Jamie123 Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 (edited) When you're a pleb like me, on the very bottom rung of the academic hierarchy, it doesn't always pay to engage Important People in casual conversation. When I arrived in the building this morning, I stepped into the lift, and just as the doors were closing who should appear but the Acting Dean. So naturally I held the door open for her. She was thankful and I asked her how she was, and pleasantries were duly exchanged. I asked her if she was still Acting Dean (she has been since the last proper dean retired earlier this year) and she said she would be until January. Then I made my big mistake: I asked her if the new dean had been appointed. She said "Yes, it has been announced. It was in the Vice Chancellor's newsletter!" So now...as if I don't have enough to worry about...the Acting Dean knows that I don't bother to read the Vice Chancellor's newsletters. And this is quite true: I occasionally scan them through for "juicy bits" (like the recent accusation that the university has been encouraging hate speech http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/universityeducation/11870429/British-universities-that-give-the-floor-to-extremist-speakers-are-named-and-shamed.html) but mostly they go straight into a file marked "VC's Newsletters". I'm far more interested in what my students are doing than in the high-level politics of the university. But such parochial attitudes can bite you in the butt if you're not careful! Be warned! Edited October 13, 2015 by Jamie123 Blackmarch 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackmarch Posted October 13, 2015 Report Share Posted October 13, 2015 XDNoted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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