FDS Newsletter

Dear Faculty Relations: How do I know what I should prioritize? Now that the semester has begun, I am feeling overwhelmed and rushed but not accomplishing much. I have no idea where to begin. —Time is Getting Away

Dear Faculty Relations: I am overwhelmed by one of the many new (to me) aspects of this job. I’m in the second year of my tenure-track position and am now primary advisory to two doctoral students, one in their first year and one in their third. I feel like I was JUST in their shoes (and really, I was, having gone straight from completing my Ph.D. to my current position). I understand this is not unusual, but I’m feeling lost and want to do a good job. Can you share some tips? —Advisee to Advisor Flip

Dear Faculty Relations: There seems to be a rapid change in the number of students using different pronouns, such as they, them, theirs, or xe, xem, xeirs. These pronouns sound out of place, and I wonder about their grammatical correctness. How should I address students in my classes who have made requests to use such pronouns? —What is Up With Pronouns?

Dear Faculty Relations: Sometimes I feel like I don’t know what I am doing, and it is only a matter of time until I am "found out". What can I do? —Feel like a Fake

Dear Faculty Relations: As the semester begins, how should I approach creating a great classroom experience for my class and fostering a sense of belonging? I hear that a sense of belonging is positively associated with academic success and motivation. —Caring Faculty

Dear Faculty Relations: HELP! I’m in my third year in a tenure-track position and am freaking out. For the past two summers, I’ve had big plans for writing. I’ve fallen short each summer, and when I heard those July 4th fireworks, I thought, “Here we go again.” At the same time, I’m still exhausted from the past academic year. How can I manage the competing goals of finding time to recover (I have young children, so “me time” is limited) while keeping up with my writing to be “on track” for reappointment? —Save My Summer

Dear Faculty Relations: I know performance reviews have to be done next month for my university staff and research faculty. What does a successful year-end review look like? —Anxious Supervisor

Dear Faculty Relations: I think I may be burning out.  I have noticed that my physical energy levels are not quite the same as they used to be.  It is a struggle to stay asleep at night, which makes waking up a challenge, and I feel my energy levels remain sluggish throughout the day.  On top of that, I find myself with a shorter fuse than usual and making silly mistakes in my writing, teaching, and other work.  I think stress might be the culprit, but the demands of life make it challenging to work on self-care, which only exacerbates my stress levels.  I feel like I am caught in a loop.  What do you suggest? —Burnt out

Dear Faculty Relations: There has been headline news about the reckoning over office romances. Is it okay to date someone in my unit? —Interested in a Relationship

Dear Faculty Relations: I often find myself spending more hours on my work and research than what is even expected of me from my department. This has created some problems at home—I feel distracted or less available to my family and friends. Is there something that can be done? —Stretched Too Thin