourth century of existence was essentially nil.
say it, sister.
I struggle with this now, pre-tenure. I am constantly engaging and disengaging... I have not found a balance :(
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