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You want me to what?
22 April 2024 18:36I received this email from a faculty member right before it was time for me to leave this morning
Dear Diane,
We are hosting group of professors from Kazakhstan. They are here to learn about research organization and support at Rutgers/SEBS. Would you have time to meet with them and talk about USDA supported research at NJAES?
It will be great if you would find a time tomorrow after 3 pm (they have meeting with [Bosslady] at 2 pm).
I gulped. Then I begged off claiming another engagement and also noting I WFH in the afternoon due to disability. He was very polite in his response so I - possibly foolishly - mentioned that I am in from 7:30-11 each day.
So now there's a conference room booked and I'm hosting a "short meeting of 30-40 minutes to discuss NJAES projects administration/management."
Lovely. In the nine years I've done this job, aside from my regional colleagues, no one's ever asked me to present anything, much less with less than a day's notice for 30-40 MINUTES. Oy vey. I'm baffled as to how my name was suggested since I can't think Bosslady would have recommended me. Hell, she doesn't ask me to meetings SHE holds about things I deal with.
I won't make a presentation since I don't want to make an ass out of myself trying to figure out the IT workings. I'll just make some notes and chat about the land grant history and bring one of the books in my office to show what our annual report from the 1890s looks like and vamp, I guess. I have no idea how many people it is or what they want to know specifically.
Oh but I will do one more thing. I'm sure that they're probably going to lunch after they meet with me but I had no idea what they're doing before that and y'know, proper etiquette. So I bebopped down to the Greek market and picked up some fancy bits and bobs and will arrange them all pretty and see if I can find some cups and I know I have plates.
I know that Bosslady won't have anything to offer so am I partially doing this to look better than her? You bet your ass I am.
Dear Diane,
We are hosting group of professors from Kazakhstan. They are here to learn about research organization and support at Rutgers/SEBS. Would you have time to meet with them and talk about USDA supported research at NJAES?
It will be great if you would find a time tomorrow after 3 pm (they have meeting with [Bosslady] at 2 pm).
I gulped. Then I begged off claiming another engagement and also noting I WFH in the afternoon due to disability. He was very polite in his response so I - possibly foolishly - mentioned that I am in from 7:30-11 each day.
So now there's a conference room booked and I'm hosting a "short meeting of 30-40 minutes to discuss NJAES projects administration/management."
Lovely. In the nine years I've done this job, aside from my regional colleagues, no one's ever asked me to present anything, much less with less than a day's notice for 30-40 MINUTES. Oy vey. I'm baffled as to how my name was suggested since I can't think Bosslady would have recommended me. Hell, she doesn't ask me to meetings SHE holds about things I deal with.
I won't make a presentation since I don't want to make an ass out of myself trying to figure out the IT workings. I'll just make some notes and chat about the land grant history and bring one of the books in my office to show what our annual report from the 1890s looks like and vamp, I guess. I have no idea how many people it is or what they want to know specifically.
Oh but I will do one more thing. I'm sure that they're probably going to lunch after they meet with me but I had no idea what they're doing before that and y'know, proper etiquette. So I bebopped down to the Greek market and picked up some fancy bits and bobs and will arrange them all pretty and see if I can find some cups and I know I have plates.
I know that Bosslady won't have anything to offer so am I partially doing this to look better than her? You bet your ass I am.