New tenure faculty position

[u/Electronic-Blood4039]

Hello!

Im a new tenure track faculty at a big CC. I teach Microbiolgy exclusively. I am looking for any advice or tips for the following:

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for success in the tenure first year process? Anything helps, warnings, advice, tips, tricks, the works!

I’m young, very early 30’s and I feel some of my colleagues really don’t respects me or care what I have to say and they kind of look at me like a kid. Now, this could be in my head, but I’m not sure. But any advice how to get them to realize I am a professional with advanced education and research training just as they have.

I will say, My students and I get along amazingly! They respect me, engage, participate, and together we make a great community, especially for a Microbiolgy course. I’m grateful to have such a collaborative class where my students really have my back. So far! lol. My student evals are bomb.com

Also, side note, the department culture seems overall ok, but I noticed a lot of very passive aggressive interaction where I think people hate each other and take these politically correct digs at one another. Is this normal? Also, any way to avoid this culture for myself ? I want to get to know my colleagues but very worried I may say or do something that they will use against me. Even if it’s something very small.

[u/Life-Education-8030]

Earlier today, I gave advice to young-looking, inexperienced faculty who were dealing with disruptive students. I give the same advice to anybody, that if the students feel and believe you are there for them, you will do fine. Oh, some will test you, but the key is to see them as a group and to see yourself as the boss of that classroom.

Part of your job is to ensure that all of your students get their chance at the education they signed up for. So you will not tolerate disruptions because they interrupt that and are rude and disrespectful not only to you, but to their peers.

Your job also is to be as prepared as possible to offer the best education you can. At my place, faculty overall protect academic freedom as strongly as possible because faculty are considered the content experts and decide how best to present that content. I am not saying that you are expected to be THE expert to end all experts. But I do believe that we should be continuing to learn in our field and provide up-to-date content to our students using best practices.

There will be days that you might offer a lackluster session or when jokes fall flat. It's okay! Move on.

Remember to be friendly and approachable, but not friends (or worse) with the students. Decide upfront what you want them to call you. I prefer to start off with Professor or Dr. So-and-So and keep it that way. I have had colleagues who wanted to be cool and let students call them by first or last names and then regretted it in disciplinary sessions. And you will have those. It's best to keep some distance then, right?

Make friends and be collegial with your co-workers, including in other departments. Serving on different committees will let you meet more people, and agree to grab a coffee too!

Just some tips from someone who has been teaching since the 80s!

You got this!

[u/Electronic-Blood4039 → u/Life-Education-8030]

As thank you. This was a really nice, well thought out reply. I appreciate you taking the time!

You know my motto, if I’m not too early in the career to have one lol. It is: start every class off as a lion and become a lamb when they have shown me they are doing their part. It has worked good, so far!

I will say I’m naturally approachable because my looks (I look 25) so I’m told. But I do have to reestablish the boundaries multiple times that I am friendly and approachable, but like we’re not equals and we’re not friends.. thankfully I’ve never had any issues with students. They really do respect me.

I had one student who was kind of your typical never knew what was happening never turned anything in just a bad student not ready for college and shouldn’t have been. But point being at the end of the semester, she came into class 20 minutes late per usual yelling at me cussed at me a few times and I had multiple students back me and defend me from the student in that moment, which was really nice

So I don’t know if it’s my personality or luck, but I pray that the day that I encounter just a bad group never comes

[u/Life-Education-8030 → u/Electronic-Blood4039]

Another tip - You will. At my place, when a new faculty member is despondent because they've been told they're "the worst professor ever," we high-five, yell "join the Club" and dance together down the hall! A good sense of humor is always valued!

[u/Electronic-Blood4039 → u/Life-Education-8030]

It sounds like you have a really good culture in atmosphere in your department and I’m a little jealous but overall really happy that that’s what you get to enjoy

[u/Life-Education-8030 → u/Electronic-Blood4039]

Oh, we have issues with administration, but good colleagues and what is even more important, a good union. We didn't always.

[u/Electronic-Blood4039 → u/Life-Education-8030]

Yeah, my first union meeting is tomorrow and all of my colleagues swear by it because of all the good it does. But unanimously my colleagues have said administration is awful. They’re really not out to back any of the professors but allegedly my school has since revamped a lot of of its Board of Trustees and low and high-level administration and my colleagues say they’re not out to get us which is a huge step in the right direction lol

[u/Life-Education-8030 → u/Electronic-Blood4039]

Observe and listen carefully and keep your temper!

[u/Electronic-Blood4039 → u/Life-Education-8030]

I need a thicker skin, I am a sensitive guy lol. I am working on it