Research

[moonyprof]

 My union voted to agree to two-day-a-month furloughs for an entire year.  There's absolutely nothing nice to say about this:  I think it was a superlatively dumb move to make without any concessions or conditions, like reduced layoffs or decreased student fees, or maybe even the execs forgoing their car allowances for a while.  I don't want to

Comments

[droxy]

You get paid to read HP? -looks at own miserable job-

Nope no sympathy.

Oh, and yes on fresh limes. Nothing compares. I approve of this research. XD

I'm in mgmt, I have 0 job security. Your union has no brains or balls. You might as well be in management.

[moonyprof]

Well, really I get paid to teach Shakespeare and writing to a lot of people who don't want to be taught. I once counted up how many pages of poor writing I'm expected to critique, and God forbid fix, per ten-week quarter and gave up. I tied in Harry Potter because my department needed someone to teach children's lit and I figured that instead of crumbing along, it would be nice to really make it another specialty. I like teaching children's lit to future teachers. It makes me feel useful. I don't get paid to go to cons, of course. That's my own time, and my own dime, but it sure is fun

[droxy]

Oh, I have met with Profs from YA Lit who do get paid to go to cons. But you have to do a paper,

[orikes13]

Sorry to hear about your union being dumb. Hopefully it'll smooth out and won't be too horrible for you.

I'll keep my fingers crossed for your paper. I know I'd definitely love to read it. It sounds like it'd be a fascinating read. :)

[mundungus42]

So very true about real limes making the margarita, and I am bowled over and delighted/amazed/creeped/thrilled by your analysis of lycanthropy. I ought to have known that someone who does such a wonderful Lupin in person would have particular insight, but this is far beyond awesome, even. Best of luck to you with getting the paper accepted!

And while the lack of concessions is galling, a mini-yay for not getting less pay for the same amount of work. I plan to spend many of my furlough days writing and hope you will do the same!

[moonyprof]

Aw, thanks. Oh, we're going to get less pay, about ten percent, for the same amount of work, all right. Probably MORE work, in fact. See, we can't take any *actual* time off. We have to meet all our classes and go to office hours and do reports, same as always. And of course, we're not 9-5 workers. But it's a done deal and there's no use fretting about it now.

And many thanks for your compliments on my work! This has been my baby for a long time, since 2003 or 2004 at least. If I can afford to go to Infinitus, and naturally I have no idea how right now, and I can get it accepted, maybe I will propose some kind of Big Bumper Book O' Werewolves presentation. I always do the 20 minuters and then there's no time for anything else. This way I could toss in some other stuff, like *Blood and Chocolate.*

[chibitoaster]

I come from a family of educators. It really sucks when you're stuck with a union that doesn't listen to the members.

*sigh*

Still, times are tough. I'm lucky to live in a place where there are a lot of colleges and universities and therefore a lot of teaching jobs to be had. I only wish I had more time for it.

Well, good luck! I hope it's not a long-term thing. We're hearing a lot of news about how bad it is in California right now. :\

[moonyprof]

It's going to be for at least a year, because that's what we agreed to: 2009-10. The union did listen to the members, kinda, it's just that more of the members were afraid of what would happen if they didn't vote for the furloughs. I can't blame them. Most of them stitch together work at several different colleges, so they'd rather take a pay cut than lose their jobs.

I predict they will lose their jobs anyhow. If the cost of attending goes up and enrollment is cut by 40,000 students, there will be fewer students overall; fewer students, fewer classes; fewer classes, fewer jobs. They're also planning on increasing class sizes (see above).

I was hoping to make the Chancellor agree to preserve a certain number of jobs, or even to keep people on healthcare if necessary before agreeing to a pay cut, but no.

Theoretically, I could be laid off too. But in practical terms, it would be hard to do. I'm tenured with a few years seniority, and I'm in a big department (English.)

[chibitoaster]

That whole "stitching together work" thing? I know it all too well, myself. Until I get my MFA, that's pretty much what I have to do to supplement my regular job in the slow times.

And yeah, layoffs seem inevitable at this point. Although there's a lot of optimism in the news (i.e. things are not getting worse as quickly as they were a few months ago), the end is not yet in sight.

As far as the college where I work is concerned, they've just been cutting back on adjunct faculty this year. Not so much on the number of them, but some who used to have two classes now have one. Some who were around for 3-credit courses now have 1- and 2- credit courses. It's sad to see it happen (especially since there are a few of them who drive from on end of the city to the other every other day), but at least it's something.

I work in the continuing education department, though, since I don't have my MFA yet. And that has been drastically cut. This fall/winter season, there are only a handful of classes. It's actually bad enough that I've backed

[moonyprof]

The class cuts are horrible, too. The President of my school cut the *entire summer session* on the last day of spring classes. No, I did not mis-type that. I'm sure in September I will have even more than the usual number of students on the verge of tears, explaining that they need this class to graduate. Time to degree is increasing, too.

Where I am, if you're adjunct faculty, you get healthcare if you have a certain course load. If it dips below that, then suddenly you don't have healthcare coverage any more. That was top on my list of Stuff We Want to Prevent.

Oh, well. Let's hope for the best. I'm glad my specialty is literature. If I'm going to be un- or underemployed, at least I can be unemployed doing something I enjoy.

[moonyprof]

I don't think *Lupin* equates lycanthropy to pedophilia. I think the *text* draws an analogy there (and also with communicable disease), which is different

[cosmiccoz]

No, I don't think Lupin knew Greyback bit him before. I don't think he can possibly have known before POA. There's nothing in Chapter 16 to suggest that he *did* know, and the clutching of his hands suggests a violent reaction of someone overwhelmed.

There's no factual evidence to say exactly when he learned. Simply because Lupin does not name his werewolf attacker in PoA, doesn't mean he is unaware that it was Greyback who bit him.

Greyback was under the command of Voldemort during the First War, Snape mentions that he was also one of those who believed the Dark Lord dead in Chapter 2 of HBP.

Greyback is well known, his methods are not secret (Voldemort threatening to unleash Greyback on the children of his enemies) and Lupin would have been aware of all this many years prior to HBP. I didn't get any sort feeling from Lupin that he'd only recently put two-and-two together concerning Greyback. It is a revelation to Harry, certainly, but not to Lupin

[cosmiccoz]

[message was too long]

I agree that spending time amongst the outcast werewolves was not a good idea, but since when has Dumbledore ever respected his spies personal problems? Snape had a much more difficult job then Lupin, I can't imagine what it felt like looking into the eyes of Voldemort knowing he was the one to kill Lily.

I think Lupin is more damaged then Sirius Black, but I wouldn't say he has Black's problem of arrested development.

Ok, I've got to stop now.

*my two sickles*