Job Discussion Forums

[Fatboy]

How is the working environment at QU these days? Haven't heard so many complaints about it recently. Have things settled down/ improved recently?

Any inside information is appreciated.

[dohadriver]

In a word, it sucks. Teachers are treated slightly better than the cleaning staff, no offense to those hard workers, just giving context.
Many teachers are on forced overtime, 20-21 hours with classes up to 35 students of mixed levels with a curriculum that may look good on paper but is unrealistic and just plain stressful to teach. The vibe is grim and stressful for many who just keep their heads down.
Management seems to forget teachers were hired to teach instead of being hounded to go to weekly PD sessions, give presentations, do e-portfolios, teaching journals, and peer and formal observations. Oh, and lest we forget the new assistant director gaily announced funding is available for research projects. Crikey, who has the time unless you are some of the selected few teaching 1 or two classes.
It's all about what looks good on paper and nobody in management has the you know what to say it's rubbish.
I'd love to hear the views of the new people who just started as they have the worst of the craziness.

[redgoo]

I couldn't agree more with the previous post. It has to be one of the most oppressive work environments I have ever been in. No one is really happy and people just try to make it through another day, another week, another semester until vacation or time off arrives. Management does nothing to try to improve the atmosphere and workplace and basically do not even care. They seem to think teachers never have enough to do already and they just keep layering more and more upon already stressed and overworked faculty. It's just basically a sweat shop.

[dohadriver]

In teaching many years, more than half in the Gulf, this place has turned into a sweatshop as you termed it like I've never seen before.
Every day I hear of a teacher having chronic health problems, getting into a car accident, or breaking into tears from the stress of the work environment.
You tell me why? The teachers are really top notch trying to do the best they can with what they are given to work with, the students we know are not starting at the top, but they are trying and want to succeed.
So what gives? I think it starts from the top admin of the uni and beyond. The attitude seems to be they can buy anything and their goal is to make QU one of the top research universities in the world and have no idea one must crawl before walking. The hubris has become awful.

[revilo]

.....but I'm glad to know now rather than later.....
I'm ripping up my job description from TESOL.org at this very moment

[Fatboy]

I'm glad I did not accept their offer. I'm not particularly happy at my new job either, but I doesn't sound as bad as QU.

[mateacher]

when did you get a job offer?

[Bowden_PSM]

I have had an offer from QU recently. Is it still as bad as it is posted here? These posts do not date back too far and this has me concerned.

In addition, is the housing situation discussed in other threads the same as before, or have things improved?

I guess, basically, have things improved at all, or would I be heading into trouble? The offer looks quite good on paper.

[battleshipb_b]

Heard it is a mess, lot of people quit as usual. Not happy work environment. Classes of 35 or more. High teaching load. Very unhappy staff. New head worse than last one, believe it or not! Nepotistic management style. Non communicative, they say he scowls instead of smiles, maybe does not know how . Lacks good interpersonal skills and does not support staff. They fired some very good teachers so old fire2hire system still operative. Housing crisis as newbies housed in grubby Ezdan. Heard some got housed in the Pearl. Dead zone. Usual curriculum fiasco, lot of complaints herd at TESOL Arabia. Sounds like bad news. Anyone know why they dumped old regime? They say new regime just as awful as before and one or two nasties from before still in power. Does not sound good.