Administrators chained to desks in Akron

administration, Chairing a department, telework 1 Minute

I hope loyal readers know I find this Dean’s actions reprehensible. He fired a department chair for working from home.

Money quote:

Howard M. Ducharme Jr. was the chairman of the philosophy department at Akron for the last 11 years. He said he had never heard of an attendance policy for department chairmen until Ronald F. Levant, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences at the university, called him at home one day last month at 4:30 p.m. and asked him why he wasn’t at his desk.

Mr. Ducharme—who said that particular day began with a 6:30 a.m. breakfast meeting—told the dean he was working from home. He met with the dean a day later and was told, he said, that “being on leave is a military concept, and when one is away from their duty station without permission, they are AWOL.”

AWOL? I think that’s a bit much.

I do see the need to be able to contact chairs by cell phone or email when the need is urgent.

Jim

Published by jlolds

Native Angeleno, professor of Neuroscience and Public Policy at George Mason University

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