Archive for Staff Climate and Culture Survey

Another Country

Posted in Barcelona, Biographical, Maynooth with tags , , on October 25, 2023 by telescoper

It was only when I looked at my calendar this morning, and saw the reminder that my rent is due shortly, that I realized that I have now been in Barcelona for a whole month (plus one day). Lacking the usual cycle of lectures and other teaching sessions, I’ve still had regular telecons and other virtual discussions through which to reckon the passage of time, but these are different. When I’m teaching I always number my lectures consecutively so it’s easy for me to look at my notes and see that we’re, say, approaching half-term. That gives me a sense of progress which I must admit I don’t feel with scheduled telecons, which seem more cyclic – i.e. going around in circles most of the time.

Other than that, I’ve settled in here better than I expected. I’ve even managed to memorize the codes needed to get into my flat – no mean feat given my fading powers of recollection. Progress on the research has been a bit slower than expected, but I hope to finish the paper I’m working on by the weekend.

Next week is Study Week in Maynooth, including a public holiday on Monday 30th October to mark Samhain. Wednesday November 1st is a (national) public holiday in Spain too, Tots Sants (“All Saints” in Catalan). That would be the third public holiday since I arrived in Barcelona, but I won’t be here for it, as I have to make a flying visit to another country to give a talk, and do a few other things.

This reminds me that I should send an update on the affair of Maynooth University’s Governing Authority. As you may recall, the Powers That Be initially decided to scrap elections to the Governing Authority of the University in favour of selection. There was a protest at this authoritarian plan and a petition was raised. After initially proposing a mixture of election and selection, The Management finally backtracked and agreed to elections for all five internal representatives. Although the elections happened after I moved to Barcelona, they were held online so I was able to vote. The process is now complete, and I send congratulations to the five duly elected representatives!

One thing I hope the new members of Governing Authority will do concerns the outcomes of Maynooth University’s “Staff Climate and Culture Survey” which was carried out in 2022 with the promise made to participants that results would be published in early 2023. No such results have ever communicated to staff (or anyone else that I am aware of) and all mention of this survey has been wiped off the University’s web pages. Perhaps the new members of GA can push for the long overdue publication of this information?

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Break Points

Posted in Biographical, Education, Maynooth with tags , , , on August 11, 2023 by telescoper

Well, that’s one reasonably large set of tasks finished. Today I completed the grading of my repeat examinations. The marks are now checked and uploaded to the system. For good measure, I also checked the marking of a few papers done by other staff. So that’s all done and dusted in time for a meeting of the Examination Board next week at which we’ll peruse the outcomes.

It’s strange to think that this will be the last set of examinations I have to correct until January 2025. I’m away on sabbatical from September 1st 2023 until 31st August 2024 so have no teaching duties until the First Semester of 2024, with examinations coming the following January. Although I realize the assessment of student learning is important, setting and marking examinations is not something that I greatly enjoy so it will be very nice to have a break from it.

Earlier this week the President of Maynooth University sent around a missive to all staff about the news that had leaked out about the proposed merger with Dundalk IT. That email referred twice to the “summer break”. It is ironic that such wording should be used right in the middle of repeat examination period. The last few weeks certainly haven’t felt like a break to me! It’s yet another indication of the gulf between the view that Senior Management have of academic life and the reality.

By the way, the aforementioned Presidential circular promised that staff would be fully updated in the Autumn about the proposed merger. I hope in this new spirit of openness the President will also update staff about the outcomes of the “Staff Climate and Culture Survey” which was carried out in 2022. The promise was made then that results would be published in early 2023. No such results have ever been communicated to staff and all mention of this survey has been wiped off the University’s web pages.

Having finished exam marking duties for the academic year, my attention will now turn to other things to be done before I take off for sabbatical land. Next week I have cleared the decks to complete a paper I’ve been struggling over for a long time. Just before the repeat examinations started I spotted the error that was holding me back, so hopefully it will now all fall quickly into place. I’ll be very happy if I can get that submitted before leaving.

In the mean time, though, it’s time for a wine break. Cheers!

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