What a shitty afternoon. Urgh..am back home after meeting the dean. As expected, me and my friends' application for lecturership was denied by the new Vice Chancellor. To new followers of the blog, this may evoke a blank stare. Allow me to explain. I started doing my masters in May 2001. Under the understood terms of agreement, after the masters was completed and the holder returns to the parent university, the applicant (or tutor) would then have to sit for an interview (usually a formality) where after 2 months or so, said tutor would then receive a letter appointing him/her a full fledged lecturer, with a heavier workload and better pay (yes!!).

Unfortunately this was not to be in my case. During the final months of our masters, we heard rumours of a change in the university policy. This being that starting 2003, the uni would only take in PhD holders as lecturers, with all other qualification holders below being tutors or research assistants. However, since we all fully expected to be back by November 2002 (regardless of where we were) we pushed on, with most of us back at work by the 25th of November. Another stroke of bad luck was that since everything was in a state of instability, our interview (which was scheduled shortly after) was delayed until May 2003. Which is when the trouble started. Since, technically, we were interviewed in 2003, and we, being only masters holders, the new VC decided to turn down our applications. Just like that.

In such a case, the normal course of action would be to remain as tutors while the uni proceeds to speed up the process of sending you away (again) for your doctorate. Not so this year. Due to some very mysterious circumstances, each faculty may send only 3 members of staff a year to pursue their PhDs. And in front of us (according to seniority) there are already 17 people. Simple math: 3 people a year, with 21 people in the queue, means that I'll be going somewhere in the next 7 years. Or, the year 2010. Which would mean I will have served for NINE years in the uni, but none of those years will be counted as years of actual service (confused? so am I).

Therein lies the problem. The dean very frankly outlined our options. We could continue as tutors (but with a lecturer's workload), remain full tutors (with only a limited amount of work) or strike out and find outside funding for our doctorate, in which case the dean will be happy to let us go. What this means is, unless I find a place and funding for my doctorate within the next year, I am well and truly fucked.

What a nice way to end a day. Of course, something else happened (which I'm not gonna go into here) but all in all..ain't life grand? Wish me luck, people..and I mean it. I need all the help I can get. Time to get down and dirty, I'm afraid.

G'nite, people.