This morning was spent recalling incidents while teaching at the University of Northern Iowa where I was employed from 1969 until taking early retirement in the year 2000. Some memories stand out as positive moments and others as less than productive circumstances. It is the purpose in this document to illustrate to the younger and less experienced leaders in the field of education just how to keep ones focus while dealing with the everyday problems which unfortunately come with the job.
Example 3.
As I have stated before, two of my former heads of our department were, shall we say, less than compassionate comrades while spending my time at the University of Northern Iowa School of Music. This week’s example of sanity survival actually happened with my second least respected boss.
As most often happens when a faculty member lasts longer than the current department head, job placement sometimes changes as befits the situation. In my case, it was determined that my services could be better served if I were relocated from a spacious, comfortable studio to a less spacious office. My studio at that time was very roomy and had large windows overlooking our wonderful campus. The office space suggested for my move was very small with no windows at all. I’m sure you can understand the dilemma I was to face with this painful move.
Rumors began to circulate within the department that I would be getting a visit from the current department head in order to give me the bad news that I would have to make the unpleasant move within the next two weeks. That deadline did give me enough time to make some changes in order to derail this decision for the room change.
At that time, I was very involved with heading the video recording of our concerts and conducting classes which required the storage, maintenance and overseeing of our video equipment. In addition to controlling and maintaining the equipment, I was also editing the important performances with cuts, titling, and copying of these video tapes, not a big job but very important to anyone wanting documented proof of their work.
Knowing that I would be visited in the next two weeks, I immediately went to work and contacted my good friends in the universities Television Service Department. My request from this department was very simple. I asked for as much large television studio equipment that they could loan me (even if it no longer functioned). Within two days my beautiful studio was crammed full of monitors, tripods, oscilloscopes, cameras, microphones, mike stands, speakers, and sound deadening blankets as well as flood lights and their accompanying stands. My studio was filled to the max and some of the equipment even worked!
Days went by and eventually my boss asked for some time to visit me in my studio to which I asked, “Sure what would you like to talk about”? At the predetermined time I opened my door to welcome him in, knowing full well what the visit was about. Upon entering my studio for the first time since taking his job in our School of Music, the look on his face was exactly what I had hoped for. His first question eased my concern as to my work area for the next few years or till the time we would be able to fill his position with yet another leader of men/women. “Do you use all of this in the video area”? he asked. “Wel,l this is most of it”, I relied. Sometimes silence is truly golden for now he had to make a decision that he did not anticipate.
I was able to remain in my beautiful, spacious studio for my remaining time at UNI.
