i just got some news at work that seriously impacts my whole next year of life

[xfer]

BACKGROUND:

So, I finished all of my education classes for my masters. I need to do two semesters of student teaching and then I'm DONE.

The first semester--in the fall--is my pre-prac, and I have to teach (for free) one day a week. The second semester (this coming spring) is my full prac, and I have to teach (for free) for five days--forty hours--per week.

Now, I have a full-time job to pay my bills. Having this job also means that I get my grad school for free, which is otherwise nearly $900 per credit (since the full prac is eight credits, that means I would have to pay like SEVEN THOUSAND dollars for it without the job, and like four-five thousand for the pre-prac plus the English class I have to take with it).



I had been hoping that my boss--who's really great, really nice, really flexible--would allow me to work four-day weeks all fall semester...an extra 1.5-2 hours per day so I could have one day a week off to teach. He let another co-worker do that last year. And I was preparing to quit in January, and although that would mean I would have to pay $7000 for class plus have no income for rent, etc., I had applied for student loans...and I hoped that, maybe, my boss would modify my position to be a part-time 20-hours-per-week benefits-eligible thing I could do in the evenings and on Saturday daytime...

My boss was on vacation for a month and got back last week...so this week I had planned on asking him...

When we came in this morning, he closed all the doors and announced that, effective within a few weeks, he was moving to Pennsylvania to open a comic-book and collectibles mail-order business.

Which is awesome; I'm really happy for him, and he has been very successful doing that kind of stuff part-time, so I think he'll do well. But now I think there is not only no chance of me getting my spring-semester thing...I might not even be allowed to take a day off each week this fall!! And that would seriously fuck me up. I can't afford to pay rent and tuition for the fall if I have to quit...with no real income...argh.

Sorry, I know this is long. I'm trying to work out what I can do.

 

[goatschool]

don't panic. talk to him.

 

[lizard]

yup. good advice.
congrats on being so close. I keep being told I should go back for my masters but I just can't do it.

 

[xfer]

I'm going to, but I don't know what he can do...he's the director of the department, so we'll either have (a) nobody in charge for a while (meaning I probably can't get anything weird approved), or (b) some weak interim director who will probably be unwilling to approve anything like this, or (c) a new, permanent director who may be cool, but may very well be like "No, I can't really do that" especially when she/he sees the huge piles of unfinished work everywhere.

 

[avi]

well, you can always try to get him to set up the deal before he leaves and get it in writing.

 

[lizard]

and probably if he approves it whoever takes his place won't have the stones to countermand it.

 

[xfer]

I will try! I don't think he can promise anything, but I'll try to get him to unofficially approve it with the caveat that it could be revoked by whoever else comes into charge, so they would have to actually take the active step to revoke it instead of just "I can't approve anything, sorry" passiveness.

The Spring semester plans for a part-time position are entirely sunk, though. No way that could be set up now.

 

[xfer]

right, lizard!

and you know, I just thought of something...okay, the whole Preservation department is five people, right? The boss is leaving...one of my co-workers is trying to secure a teaching job for September or possibly January...and I'm leaving...so we'll be down to TWO people, neither of whom work in the Bindery (they're both other areas of the department).

So maybe, because the whole department will be devastated/ruined, I can get a part-time position to help out and also help train new hires!

 

[mindspell]

I suggest, since you don't actually do any work there, that you come in 4 days a week as you planned and don't come in on the last day. Hopefully they won't notice that you are not at you desk. Alternatively you can come in early and put a brand new coffee mug on your desk and come in at noon to replace it.





Seriously, congrats on finishing your classes. Talk to your boss, see if he can take care of things. If he can't go to his boss and explain the situation and hopefully they can do something to accomodate your schedule.

 

[lizard]

now is the perfect time to begin thinking about a title, such as Bindery Department Acting Tsar.

 

[xfer]

If I end up bossless for months while they do a search for new Preservation head, I honestly will probably do just that--work 4-day weeks, 9 hours/day, without getting permission. my officemate will probably be cool with it.

 

[xfer]

i also have an ace up my sleeve--nearly enough vacation time to slowly burn one day per week for the entire semester. a sick day or two early in the semester, before it becomes clear what i'm doing, and i can sneakily make it work. i hope.

it sucks because i was counting on a big payout of unused vacation time when i quit to help pay the bills for a while while i look for a new job (because i'll finish in May, but not be able to get a real teaching position til September and possibly even not then...one of my co-workers finished his degree a year ago and says English teachers are glutted in MA, and hasn't been able to find a teaching job), but...

 

[goatschool]

so was this an example/proof of a break in time/posting continuity?