Sorry for the saltiness but after the 65+ degree temperatures this week and my warm southern adventure, it seems to me that this body craves warm weather and not slippery snow. Mother Nature seems to be in an exceptionally bad mood. Although...this winter has been amazing with one little snow storm....just a few inches that closed all of the schools in anticipation. We are snow wimps in the northeast.
What else is going on? Ummmm...not a whole lot. I am back to work and the students are in great moods. There were no piercing looks, no overt hostility, nor pained "you give us too much to do" comments. Yes, they have been well behaved. Yet, like our unpredictable weather, I know their attitudes can change at any point. In other words, I have to be prepared.
During my last post, I mentioned that the university is having money problems. This is not uncommon these days for small faith based institutions of higher learning. Yet, when all seems kind of hopeless, we get information that my program has been rated number 8 out of 76 in our state. Unbelievable.
I could say something like..."Why aren't number 1? Why aren't we in the top 5? Well, naysayer that I am....we are number 8 and that is pretty dang cool...for a little school that is struggling to pay the electric bill. It confirms for me that even when things are bleak, you must continue to move forward, do your best, and stop whining. Let administrators worry about paying the light bill and the rest of us continue to deliver a doggone excellent education.
Although....there were several years when I was the administrator and that was a heck of a ride. Let me admit to all those who do not know me that I hated every minute. I am not a manager. I can't add the budget without a calculator and had a dickens of a time figuring out FTEs. Needless to say, I hired a wonderful woman as my assistant who was just like me when it came to numbers...clueless....yep, our department flourished despite our inability to think quantitatively.
Even though I tried, I could not wrap my head around the budget. Fortunately, my boss could and knew my limitations and was more than helpful in helping me to figure things out. Then it came time for me to step away from management and I have never been happier....yep...this was exactly what I needed. I am more of an ideas person...but follow up? Not so good....Implementation? Nope...just lead, and I will follow.
Now it is time for me to strap on the snow shoes, grab a shovel and move outside....no mustang convertibles in the northeast...just mufflers, mittens, and a snow boots. Yuk!
peace!
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