I work at a private university. I have already told them I am not returning next year. I am traveling next week for an academic obligation. I applied for leave months ago, scheduled makeup classes for the days I will miss, and have the leave approved by my chair.
Evidently, some of the Taiwanese faculty are PISSED that I am going. They think it is not right since the semester is still in full swing (guess these ‘professors’ don’t understand how academia works). Today, my chair told me that she’s been getting pressured from everyone, and now I must appear at a meeting tomorrow–with “faculty from various departments”–to justify the fact that I am going, and explain how I will makeup the classes (even though I already filled out a form with the makeup schedule, which is very detailed).
This makes no sense. Tomorrow is payday, if it weren’t (or if the meeting wasn’t in the morning) I would just blow this off. My wife will be checking my account during the meeting…if my salary clears, I’ll just beg them to fire me, since I could REALLY use the week off.
Feels like some sort of court martial. Anyone ever hear of something like this?
Edit:
Background info.
This university fired 55 Taiwanese teachers last year, and all of their foreign teachers. It’s a real nasty place. People have told me it isn’t AT the bottom of Taiwanese universities…it IS the bottom. I’ve also heard it is run by gangsters and is totally crooked (很黑)
I also teach at a Uni. Sorry you’re going through this. Don’t know if it’s ever a good idea to beg to be fired even if it’s a bottom-tier one, considering the alternatives for ELTs here. I’d still take a crappy Uni over a good cram-school. You could try to make the parting amicable, and say you’ll submit a resignation and go quietly (aka not trash the place publicly online, or complain to labor board) if you get a nice severance and they give you some good references. Just be smart about how you go out. Could you PM me the name of the Uni, btw?
My PhD (not from a Taiwanese uni) will be granted in about a week, and I already have a postdoc lined up at one of the top 5 universities in the USA (I actually have to be there for paperwork the week after the semester here ends). That timetable is why I want to be fired–I could use a break to say goodbye to Taiwan. This also means I don’t need a reference from this place (my field is not esl), and don’t need to worry about finding another job. I don’t want to burn any LEGAL bridges though, which is why I have not quit.
Going from the worst Uni in the small island-nation of Taiwan, to a top 5 Uni in the states (I’m assuming an Ivy League school)? Maybe you’re the one who should be giving us advice!
Was a total and utter waste of time. I just showed them the makeup class schedule, and that was it. Evidently some teachers complained that I got lazy lately…but the complainers didn’t show up. So, meeting was like 5 minutes.
Didn’t need to justify taking leave. A lady from academic affairs came, looked at my makeup class schedule, asked the dept admin if the students agreed, and then said everything is cool, no problem.
My chair KEPT making me promise I’m coming back after my PhD defense to finish the last 3 weeks. Honestly I’d rather not, but I’m a professional. I understand her concern though, going from piss-poor university to ivy league, but you never know who might know who.
Uber lame. 5 minute meeting with me, chair, admin lady, academic affairs person, and former chair (who respects and likes me). The haters didn’t have the balls to show up, so their concerns were swept under the rug.
Since it’s a private university, they aren’t obliged to follow all the rules issued by the Ministry of Education.
Hiring and laying off professors like part-timers aren’t too surprising.