Your Career: Are some not pulling their weight?

What to do when 20 percent of the faculty is doing 80 percent of your department’s service work. ADVERTISEMENT [Your Career Logo]( You can also [read this newsletter on the web](. Or, if you no longer want to receive this newsletter, [unsubscribe](. What to do when 20 percent of the faculty is doing 80 percent of your department’s service work Is it possible to meaningfully redistribute the service burden in a department? Healthy, functioning departments — the foundation of any institution — rely on the recognition of a shared project, and something like a generosity of spirit. But you rarely see those priorities reflected in faculty training, hiring, or reward systems. Which is why a common dynamic plagues many departments when it comes to committee work and other service duties: The same folks quietly opt out, or do the work so poorly that others are horrified and rush in to fill the void. This presents plenty of difficulty for the department chair, given that it’s a position with a good deal of responsibility but not a lot of power. Sanctions aren’t terribly effective in motivating the kind of generous contribution to service work that you want (nor does a chair really have many penalties at hand). But perhaps, rather than “sticks,” you have some “carrots”? If you aren’t able to invoke consequences for a dereliction of service duty, might you at least find ways to recognize and reward the extra work taken on by the 20 percent? Think of the various kinds of department resources you control, broadly construed: course assignments and class schedules; office space and equipment; possibly research and/or professional-development funds. Are there creative ways for you to ensure that 80 percent of those perks flow to the 20 percent who keep the department running? Continue reading: “[Ask the Chair: How to Cope With the Service Slackers]( by Kevin Dettmar Share your suggestions for the newsletter with Denise Magner, an editor at The Chronicle, at denise.magner@chronicle.com. If you’d like to opt out, you can log in to our website and [manage your newsletter preferences here](. ADVERTISEMENT SUBSCRIBE TO THE CHRONICLE Enjoying the newsletter? [Subscribe today]( for unlimited access to essential news, analysis, and advice. NEWSLETTER [Sign Up for the Teaching Newsletter]( Find insights to improve teaching and learning across your campus. Delivered on Thursdays. To read this newsletter as soon as it sends, [sign up]( to receive it in your email inbox. LATEST CAREER ADVICE, OPINION, AND NEWS ADVICE [Will the ‘Enrollment Cliff’ Help or Hurt Your Career?]( By Aaron Basko [STORY IMAGE]( How to make higher education’s environment of scarcity work for you instead of against you. ADVERTISEMENT [The Trends Report 2024]( [STORY IMAGE]( Our annual investigation into the most consequential developments in higher education. 'REPRESSIVE LEGALISM' [Your College’s Top Lawyer Has Never Been More Powerful]( By David Jesse [STORY IMAGE]( The general counsel’s office wields tremendous influence. Is that a good thing? 'THE LAST STAND' [The Rise of the Faculty Budget Activists]( By Megan Zahneis [STORY IMAGE]( They have proposals to stave off cuts. Is anyone listening? FACULTY CUTS [These Tenured Professors Thought They Were Safe From Manhattan College’s Latest Layoffs. They Were Wrong.]( By Megan Zahneis [STORY IMAGE]( Nearly two dozen laid-off faculty members, most of them tenured, say the administration moved away from its previously announced “last-in, first-out” approach. ATTACK ON DEI [Colleges Would Have to Eliminate Dozens of Jobs Under a New DEI Bill in Idaho]( By Megan Zahneis [STORY IMAGE]( The legislation spells out at least 35 positions, from vice provosts to program coordinators, that would qualify as a “diversity, equity, and inclusion officer” and would therefore be banned. FROM THE CHRONICLE STORE [The Athletics Advantage - The Chronicle Store]( [The Athletics Advantage]( For tuition-driven institutions, sports are often a key recruiting tool. [Order this report]( for insights on how small colleges are using athletics to drive student enrollment, engagement, and retention. What we’re reading Here’s more on career issues and trends from around the web. See something we should include? [Let me know](mailto:denise.magner@chronicle.com?subject=Your Career feedback). - [Advice]( in the Harvard Business Review on how “the key to a fulfilling career” is “variety.” - In Roxane Gay’s latest [Work Friend]( column in The New York Times, she offers advice to leaders on how to rebuild trust after layoffs. - A [report]( in The Wall Street Journal finds that online book clubs are turning into in-person communities for remote workers and others eager for personal connection. MORE CAREER RESOURCES [Building Civil Campus Conversations]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 5, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. Students are encouraged to embrace free speech and express themselves, but controversial speakers or protests can lead to conflict. Join us to learn about de-escalating controversy and promoting inclusivity. With Support From Constructive Dialogue Institute. [Register here.]( [Preparing Today’s Students for Tomorrow’s Jobs]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 6, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. At a time of rising tuition and fast-changing, uncertain career paths, does college still play a role? Join us for a virtual forum on how to prepare students for the work force. With Support From Florida Atlantic University. [Register here.]( [Why Strategy Efforts Fail in Higher Education — and How to Make Them Succeed]( [STORY IMAGE]( UPCOMING: March 7, 2024 | 2 p.m. ET. How can higher ed avoid the Top 5 common pitfalls of strategic planning? Join us for a virtual forum to uncover research-backed strategies for success. With Support From Watermark. [Register here.]( POLITICS AND RACE [DEI Legislation Tracker]( By Chronicle Staff [STORY IMAGE]( Legislators, mostly Republicans, want to get rid of diversity, equity, and inclusion offices; end anti-bias trainings; and banish diversity statements. Upcoming Workshop [The Chronicle's Women Leading Change Program | Spring 2024] [Join us this spring]( for a virtual professional development program designed for women leaders across various roles in higher ed. This workshop series will help participants better understand the complex set of challenges they may face and think creatively to implement transformative change on their campuses. [Reserve your spot today!]( JOB OPPORTUNITIES [Operations and Supply Chain Management Faculty Positions Open Rank]( Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina [Tenure Track Assistant Professor - Marketing]( Darla Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina [Department Chair, Electrical and Computer Engineering]( Western Michigan University [Assistant/Associate Professor - Industrial and Entrepreneurial Engineering and Engineering Management]( Western Michigan University [EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR]( United States Department of State [Search other jobs.]( CAREER RESOURCES [Career Resources]( [Read the March collection]( for insights on navigating the anticipation of job offers. Explore our topics on how hiring decisions transpire, managing anxiety, and what to do if you receive an offer! NEWSLETTER FEEDBACK [Please let us know what you thought of today's newsletter in this three-question survey](. This newsletter was sent to {EMAIL}. 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