Thread by @SaRoseCav

A thread for those who are blocked by the paywall...

https://twitter.com/SaRoseCav/status/1405189985993637889

The whole other existential threat = people work in higher ed because they are drawn by a combined sense of vocation & intellectual/scheduling autonomy.

With unsustainable workloads, fewer resources to really connect with students & scholarship, & continued low pay...

Rumblings are a'plenty that a mass exit could be on hand.

These rumblings are apparent in both survey stats like "55% of faculty considering retirement or other jobs" and in just having eyes and ears if you have a large network of friends in highered.

connect.chronicle.com/rs/931-EKA-218…

You might think the academic job market is so terrible you can just replace the leavers - but nothing can replace the institutional knowledge and grounding that experienced, full-time faculty and staff members offer your students and your campus.

And WE KNOW that these relationships are why students go to college, why they stay, and why as alumni they donate.

As @karenraycosta told me, "“If we’re setting our faculty up for burnout, we are absolutely ripping away their ability to form positive relationships with their students, which is cutting away the foundation of what we know works.”

In a conversation with @christinenowik, she reminded me of the great principle of "People First." I used that mantra as a frame for what that compassion & care for faculty & staff should look like.

People-First Principle No. 1: Trust your faculty’s instincts in the classroom.

Stop mandating certain pedagogical approaches. No more room checkers. And unless you have decked-out tech classrooms, extensive training, & TAs who can tend to the chats, knock if off with the HyFlex

Reward innovation, like this fantastic approach to a traditional accounting lesson by @AssumptionUMA's own Paul Piwko:

Side note: if you are in Central MA, reward this awesome women-owned brewery with a visit! @CraftRootsBrew craftrootsbrewing.com

People-First Principle No. 2: Hands off our breaks.

'nuff said

People-First Principle No. 3: To your faculty and staff, time and money are the only true resources. Give us some.

Course releases, innovation grants, well-supported teaching centers.

This isn't in the essay, but our folks in our Student Success office had me sit in on a few calls with edtech companies that had bots text students generic messages (supposedly) from the school itself to (supposedly) help them feel connected.

I told them - whatever that service costs - just turn it into course releases for some of your best faculty. We are in this work, for long hours and (comparatively) low pay, BECAUSE WE WANT TO CONNECT WITH OUR STUDENTS. Give us the time to do so

In conclusion: