Looking for other professor mamas - Page 3

[MomAndOliver]

I want to join!

I finished my PhD in robotics in May, and I just took a non-tt job at the university in my town (my husband is still in grad school, so I had to stay in the area). There is the possibility of moving onto the tt later. I have been given some time to get my research program started, so I haven't taught yet. My son is 20 months. So far I am feeling overwhelmed by the working/mothering combo. Being a professor is not nearly as fun as I thoght it would be. So far, it seems to be entirely composed of worrying about applying for grants and how long the department will give me to get one. Between that and trying to get IRB approval for my studies with human subjects, it doesn't seem like I am actually doing any real research. Does being a professor get better?

On the upside, I did negotiate to serve my 9 month contract over 12 months so I could spend more time with my son. Hopefully, come evaluation time, they will evaluate me appropriately. I'm a little worried about that, but happy to have the extra time with Oliver. Has anyone else worked reduced time in academia?

[rainy32]

thank you, mamas, for reaffirming my decision! : After I posted here I got a lot more done, because I was able to just say what was troubling me, and move on from it. Part of what triggered it was the need to do my first-year-review, and this horrible feeling of inadequacy!

I got 2 years credit towards tenure here, so I'm on a shortened clock (4 years til I go up), I could probably go up after 3 years, we'll wait and see how things go.

I'm in the social sciences, in a "book" field. I had a book and two well-placed articles (and lots of book reviews and conferences) when I got here, that they are counting towards tenure here. In the last semester I've done 2 book reviews, a regional conference, encyclopedia entries, and an invited "commentary" piece for a law review (not peer reviewed). So I really am fine scholarly-wise. Part of the problem is I have a research agenda that I'm DYING/ITCHING/ACHING to pursue (on legality of homebirth no less!) but I don't know when I'll ever have time, and I hate going about it so slowly!!

My main worry about tenure here is visibility adn teaching. I am at a small liberal arts college (moved from a huge state university), and, though the expectations for on-campus involvement are what I wanted and hoped for, they are also daunting. Especially since, no matter how much I love my job (and I do!) I love my little guy, and my husband (and, to be honest, yoga and sleep ) more. So I worry about having the motivation to be on campus as much as I know I should.

Thankfully I've just seen my teaching evals for fall 06 and they rock. Whew.

All right, gotta get back to designing a syllabus. I'm so glad this list is active again, and I gotta apologize for posting both so much, and so stressfully!

[rainy32]

I wanted to add, to MomAndOliver -- being a professor DOES get to be more fun, but it is always a bit about meeting strange little deadlines like IRB and internal grants and external grants and departmental review. I find it really helpful to have a huge Master List every semester with all the tiny deadlines on it so I keep track, and focus only on what is due" for the week, and keeping a file of EVERYTHING I turn in both to steal from on later forms, and for the tenure file.

[KalamazooMom]

Originally Posted by MomAndOliver

On the upside, I did negotiate to serve my 9 month contract over 12 months so I could spend more time with my son. Hopefully, come evaluation time, they will evaluate me appropriately. I'm a little worried about that, but happy to have the extra time with Oliver. Has anyone else worked reduced time in academia?

That's exactly what I am hoping to do *IF* I get tenure. I won't get that decision until June.

[dctexan]

Originally Posted by MomAndOliver

Being a professor is not nearly as fun as I thoght it would be. So far, it seems to be entirely composed of worrying about applying for grants and how long the department will give me to get one. Between that and trying to get IRB approval for my studies with human subjects, it doesn't seem like I am actually doing any real research. Does being a professor get better?

I still a postdoc (so obviously not tt), but I have to tell you that on my more cynical days when people ask me what I do for a living I tell them, "I am a professional beggar". Honestly, sometimes that is exactly what it feels like. I am constantly beggaring (or worrying about the best way to beg) for money so that I can continue to do my research. Sad, but true.

[Ana_Isabel]

Originally Posted by Sleepymama

I think I am the only part-timer here? I teach at a state U, 2 classes only, and have a 4 year old and a 10 month old. I'll be teaching 3 next quarter--2 sections of one and 1 other. No benefits of course, no contract.

I don't really have access to the uni daycare, as students come first, and I don't even have an office. I meet with students in the cafe or in an empty classroom. I have to wait in line with the students to buy my parking pass. It sucks.

I have brought the baby to meet with students occasionally, but I feel in a precarious position since I have absolutely zero job security. I am only away from her for 4 hours so I don't pump, but next quarter I'll have longer days and will probably be pumping in my car.

I am looking for TT but they're hard to come by in my field (history). Time to publish? Ha. I'm thinking of giving up on academia and either a) opening a yarn store or b) teaching at some hippy private high school in Vermont.

I have been meaning to reply to you for a while now.
I am sorry you are in a less than ideal situation, but I wanted to tell you that if you get great course evals and if you can get some profs to sit and observe your class, you can make a great application portfolio for a small, liberal arts teaching college (a nice prestigious one and with a full time appointment).
Just document your teaching excellence. Keep looking at the market and explore all options.

[Ana_Isabel]

Mom&Oliver:

YES YES YES!!! It gets sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo oooooooooooo
much better!

At first it's all managerial and beurocratic bull***t. I remember that about my first semester very vividly.

I LOVE my situation now. My lab is running, papers are coming out...

My current schedule:
I work from either 8am to 4pm or 9am to 5pm.
My son's daycare is 5 minutes away, so I get lots of great time with him.
Also I have a 9 months appt., so I have a much more flexible schedule in the summer, and can go in 3/4 or 1/2 time.
Most jobs do not have this flexibility!!

Here is something I calculated the other day:
Diego is in daycare 7-8 hours a day. 3 of those hours he is napping (net = 4-5 hours)
When he is w/me he does not nap. I see him 2 hours in the morning and 4 hours at night.
So, I see him for 6 wakeful hours. I miss out on only 4-5 waking hours everyday.

[mamaley]

Hi mamas, I'm not a professor but my husband is applying for tt positions and I was wondering if I could ask you a question. For those of you who applied to start in the Fall, when did schools start contacting you for interviews? And when did you finally know something?

And, if you had children at the time, did it make you a little crazy not knowing if you were going to get a job, or where you'd end up?

Thanks.

[kaybee]

Originally Posted by mamaley

Hi mamas, I'm not a professor but my husband is applying for tt positions and I was wondering if I could ask you a question. For those of you who applied to start in the Fall, when did schools start contacting you for interviews? And when did you finally know something?

The question of when schools start contacting you depends a lot on the field. I have a friend in political science and it sounds like the job search is all done in the fall (apps due early, interviews in Oct/Nov, job offers in Nov/Dec). I'm in geology - apps are due anytime from Oct through Jan (or later if the job is approved later). If a school didn't ask for refs up front, then a few weeks after the app deadline, I'd get a call for references. Interview requests were within a few weeks after refs were in (in one case, about 2 days after my references were sent in). A lot of schools had December deadlines, and they are likely reviewing applications over Dec/Jan with plans to interview in Feb. It really varies.

My husband (in physics) ended up getting a job offer in May! He turned in that application in Feb? - somehow he missed the first round of interviews, but all the candidates bombed, so they called him up. He flew out, interviewed, and had the job offer waiting when he got back home. It was a little crazy.

It's okay for your dh to call up the chair of the search committee and ask what stage they are at. The hardest part is that if you don't make the short list, some schools don't inform you until after the entire search/offer/etc. is over, or in some cases, never.

Good luck with the job hunt!

[Geofizz]

Mamaley, to answer your second question first: yes, it makes you crazy.

Second question: it depends on the school and their process. I applied in Dec/Jan, interviewed in April. The department didn't get its act together soon enough to actaully make the offer until June 30 (due to 4 other hires that spring). I got the contract mid-August. They wanted me to start in September, but I chose to start in January instead.

Kaybee: interesting article

[rock_dr]

Originally Posted by Ana_Isabel

I miss out on only 4-5 waking hours everyday.

good way to think of it!

Mom&Oliver: For me years 2-3 were the hardest. Year 1 was just a blur. 2-3 was when the stress really hit me. I'm really enjoying year 4 so far! The hard part for me was getting the wheel turning, now that it is I seem to have plenty of grants/papers/etc in the pipeline and it's just a matter of nose to the grindstone. Am planning maternity leave in the fall (no teaching) and really looking forward to it! I also do a 9 month contract over 12 but I think that's pretty standard for my field. Not like I really get summer off though...

[Geofizz]

Ditto. Year 1 I was in an oblivious haze. Year 2 was super busy and somewhat stressful. Year 3 is easier: I have a sense of how to do my job, and I can see that I'll be ramped up and in good shape going into my 4 year review.

[mamaley]

Kaybee and Geofizz, I really appreciate your responses. Though, I'm sitting here thinking "job offers in May? June?" It's not even me applying, and i don't think I can take a wait like that! I try not to think about it, but it's really stressing me out. But anyway, it's good to know that waiting until Summer to get an offer is always possible. Come to think of it, we have a friend who didn't get an offer until late July and he started in August, but he's in a completely different field.

Anyway, thank you

[ASusan]

Originally Posted by mamaley

Hi mamas, I'm not a professor but my husband is applying for tt positions and I was wondering if I could ask you a question. For those of you who applied to start in the Fall, when did schools start contacting you for interviews? And when did you finally know something?

And, if you had children at the time, did it make you a little crazy not knowing if you were going to get a job, or where you'd end up?

Thanks.

As the PP said, it really depends on the field. It also depends on the university/college and department. Schools with more prestige tend to be able to search earlier because they have the funds to do so. State-supported institutions (and smaller schools) tend to search later because they have to wait for budgetary approval. Some departments are slower than others, even in the same college. At my small college, the chem dept interviews in the fall and has it's offers out by Christmas. In my department, they are just scheduling phone interviews now (the first round), and this is early for them!!

Best wishes to you and your husband! (unless, of course, he's applied to the same positions that I have! )

[mamaley]

Originally Posted by ASusan

As the PP said, it really depends on the field. It also depends on the university/college and department. Schools with more prestige tend to be able to search earlier because they have the funds to do so. State-supported institutions (and smaller schools) tend to search later because they have to wait for budgetary approval. Some departments are slower than others, even in the same college. At my small college, the chem dept interviews in the fall and has it's offers out by Christmas. In my department, they are just scheduling phone interviews now (the first round), and this is early for them!!

Best wishes to you and your husband! (unless, of course, he's applied to the same positions that I have! )

Same to you! Thanks for the info. That explains why some of these schools are searching in Feb, while others were back in August.

[MomAndOliver]

Thanks for the responses, ladies. I think that once I get a few grants in and have some projects started that things will seem better. And I'm starting a new project I'm pretty excited about. But I sometimes feel like I don't really know what it is I'm supposed to be doing, and so I don't really know whether or not I'm doing a good job, if that makes sense. This has not been a great week - I accidentally missed a meeting my dean was at, and today one of the director's of my lab tore me apart at a presentation. His phrasing was basically, "This idea is bad, and the arguments you used to support it are bad." And it turns out is all he wants is a modification in the the way I'm setting up/ motivating the project. It's not even that big a change, I don't know why he had to phrase it that way in front of an entire room of students and other faculty members. Though apparently, he is not known for tact. And his ideas were good and I appreciaate them, but they could certainly have been phrased more constructively. Well, enough whining from me. But I was proud of myself for not getting upset about it in front of everyone.

[rock_dr]

Originally Posted by MomAndOliver

But I was proud of myself for not getting upset about it in front of everyone.

wow, I'm proud of you too! Remember many academics suffer from communication problems and lack of tact is common... good job taking that situation in stride.

[MomAndOliver]

Thanks!!

[Geofizz]

Originally Posted by MomAndOliver

But I sometimes feel like I don't really know what it is I'm supposed to be doing, and so I don't really know whether or not I'm doing a good job, if that makes sense.

Congratulations on your big fancy degree. Out of 500 applications, we're going to hire YOU! What do we expect you to do? Yeah, well, that's a secret. :

I'm in my 3rd year, and I think I'm finally figuring out what my job is.

Good job making it out of the talk in one piece. I had a meeting with my chair where the best thing I can say about it was that I didn't cry.

[mamaley]

Originally Posted by mamaley

Hi mamas, I'm not a professor but my husband is applying for tt positions and I was wondering if I could ask you a question. For those of you who applied to start in the Fall, when did schools start contacting you for interviews? And when did you finally know something?

And, if you had children at the time, did it make you a little crazy not knowing if you were going to get a job, or where you'd end up?

Thanks.

I'm back to hijack your thread, again. I hope you don't mind, but I need to talk to some people who have "been there". He had an interview a month ago and he felt like it went really well, but we haven't heard anything. We haven't heard anything from any other school either. We feel like our lives are on hold, and it's slowly making us crazy. We're trying to forget about it, and just live, etc, but the more time goes on without us hearing anything, the worse I feel. All of this, for what? Everything will work out, right? It used to be about not knowing where we'd be moving, and adjusting to change, etc--and it's still about that some--but more than anything I feel like, as I said, our lives are on hold. And I'm annoyed with myself for being so emotional about it, and for thinking about it so much, and I try to not think about it because what good does it do? I know some people don't hear until, like, July. Holy cow.

Thanks for letting me vent.