something that surprised me

People with Ph.D.’s are supposed to be smart, right? And perhaps they are also supposed to be organized to some extent.

But my big surprise this year, in my new administrative capacity, is just how few university professors are apparently able to fill out paperwork in a way that answers all questions and follows all procedures– even the simplest and most necessary ones. It’s really strange to me.

In fact, the problem is so widespread that you have to let 70% of it slide, just because everything would grind to a halt otherwise. You end up just nagging a few of the more outlandish cases.

Another example… When we had class stoppages due to H1N1 flu this fall, the University worked out a system for making up the classes on specific days that was both perfect and utterly lucid. A child should have been able to understand it. And yet, only about half of us followed it. I showed up for one makeup class in my own usual classroom at the right time, and another faculty member already had all of his students assembled in there. He told me in front of all of them, with an air of the greatest self-confidence, that “maybe you should find another room.” There were no other rooms, and I ended up having to cancel class.

I’m certainly capable of absent-mindedness, and make as many assorted mistakes as the next person. But not sticking to very basic and very clear procedures and deadlines? I’d be horrified about messing those up.