Gah. Thank you for guest posting here. My partner was an adjunct for 15 years; helped start a union here. I was an adjunct and 'visiting asst professor' for seven years before getting a tenure-track job (where, indeed, none of that experience translated into anything except me being expected to do more work than the typical new tenure-track asst prof). Between my experiences and my partner's, it's fair to say that I am not surprised by your colleagues' public failure to react, act, respond. One of the many problems with this multi-tiered inequality masquerading as a meritocracy is that tenure-track profs get pitted against every other professor, whether they realize or not. TT profs are 'lucky,' or 'talented,' or 'deserving, and administrations enjoy these false conclusions because they enable TT profs to fail to support, advocate for, or agitate for the mass of adjuncts and precariously employed professors while benefiting from their labor. Such a broken, defiled system.
Despairingly honest--what a loss for your university. I'm wondering if the arts have lost their place in the university setting--unless it's the Yale Drama School for theatre? Where literature and English departments are concerned, John Guillory's new book _Professing Criticism_ published by the U of Chicago and covered in The New Yorker and The New York Times startles. Here's a link to The New Yorker piece: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/01/23/has-academia-ruined-literary-criticism-professing-criticism-john-guillory -- admittedly, I haven't read the book. Note that he's now retired.
As a tenured professor, I spoke out against something wrong in my department. I was lied about, investigated based on those lies, and a report written about me which I was never allowed to see. I was determined by a closed process to be insubordinate and threatened with removal. It was a three-year process which I walked away from. At some point we (three of us were targeted) called a meeting of faculty and laid out the facts, and were met by complete silence. Which is to say, as Rebecca says below, it is a multi-tiered inequality masquerading as inequality and it happens at all levels. I was honestly shocked at the time--I thought I was protected by tenure. I now realize it is inherent to the system, and no one is immune from it. Where you are on that tier decides the form it comes in. Congrats on getting out, and I really enjoyed your piece. You may like this article on silence of colleagues during gaslighting/academic mobbing: /Users/mmeyers/Desktop/AcademicMobbingBookCh3.pdf
Feb 28, 2023·edited Feb 28, 2023Liked by Joshua Doležal, Jenn Zuko
My first thought upon reading was a moment of bittersweet happiness.
It's so rare for the curtain of gaslighting to part, in my experience, and for someone to challenge it. But then, that moment is over, dignified sadness remains.
I am not surprised at your reception. I would expect nothing less, as that's the kind of reception I've seen when academics get called out for gross misconduct.
Whew. I was an adjunct for YEARS. I believed my dedication and high evaluations would translate to a job offer at the university someday. And then one day, I finally realized that wouldn’t be happening. I watched my beloved class given away, my time slotted back for intro courses, my pay never increased, and my presence never invited into meetings or discussion. Most of the faculty at the university (where I worked as a full-time staff member for 6 years prior to teaching!) didn’t know my name or that I taught there. I’m still sorting through feelings of it all, bc I genuinely loved teaching. But I left and haven’t looked back.
I will absolutely be reading your book (so glad for this interview here!) and deeply appreciate you sharing your story. Loved the build up to your, “I’m quitting,” moment.
Gah. Thank you for guest posting here. My partner was an adjunct for 15 years; helped start a union here. I was an adjunct and 'visiting asst professor' for seven years before getting a tenure-track job (where, indeed, none of that experience translated into anything except me being expected to do more work than the typical new tenure-track asst prof). Between my experiences and my partner's, it's fair to say that I am not surprised by your colleagues' public failure to react, act, respond. One of the many problems with this multi-tiered inequality masquerading as a meritocracy is that tenure-track profs get pitted against every other professor, whether they realize or not. TT profs are 'lucky,' or 'talented,' or 'deserving, and administrations enjoy these false conclusions because they enable TT profs to fail to support, advocate for, or agitate for the mass of adjuncts and precariously employed professors while benefiting from their labor. Such a broken, defiled system.
Despairingly honest--what a loss for your university. I'm wondering if the arts have lost their place in the university setting--unless it's the Yale Drama School for theatre? Where literature and English departments are concerned, John Guillory's new book _Professing Criticism_ published by the U of Chicago and covered in The New Yorker and The New York Times startles. Here's a link to The New Yorker piece: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2023/01/23/has-academia-ruined-literary-criticism-professing-criticism-john-guillory -- admittedly, I haven't read the book. Note that he's now retired.
Indeed. I'm much happier out than I was in. And my health is a lot better.
As a tenured professor, I spoke out against something wrong in my department. I was lied about, investigated based on those lies, and a report written about me which I was never allowed to see. I was determined by a closed process to be insubordinate and threatened with removal. It was a three-year process which I walked away from. At some point we (three of us were targeted) called a meeting of faculty and laid out the facts, and were met by complete silence. Which is to say, as Rebecca says below, it is a multi-tiered inequality masquerading as inequality and it happens at all levels. I was honestly shocked at the time--I thought I was protected by tenure. I now realize it is inherent to the system, and no one is immune from it. Where you are on that tier decides the form it comes in. Congrats on getting out, and I really enjoyed your piece. You may like this article on silence of colleagues during gaslighting/academic mobbing: /Users/mmeyers/Desktop/AcademicMobbingBookCh3.pdf
My first thought upon reading was a moment of bittersweet happiness.
It's so rare for the curtain of gaslighting to part, in my experience, and for someone to challenge it. But then, that moment is over, dignified sadness remains.
I am not surprised at your reception. I would expect nothing less, as that's the kind of reception I've seen when academics get called out for gross misconduct.
Whew. I was an adjunct for YEARS. I believed my dedication and high evaluations would translate to a job offer at the university someday. And then one day, I finally realized that wouldn’t be happening. I watched my beloved class given away, my time slotted back for intro courses, my pay never increased, and my presence never invited into meetings or discussion. Most of the faculty at the university (where I worked as a full-time staff member for 6 years prior to teaching!) didn’t know my name or that I taught there. I’m still sorting through feelings of it all, bc I genuinely loved teaching. But I left and haven’t looked back.
I will absolutely be reading your book (so glad for this interview here!) and deeply appreciate you sharing your story. Loved the build up to your, “I’m quitting,” moment.