But work nevertheless follows me. Maybe because I forgot to activate the vacation notice on my email account...
A colleague asked me to switch classrooms. We are both teaching large undergraduate classes. He has been assigned a classroom in another building that is a 10 min walk from the one where our classes usually are (and which is also very very close to our offices). However, he has some materials to lug with him every time and wants to switch classrooms with me. I really don't want to and I am honestly upset that he even asked me, because it's a no-win situation for me. If I switch, I am screwed (I have never taught in that new building, I am not sure if they even have enough board area for the chalk-and-talk teaching style that I espouse and I cannot check now as I am on vacation, and I have meetings before and after class so the 10 min commutes instead of 2 min will make me constantly late for everything...) If I don't switch, I am uncollegial and will not be in this guy's good graces when the time comes that I need something from him. (I know, I am getting major hypocrisy points right here.)
If I were in that situation, I would not even ask anyone to switch. Instead, I would try to find a place in the new building where I could put the materials during the semester, like the administrative office or something. Yes, I actually resent the fact that he asked me to begin with. I am for the time being ignoring his request until I decide what to do (if you knew me in real life, you'd know that not responding is very unlike me; but I am actually listening to my husband this time and not reacting). I have contacted our staff person in charge of schedule to see if there is any way that he could ask someone else or if they could move me into another location within the preferred building instead. I would like to help him (actually, I would mainly like to not look like an evil bitch), but I really really don't feel like doing it. I also really don't want to be known as the doormat and God forbid entice a flurry of similar requests later on.
So what say you, blogosphere? Switch classrooms or not?
15 comments:
I would tell him that you do feel bad about his predicament, but that you are not able to help him out by switching because of logistical constraints of your own that require you to keep your class in the building and room it has been scheduled for. If he then asks you what those logistical constraints of your own are, you ignore him.
Can you wait to respond until you check out the new classroom? If it doesn't match your needs, then it's a reasonable excuse to not switch. If the new classroom works for you, can your meetings slide by ten minutes? I'm sure if it's just group meetings, grad students won't care about sliding the start time by ten and you'll get a pleasant walk in. Though if they're harder to schedule meetings that start within 15 minutes of your class ending, that is also a reasonable justification for not switching. If you decide to not swap, or just want to buy time, explain your situation without giving a definitive answer, and ask if he's already checked with the scheduler you contacted.
None of the above. The guy has a genuine problem that is probably worth solving, but you presumably don't know all of the possible rooms and their facilities. So make it somebody else's problem, probably a department chair or scheduling coordinator or facilities guru. They can probably identify a suitable and convenient room to move one of you into.
There might even be a person on the other side of campus who would like to teach in that room but is stuck teaching on your side of campus for some reason, but you and your colleague are not in a position to know this. A staff member or administrator who handles scheduling and facilities, OTOH, might just have that information.
I would ignore him for the time of the vacation on the off chance that he figures out another solution by the time you come back to work. Then, let him ask again and politely decline as suggested by Comrade Physioprof.
I said "other" - I echo Physioprof's advice, and I would offer him the other suggestions you mentioned in your post (have him store his materials in a room in that building, or look into switching with someone else).
You would NOT be a bitch for saying "no" - it's allowed!
A simple "No. I'm sorry I can't help you with this." is perfectly fine in this situation. No need to feel resentful. Your colleague is the one who needs to negotiate with the staff person in charge of scheduling, not you.
First off, he's an ass. Second, I would pretend like you aren't checking email. Write him back in a week or so when it is too close to classes start. Then you say that you have been away and got behind on email, just saw his message..l sorry you didn't get it in time to help him out. Pretend like it is toolate to switch, you already copied your syllabus, etc. Act sweet and as if you would have switched, but too late now (even if he says its not). That's what I'd do. Don't outright say no, just apologize that you weren't able to help his sorry ass.
I'd first check out the new classroom he wants you to switch to, see if its suitable. If not, just tell him that, if it is, then decide. Either way, you should not worry about what he thinks of you when you decide or possible implications. Its probably better to tell him earlier than later so he can find someone else to switch with or organise somewhere to keep the supplies he need to drag in the vicinity (maybe you could suggest that to him?).
I agree with EarlyToBed and Alex. It's within his rights to ask to switch without causing resentment (that's what I tell myself when I ask for things -- after all, you might just get them then!). It's also totally within your rights to say politely, "No, unfortunately that doesn't work for me due to similar constraints. Have you thought about talking to/asking blah? Good luck!"
Let go of the stress and smile as you say no. How can you be an evil bitch if you smile and commiserate?
You probably want to make sure that his request inconveniences you as little as possible, and that any extra work coming from this requests ends up on your colleague. That way you simultaneously suffer less from his current request and reduce the chance for the next one happening.
E.g.: Instead of writing to the scheduling person yourself, write to him and suggest he might want to write to the scheduling person.
Instead of checking out the new building, write him and sympathize with his situation, stress your need for massive amounts of board space and suggest that he could take some pictures of the room and sent them to you.
Chances are that suddenly another solution for his problems comes up, without you ever being explicitely unhelpful.
Don't be the doormat. Go with PhysioProf's advise. How much stuff could he possibly have? I see people with carts and suitcases on campus all the time.
I agree with the previous commenters. Just say "I'm sorry, but it would be too inconvenient for me to switch." If it bothers him than that is his problem.
However,
"I am honestly upset that he even asked me"
If that attitude is represented in any of your future correspondence, then you will be seen as a bitch.
P.S.
"If I don't switch, I am uncollegial and will not be in this guy's good graces when the time comes that I need something from him. (I know, I am getting major hypocrisy points right here.) "
You're not hypocrite, you're just being self-center. I would have said selfish, but you would really be inconvenienced if you switch. If this guy is collegial himself, he would not hold this against you in the future.
I'd totally lie and invent some hugely respectable reason why I cannot possibly switch. "You know I'm autistic," I'd say, staring at him in a way that would make him ashamed of how insensitive he has been.
And I wouldn't even feel bad for doing it. It's my autism, I can use it any way I wish, including to improve my life. :-)
So my advice: don't switch.
Send him a hand crafted out of office reply.
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