I have worked in several places where the department leadership changed but the work continues due to a universally beloved but not fully appreciated person who talks to everyone while just doing their job.
I had a grad student needing a specific stats pre-req. They just needed to check the box & we were willing to let them do it concurrent not making them wait a semester.
The math department was a road block.
My Maggie talked with their Maggie who prepped the form & had their dean sign it. Done
I asked if we now "owe her one" regarding the math department.
Nope. Best line from her:
They don't keep score because it is about the students. The only time they pay attention is if someone does not cooperate. Someone will have a talk with them. The network matters
This is absolutely correct and also all the Peggys talk to one another and know all the tea on everyone who is doing little to no actual work. Don't cross the people in positions where they have to deal with *every single department's* More of a Comment Than a Question Guy.
Every sentient faculty member sees this post, and says, "Oh, that's Joyce."
If you're paying attention to how the work gets done, you've no doubt had a moment where you take a step back and note, in awe, that she is taking up the slack for everyone (and, particularly, entitled senior professors).
Before I left the university there was a job opening for assistant to the president. Salary:$108,090. My lecturer salary? $54,000. I had around 700-809 students per term across 4 preps.
IDK how I missed this on Twitter years ago, but I just sent it to my wife, who works in university admin and I'm certain it's currently circulating in her work team group chat
Also, Peggy retired after covid, no one can afford to work here for what you paid her, and this is why the institution has been in permanent crisis since 2022.
Peggy makes $80K and works 70 hours a week and has threatened to retire to spend more time with her grandkids but the president promised to bump her to $100K if she put it off by another 2 years
It was Candice in the division I worked at when I had a university office job. She found me wandering around the building looking for the office I report to on my first day on the job, and never stopped being the glue that held us together.
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My "Admin Assistant" was Maggie.
She had been at the University for 28 years. She not only knew where the bodies were buried, she put some of them there herself.
Know they have a network of Maggies. That network keeps the doors open.
The math department was a road block.
My Maggie talked with their Maggie who prepped the form & had their dean sign it. Done
Nope. Best line from her:
They don't keep score because it is about the students. The only time they pay attention is if someone does not cooperate. Someone will have a talk with them. The network matters
It's about the students.
https://www.espn.com/espn/feature/story/_/id/19019077/highest-paid-us-employees-dominated-college-football-college-basketball-coaches
If you're paying attention to how the work gets done, you've no doubt had a moment where you take a step back and note, in awe, that she is taking up the slack for everyone (and, particularly, entitled senior professors).
She's also been a union member for thirty years.