Work Day: Parte uno

Elyse, you're the only one who reads (knows about?) this. So this is a treat for you.

So my plan this morning was to wake up at 8 AM and get to work by 9 AM - my actual plan was to wake up at 7 AM and get to work by 8 AM … but, please. So obviously I arrive to work at 9:45. I didn’t expect anyone to be there because 1.) this isn’t a real job and 2.) on the rare occasion that someone actually works, it’s usually done Wednesday through Friday. Basically, I packed my Sex and the City book to keep me busy.

I get to work and am greeted by my co-worker, Jeff.


He says “Hey, did you get [boss]’s email?”

“No.”

I check my e-mail and find this:

“Despite my conversation with Dan before he left about the two of you being
funded for the year, I have now learned that the comm department only had you
budgeted until August 31. So, starting September 1(provided I can get everything
lined up) I'll be paying you out of the COGS grant until I receive my budget
from the VPR. Your hourly rate would stay the same and it would be for about 20 hours/week – Logan I know you may have less hours and Jeff you may have more. What I need from each of you is an estimate of how many hours you worked on the COGS project throughout the summer. I can only pay you from the grant for the number of hours you worked on the grant before switching you to my CRCM budget. I know this is messy and more than you probably wanted to know, but it will keep you on the risk center and more importantly, keep you getting paid on the risk center.”

What.

So am I fired? I can’t tell. And if by “less hours” you mean half that many – then yes.

Here’s what I don’t understand: these people work in the Communication department at a major university. Why, then, is there such a lack of communication?

Example #2:
Jeff: Yeah, [boss] came in on Friday and asked if “we” had finished all the copies?
Me: Oh, you mean the booklet that was the biggest pain in the ass ever? The booklet that I squandered my last print credits on?
Jeff: Apparently there was more.
Me: WHAT!?!?!

Let’s look back at the email:

8/18/09 “Thanks, Logan. Could you have Kelsey print the attached plan, proof it
for list consistency (last time numbered lists were out of order 11,12, 18, 19),
and then start making 30 copies double-sided if all looks well? The copy code
for this grant is 1435. Clip them with alligator clips. There is a box on
the table in my office (Kelsey or Melanie can let you in) that has the first
draft in it. You can dump out that box on the table and use it. You can use the
clips off the extras from last time too. Please let me know if you have any
questions.”

What about that email implies there is more? Nothing. And yet I always walk away feeling incompetent!

This is why professors should stick to one thing: teaching. And some shouldn’t even do that! The academia attitude was not made for a business environment – and that’s exactly what this is. A business.

This sounds like I’m blaming all of this on [boss], but that’s not true. I actually pity her. The original boss basically abandoned ship – even though this is his creation. So [boss] is left to pick up the pieces. More or less, she’s attempting to clean up 3 years worth of ill-informed grad students who were enabled by the O.B. (original boss).

On a related note: apparently we have an intranet on our website where you can find all of the old minutes and documents. This would have been helpful to know.