Anyone Know a Good Labor Attorney?

So rather than go out on a high-note here at my soon to be former SLAC, it's going to be a struggle. I'm still working to get paid what others were for a canceled class from last summer (the university incorrectly canceled classes, and when the mistake was pointed out, paid $1,000 to all the faculty this happened to except me because mine was a graduate course).

This summer, when I pointed out that I was in the same situation that caused the courses to be erroneously canceled in violation of the union contract last summer and that I expected the university to adhere to the contract this time, I've been informed that even though I'm teaching two summer courses (they've met for two days now), the union contract doesn't apply to me because I gave my letter of resignation. Of course, things being what they are, I was never offered a different contact to work under.

Rolls Down Hill...

Some days I wonder why my students write so badly, why they rely on such strange and shoddy logic. And then, every now and then, I see little things that suggest some possible excuse.

We're having a weather moment here today. I imagine lots of places are. For me, it isn't much of an ordeal since my grading is done, and I'm down to my own errands which can be completed in my own time. I'd intended to head up today, but I can read as well here, particularly since the roommate is gone. And since the weather's bad enough, there's no sense in being out. So imagine my joy when I saw this in my inbox:

Anticipating an improvement in current weather conditions, all university offices will close today (Friday, Dec. 19) at 1:30 p.m.

Yes, that's right. The weather is getting better, so we'll close things down. Is it any wonder my students struggle with making an argument?

We Interrupt This Vacation...

I probably should be either more offended by this or more concerned with the implications of it, but mostly I'm just amused by how silly - and what a weird statement about priorities - it seems to be.

Today's the last day of my vacation. I've spent the morning sitting with my family watching DVR'd Olympics - more on DVR and my family soon, thee I do assure - when the phone rings. It's a colleague (and not my roommate) calling. Evidently, there's some confusion about the event I was tricked into attending. Now, it appears, my services are no longer required; some university official whose name I don't know (and so presume to be tucked away in some higher-up position) would rather my colleague make the appearance.

This is all fine by me, as the event is both a pain in my ass and a waste of my time, being as it is poorly ventilated, spottily attended, long, and involving multiple prayers. But it is intriguing to me that it was deemed important enough that they made said colleague seek me out, find my number, and do his own hatchet job while I was on vacation.

Of course, this is from the folks who ask junior faculty to RSVP for things they won't be attending ('cause that's a nice list to sign your name on when you're worrying about tenure and promotion), so I probably shouldn't be surprised.