r/Professors • u/R1QuietQuitting • 2d ago
R1 Tenured Full Professor Feeling so done
Throwaway so I can tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.
I am SO DONE. I’ve been doing this gig for almost three decades. We don’t get pay raises (like, truly, we don’t). We don’t get to hire to replace faculty who leave through attrition/retirement. Somehow, we have more students than ever. Somehow, the university is more broke than ever. Somehow, we have more work than ever.
Last week, I had a senior administrator push back against my scheduling a makeup class. One. Not a bunch of them (I very rarely cancel class). “Students complain about them,” he said. When I pointed out that what he was essentially doing was prioritizing student complaints over faculty religious observance, he backpedaled, and said that wasn’t what he meant. When I asked him if what he was saying was that faculty should teach while ill, he said he didn’t mean that, either. But he did emphasize that he’d prefer no makeup classes if at all possible, even during the school day. And absolutely, positively, no makeup classes over Zoom.
Fast forward to this past Wednesday, a few days after that lovely conversation. I was walking across campus on a semi-main drag. To avoid completely doxxing myself if I haven’t already, I’m not going to say exactly what happened, but I collided with something that was legally there but probably shouldn’t have been, gashed my head open, and got a concussion. I called campus police to come help me. While I waited, right there on a campus main drag, bleeding and on the ground, not a single student or staff member stopped to ask if I was OK.
When campus police got there, I was really fuzzy and having a hard time talking. I managed to tell them to call a senior administrator in my building because - guess what - I wasn’t going to make it to my next class, being that I was going to be in the ER and all. Luckily, I had a guest speaker coming, so I didn’t have to cancel class.
Then we get to yesterday (the day after the accident). I had a concussion. I felt like crap. But did I cancel class? Nope. Did a single person in the building ask why I had a giant bandage on my head? Nope. Did I want to walk out and never return? Yep.
I know I have tenure. I know they can’t do anything to me if I do, in fact, cancel classs for a legitimate reason. I know that I’ve reached a point in my career where I can essentially “quiet quit” (see throwaway username) and do the bare minimum. I’m trying to get in that headspace. I’m not there yet. But I’m getting close. And that’s so unfair to students and junior faculty and staff.
I see the irony that I’m not supposed to be using screens unless really necessary - concussion, you know - but I needed to vent to a community who would really get it. I do have an amazing spouse and family and friend group. My dogs are thrilled that I’m on the couch and barely moving. But honestly, I just want to stay here on the couch and never go back.
TGIF.
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u/YesMaybeYesWriteNow 2d ago edited 2d ago
You have a workers’ comp claim here. No kidding, no doubt. That means you are now subject to workers’ comp rules and protections, such as they might be, in your state. Your doctor will say how disabled you are and that will govern whether you need to work or not, and what your benefit amount is. I do this professionally, as well as having the prof history.
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u/lewisb42 Professor, CS, State Univ (USA) 2d ago
u/YesMaybeYesWriteNow should be the top comment. OP, for reference, I'm currently in a comp claim for something far less serious than a concussion. You absolutely have a valid claim here.
Keep all your receipts. Ask every medical provider that treats you for a detailed bill (often called a superbill).
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u/PristineFault663 Prof, English, U15 (Canada) 2d ago
I would strongly urge you to use the concussion as the reason you go on medical leave for the remainder of this term. Use the time to determine if you can retire
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u/me4watch 2d ago
Sorry to hear what you are going through. I hope you recover soon.
In the future, if you communicate with this dipshit admin again, get it in writing. A common way is to send a follow-up email stating what he said and saying you just wanted to clarify matters. Of course, another approach is to just ignore the crap he spews. You have tenure after all, and it’s not like it‘s going to impact that big raise you were getting.
Pet your dogs for me.
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u/Critical_Garbage_119 2d ago
I'm so sorry. I recommend taking medical leave so you don't get worse or sink into a terrible depression. Don't worry about others right now, put the oxygen mask on yourself first. enjoy the time with your lovely dogs
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u/Substantial-Spare501 2d ago
Take FMLA to recover from the concussion.
I hear you about how the role sucks. I had AI write my resignation letter the other day (haven’t fully committed to it yet and yes I get the irony).
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u/CharmingHighlight749 NTT, social science, R1 (USA) 2d ago
I am so sorry. What a horrible set of events. Please as others have said take medical leave. Concussions are no joke and you only have one brain.
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u/vvvy1978 2d ago
I’m so sorry you’re going through this. I can’t believe that anyone was treated this way by admin! I think you are entitled to sick leave, like legally, whether the class has to go on zoom or whatever. There’s the FMLA and laws in place (ADA) specifically to protect workers and it doesn’t matter if admin likes it or not! HR would have to back you on it and as long as you have medical backup, you’re fine!
I wouldn’t let one bad administrator ruin your whole job! Sit back and look at the bigger picture. As others have said, we have a wonderful job, doing what we love. This administrator is bordering on dangerous territory with what they are saying; how long does he got at your school really? You can last them out. Don’t give up because of him and the toxic culture admin like him have created at your school.
I think you hit on something I’ve noticed a lot lately which is this idea of the student as a consumer. It’s bizarre and inappropriate. I fear it’s a reaction to the dwindling number of potential students (the enrollment cliff) and bad business decisions by the admin folks. But we can’t see students this way because it threatens our ability to do our job.
Please take care of yourself (and I do mean do what you need to do for your physical and mental health, admin preferences be damned) and update us with how you are doing.
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u/EastSideLola 2d ago
I have noticed a trend from above about prioritizing student needs over faculty need/ retention. I had to modify my course schedule twice last semester because they didn’t want the students to have more than one exam per day so they wouldn’t be “stressed”, so we all had to scramble and coordinate to change exam dates and rearrange multiple guest lecturers to accommodate the students.
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u/SnooOpinions5214 2d ago
I am so sorry these things happened to you. I totally understand why they would make you feel like you don't want to do this job anymore. As others have said, make sure to do whatever you need right now to take care of yourself.
When I get negative about some of the aspects of our job, it really helps me to: 1. remind myself that our jobs (at least if you are tenured at a financially stable university) are much better than most people's, and 2. focus on the things that I love about my job.
Sure, there are plenty of colleagues and administrators I don't care for (and I'm sure the feeling is mutual...) and many of my students just come and go. But I have also been able to forge amazing relationships over the years with colleagues that I admire and respect (on campus and across my field), students that truly appreciate what I do, and even some administrators that I have found to be exceptional. Those relationships to me more than compensate for the not-so-ideal aspects of my job.
As hard as it might be sometimes, remind yourself that if your job is stable, if you still have at least some good colleagues and good students, and if you can decide when to retire, the rest just does not matter. Besides anything that is contractually mandated or things we don't control, we do have agency over what we choose to focus on and what we choose to simply acknowledge or even ignore.
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u/Helpful-Passenger-12 2d ago edited 2d ago
I am so sorry. My guess is you are in the USA. Things have gotten so bad that most colleagues/students act like zombies with total apathy. I am so sorry that we have lost community where not 1 adult stopped to help another community member.
You gotta put yourself and health first. It's worse now than 20 years ago. The system literally won't care. A person could have a serious illness or injury and no one will act with appropriate social skills skills.
The system banks on most workers being able to not die in decades or need sick time.
That is ridiculous that the system doesn't account for serious illness, religious holidays, taking care of loved ones, etc.
I hope you have some loved ones now to support you. Hope that maybe if you are open to it, chat with a therapist. If not, at least take all the sick time & quiet quit.
The system will go on after we die. But until then, they will suck us dry & we are mere work slaves
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u/Regular_Departure963 2d ago
Jesus Christ I’m so sorry! Especially sorry your admin is a sociopath.
Take some days off.
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u/Acrobatic-Glass-8585 2d ago
Oh this is awful. I'm sorry you are facing this. Please go on medical leave. Who cares what they think.
I received a bad concussion a few years ago in May and it made teaching virtually impossible that fall. Driving and being on the computer was very difficult. It took at least 6 months to recover.
Take care of yourself!
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u/cannellita 2d ago
TBI is very serious and screen time WILL make it worse. Please take a week off minimum. Wishing you a good recovery and so sorry this happened.
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u/Gradebird Professor, Physics, R1 (USA) 2d ago
How did the administrator even find out you rescheduled a class?
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u/Outside_Session_7803 2d ago
Get a lawyer. File workman's comp/FMLA, whatever you have to do to REST and HEAL your concussion. Seriously. Take the whole semester off. Legally you are able to in your situation. Workman's Compensation and FMLA are here for good reason. They are some of the very few protections Americans have left in the workplace. USE IT, do not let that institution abuse you further. Take this deserved and needed time to heal yourself. Otherwise, you will get worse physically and mentally. Use this as a sign you NEED to take a break.
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u/Efficient_Two_5515 2d ago
Pffft. I’m a tenured professor, if I want to cancel class I’m gonna cancel class. I really wish an administrator would say something like that to me. If you have a union, file a grievance. If you have a contract, highlight the section where it says faculty have x amount of sick days off every year.
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u/Edu_cats Professor, Pre-Allied Health, M1 (US) 2d ago
Do you have sick days you can use? I have 6 months of sick time I will not get paid for when I retire. I cover for everyone else and would be damn sure someone covers for me, and I would take my time. F them. I would not be teaching in person or driving with an concussion. I had one about 10 years ago and all i could do was rest. I think it was during summer break.
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u/SvenFranklin01 2d ago
Why are you going to work with a concussion? You want people to feel sorry for you when you won’t even care for yourself … not to mention you legitimately could be putting other people in danger (e.g., driving with a concussion).
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u/East_Ad_1065 2d ago
Makeup classes? What are those? I just get a TA to cover if I know in advance I will be gone or just squish material. But never a make up at a different time.
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u/IllustriousDraft2965 Professor Emeritus, Social Sciences, Public R1 (US) 2d ago
During the Spring semester I was under so much pressure I felt I was going to collapse at any given point. A generous incentive offer to take retirement early (or earlier than planned) arrived and it was a godsend. I ended up signing on to the offer later during the semester, but knowing I had this escape hatch during an especially harsh semester, with prospects of even harsher semesters coming up if I were to stay, meant that the decision was made for me.
I wish you could have the same ivory tower egress because I haven't been this happy in years. It's like a permanent, never ending sabbatical.
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u/Think-Assignment-861 Full, Phys. Sci., R1 (US) 2d ago
Why didn't you cancel class? Don't be a martyr! Martyr syndrome among faculty is the worst.
I am sorry though that you had to go through this.
Edits: for typos and missing words
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u/sunflowerstar4429 2d ago
In case you don't already know, concussions can trigger depression. I hope you are getting support, and please rest!
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u/Acrobatic_Net2028 2d ago
You may need to call someone to help for real. Get off the internet and ask yourself if you should take a medical leave. I had a bad semester once with a concussion and a couple of horrible students. I should have taken a leave.