Comments on: From the mailbag: Enceinte, and doing everyone else’s job for them

By: Leslie

Leslie — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:00:29 +0000

@ cgeye – I have really mixed feelings about the Mayer story; at the very least, I hope that her optimism about the way her pregnancy and birth proceed isn’t unfounded. There were two things that stuck out at me in the NY Times story linked. First, with sufficient money, just about anything is possible: working from home with the baby in the next room with the nanny, having a large enough house for one’s entire extended family, not having to fly commercial…. Second, it really is a different ball game with the second child. All I can really say about my maternity leave with my second child is that I wasn’t teaching and wasn’t expected to keep up with email until my modified duties kicked in. With a four year old in the house, I sure wasn’t enjoying quiet bonding time.

Overall, I’m surprised that there’s not even a policy in place at the unnamed institution for short-term disability leave. That seems to be a default in places without a more generous maternity leave. The resource for information about that is HR, not any college administrator. Problem is–back to money again–here, at least, there’s a substantial pay cut involved, and not every family can afford that.

By: Shelley

Shelley — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 22:30:50 +0000

Here’s what works.

College administrators understand only two words:

Law.
Suit.

Sometimes just the words are enough.

By: Z

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 14:58:14 +0000

Here’s my contrarian view: if your relationship with head is good, you can tell them what you are doing because that is part of the good relationship. But if not, whatever you do will be used against you or to obstruct you, so apologizing later, if there are objections, is easier than getting permission earlier so they can really mess with you!

I’m not threatening to miss class, just not give finals. People do this all the time. And I have never done this, but if I had a substitute teaching part of my class or some other change in format, I would go easy on grades in the first place for that reason.

Of course it is true, you should not surprise department heads. I am just saying — notice how telling the head did the person in question no good.

By: truffula

truffula — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 06:26:15 +0000

Telling or not telling is situational, of couse. Not all students are tolerant of deviations from standard practice or may try to use a deviation as an arguing point when given a grade they don’t like. University rules include specific requirements about class meetings. When somebody complains to the department head about whatever has gone on, it can be helpful if the head has a clue. At least I feel that way. The silver lining is that students tend to complain via email, which gives me time to gather facts, but I really don’t like to be caught off guard. Again, this depends in the relationship you have with your department head.

By: Z

Sun, 29 Jul 2012 02:44:44 +0000

Yes. Also, something I have learned is that when you are going to make informal arrangements as this professor has done, you should in fact NOT tell anyone.

I had a colleague with this exact situation and nobody found out that she wasn’t giving finals, but having papers due the last week of classes, until after the fact. Men regularly do the same to get to a conference or whatever during finals week if they need to. Next year, I am teaching in study abroad and, not by my choice, it is starting the day after graduation. Since they, not I, insist it start so soon, I will not get any breathing time unless I decide not to give finals, and to have final papers due the last week of classes. I might even make them due the next to last week, and have presentations and consultation/paper returning in the last week. If anyone finds out and objects, the deed will already have been done, and it is easier to apologize than to get permission.

By: Comradde PhysioProffe

Comradde PhysioProffe — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 22:31:27 +0000

I don’t have any useful advice to give, as my institution does have a very explicit and detailed set of policies for maternity and other family/health leaves. I am surprised, however, that any university doesn’t have such a policy. (This surprise is, obviously, a reflection of my own ignorance and privilege.)

By: Doctor Cleveland

Doctor Cleveland — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 19:07:23 +0000

“The world must be peopled.”

This, really, should not be a difficult concept.

By: tinfoil hattie

tinfoil hattie — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 16:43:18 +0000

Sigh. Pregnancy, childbirth, and the actual raising of children: Damn, that’s unusual. Why do women keep messing things up for “the rest” of society?

By: Historiann

Historiann — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 15:38:29 +0000

I don’t think anyone here is suggesting that women faculty and administrators are the only people responsible for this. My advice to I Can’t Fucking Believe was just that she and her colleagues need to take charge of this on behalf of their pregnant colleague and themselves.

It certainly is not the responsibility only of women. However, this needs to get done in I Can’t Fucking Believe’s department now, and she and her colleagues are the ones on the hook for getting it done (or at least starting the ball rolling), so far as I can tell.

By: Lady Historian

Lady Historian — Sat, 28 Jul 2012 13:52:59 +0000

Several have suggested that women faculty/administrators have and/or should create this policy. Ugh! Given that no woman has ever gotten pregnant on her own (sorry Mary!), I wonder why men aren’t also asked to be engaged in the process of policy making. It’s like asking People of Color to create antiracist policies when they didn’t create and don’t benefit from racism.