Once again I find
inspiration in Phil Nel's blog to reflect on what I have been doing
off-term. This, and “research period” are the official labels for
the time between terms. Vacation is an unknown concept in this part
of the world. Non-academic employees have annual leave. Academic staff
have research periods.
The definition is still
vague. For instance, there is “full-term” (eight weeks three
times a year) as opposed to... I am not sure what, some nebulous
weeks before and after full term reserved for meetings, last
minute-supervisions and grading. In Easter term, April to June, there
are no taught classes. The undergraduate students revise for exams,
the graduates write their theses. The instructors supervise.
I cannot quite say when my
nebulous term finished and research period started. I had six masters students this past year,
and although we had told them that we wouldn't read their drafts
after the first of July, of course we did. I also read some drafts by
other colleagues' students, just because I am so noble. As soon as
the masters had submitted their theses, I received twice as many to
grade. This is because we double-grade all student assignments. A
masters thesis is 20,000 words. It takes me at least a day to read
each and provide written feedback.Simple arithmetic.
My PhD students were also
eager to submit something before they went on vacation. One
student had her viva (final oral exam) in the beginning of July.
Another had an upgrade (from probationary to full PhD status) in the
end of July. A student who is not my supervisee was submiting her
thesis and asked me to read it – because I am so noble.
We are now at the end of
July. I didn't go to the Winnipeg conference that Phil went to, and I
didn't go to IRSCL conference in Maastricht either. I didn't go to
any conferences this summer. Instead I used my precious research time
to complete most of the imminent commitments. I submitted a book
manuscript in the end of May, and it is now under review, so I
don't have to think about it for a while. I wrote three commissioned
book chapters, revised two book chapters, wrote a conference paper and two abstracts, one for a
conference, another for an edited volume. I administered blind
reviews for a special issue of a journal that I am guest-editing. As
usual, when you least expect it, page proofs arrived for several
articles. I reviewed a promotion case (reading all submitted
publications) which took me about a week. I examined a PhD (viva
still to come), which took another week. I read and gave feedback on some book proposals for a
publisher where I am on an editorial board. I wrote a huge number of
recommendation letters. I read papers for a PhD workshop in
September. I wrote my research group “narrative” for the national university
assessment (known to UK academics as REF, spelled out Research
Excellence Framework). I gave a talk at a summer school for gifted
16-year-olds from underprivileged social groups who are encouraged to study at Cambridge. I attended a few
off-term meetings. I hosted an awayday for my research group. I
entertained visiting scholars.
Unlike Phil, I have full
salary all year round. Technically, everything I do in my research period is
part of my job. I will be paid a token fee for the PhD examination
and the promotion report. I am exempt from the coming conference fee because I co-ordinate the workshop, but I am
paying for my travel and accomodation. Luckily, I have generious
travel allowance.
We are now at the end of
August. Meanwhile, I went to Norfolk for a couple of days, and we had
guests who very efficiently prevented me from working – thank you! I
went for walks and did a lot of gardening on sunny days and miniature-making on rainy days. End of
August, when most academic friends are starting work, I can finally
breathe out and start planning my vacation... sorry, my research period. Term doesn't start for another five weeks. Wait a minute: I am going to the PhD examination at the end of the
week. I am going to Sweden in less than two weeks. (Most of it is
work, but I will have three free days to see friends and family). The
day after I get back, I have Examination Board, one of those
occasions in Cambridge when you need to provide your own death
certificate to be excused. And then those nebulous weeks before full
term: meetings, business lunches, loads of urgent emails. And then
full term, and I am co-ordinating the masters course this term, and I
expect at least two new PhD students, and I expect at least three
upgrades, and at least three of my current PhD students will be submitting first full drafts, and I have agreed to do far more teaching than I am
required.
I'd better enjoy those
last few hours before life catches up with me.
