Too Much Time On My Hands Or: Inefficiency Declines Without A Profit Motive

I suppose they do this on purpose.

At the start of the semester, they drag all of the college of business faculty together for an excruciatingly tedious meeting about everything from budget woes to sexual harassement.

Its a great time to see people you haven't seen all summer.

And people watch. A room full of academics is like a circus show.

And, I suppose it lessens the blow of starting up again. They know that without such a meeting we'd all be dragging our unprepared arse's into the classroom, partial syllabi and all, five minutes before the first class.

We professors can be an idiosyncratic group.

Yesterday's meeting was particularly raucus. At one point we were to discuss the adaptation of the AAUP's statement of professional ethics.

This is one of those toothless guideline for professional behavior. Don't harass students. Respect your colleagues. Don't go around T.P.ing houses in your neighborhood. You get the idea.

Furthermore, it has been vetted by a NATIONAL ORGANIZATION!

Naturally, it unleased a HUGE debate.

Where should the statement go? At the END of our bylaws? NOT in the bylaws? Near the mission statement?

One person actually asked who would do the 'spanking' if someone didn't follow the guidelines.

This goes on for about 1/2 an hour.

Then someone else asks: To whom will this statemtent apply? Professors? Tenured? Untenured? Tenure-track? Adjuncts? Grad Assistants? The Administration? Administrative Assistants?

If you know me, you know that at this point I am literally pulling out my hair.

We take a paper vote on the issue and then a coffee break. When we return, they've tallied the votes.

46 Yea
1 Abstention.

WTF???????