Yep, got the good news this afternoon. (Sorry that Typepad was down this afternoon, so I had to delay in getting you all the news.) Unfortunately, it wasn't actually such a great conversation with the president. He gave me the letter offering me tenure and then followed that up by saying that he really wanted me to go away –- for my own sake, don’t you know –- and encouraged me to turn in my letter of resignation by the end of spring term in return for a generous buy-out. And the positive thing that he said to me was to wish that I weren't a good teacher or a good scholar so that he could have easily turned me down, but unfortunately I was good at my job. Um, thanks?
But afterward my colleagues were just lovely. There were hugs and congratulations all around, and everyone said that they were so sorry that what should have been a wonderful moment had been undercut by these homophobic politics. And everyone said that they hoped I’d stay and not take the president up on his “offer.” And my chair said to me (with tears in his eyes – not his usual style at all) that I was the best thing that had happened to the English department since he’d been there and that the department could never replace me; that if they did a national search and had 600 applicants, they couldn’t find anyone better than me. And then he said he’d like to give me a hug, if that was okay. How lovely is that?!
And D. just took me out for a celebratory meal, so all in all it’s been an exhausting but ultimately good day. And I'm looking forward to a relaxing Christmas break (other than three days of interviewing for a new professor position) and adjusting to life as an associate professor. Thanks for your good wishes and support during a very stressful semester!
congratulations! I think deep down the president knows he's being a jerk.
Posted by: purechristianithink | December 20, 2005 at 10:00 AM
WOOHOO! I am so happy for you! And it SUCKS that the president is so passive agressive about wanting what's "best for you." What's BEST for YOU is to have the freedom to teach without dealing with crap!
Your students are lucky to have you.
Posted by: terminaldegree | December 21, 2005 at 05:39 PM