Intermediate Review

All of my writing time lately has gone to a 10-page "statement of teaching philosophy" and "summary of professional activity and service to the College" for my intermediate review, which happens in the third year. Basically, it's the halfway point on the road to tenure, which happens in year six. At the intermediate review, they tell you whether they want to 1) fire you after one more year because there is no way you're getting tenure, 2) sternly ask you to improve some things before they will maybe tenure you, or 3) pat you on the back and tell you to keep up the good work. Something between 2 and 3 is the norm--usually they tell you what's good and what to work on, and you keep plugging along and then are awarded tenure without issues at that stage.

Actually, it's not too bad here--I like the fact that they warn you at this intermediate stage so that you don't come up for tenure after six years and suddenly find that you missed a turn that you needed to stay on the tenure track. But honestly, I think they know the quality of my work better than I can describe it, mostly because my descriptions are hindered by my own sentimentality, false pretensions of modesty, forced posturing, barely concealed preening, etc. I don't think I have too much to worry about, but I'm hoping that there are no huge gaps that later could be used to justify denying me tenure. That had not happened for many years here, but happened to someone last year--it was a total shock, too.

I'm not stressed about it so much as morose because it's raining and I have to finish this excruciating document. Argh.