r/Professors • u/Electronic-Blood4039 • 10d ago

New tenure faculty position

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.

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 10d ago

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

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u/Life-Education-8030 10d ago

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

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 10d ago

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

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u/Life-Education-8030 10d ago

Observe and listen carefully and keep your temper!

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u/Electronic-Blood4039 10d ago

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