Job Discussion Forums

[squirk]

As a newbie in the English department, I am very worried about a strange practice called the Faculty Incidence Report system (FIR). Basically, if you do something stupid (usually out of ignorance or not having been informed or having someone squeal on you), ou get hauled into the boss for the dumbest things. If you challenge it, he becomes very confrontational. There is a whole surveillance team watching your every move. I have never worked in such a bizarre place; some teachers are quitting, including newbies, as the monitoring, workload, agenda, and attitude are not really workplace friendly. Teachers have been told that their evaluation will be affected by this FIR thing. The FIR goes into your file forever!! The ironic thing is that teachers are supposed to be given a verbal warning about problem areas but these people don�t even follow their own guidelines. Why not? Another strange thing is waiting until Christmas to tell people if they�ve had their contracts renewed. Teachers are complaining this is a tactic to upset people. Why? What is the motive? I don't get it. Don't ask questions is what one teacher was told. The housing is really bad, we live in a state of siege in a compound full of teenage hoodies. Some people are trying to move but it ain't easy.

Has anyone else ever worked in a place with this FIR thing?

[veiledsentiments]

Every university has its own system of reporting "incidents," but most involve something being put in writing into your files... permanently. If you feel that it was unjust or incorrect, you could request that you be able to have included in writing your side of the incident. One rarely wins these little debates with management... wherever one works (everywhere in the world)... and one always has to be very careful how one disputes it. We have only your side, so it is hard to say whether you provoked the confrontation.

Obviously if you want a clarification of your departmental rules, this board is not the place to ask. Ask your management.

As to notification of contract renewal, QU is one of the earliest notifiers. Many employers wait until late February or March... and some don't bother until just before summer leave. Most notify soon after the start of the second semester. So, you are complaining because they notify people early?

VS

[lollaerd]

[lollaerd]

[veiledsentiments]

Written reports of problems like this is standard in US universities, so I expect that most of those establishments out in University City have a similar type of thing. Whether there is an official form with a special name is rather moot - it could be a mere memo. As an employee, if my employer has a problem with me or something I did, I want to see it in writing and be able to write my side of the story... and I want it in my file, so that a new manager isn't depending on the departmental grapevine for the story a couple years later when contract renewal is coming up.

We are all familiar with the fellow(s) and all their various screen names who got 'not renewed' or whatever 5 or so years ago. They really do need to get over it. We've all known and worked with teachers who got the ax who could never understand why... but all the rest of us knew. Sometimes it is just a personality clash with a supervisor or a class, but that is why written reports are such a good idea. You can't then say that you didn't understand what you were doing that management didn't approve of...

I still stand by my opinion that December is more than fair for notification of renewal or non-renewal. At universities in Oman, the UAE and Kuwait, I got mine in January or February at best. It is rather unfair to compare notification time at QU with its EFL staff of well over 100 teachers to most of the small places out in university city which have a handful of EFL teachers. And those that whinged that it wasn't nice to tell you near Christmas would have whinged at how late it was if they had waited until after the first of the year.

Here I was thinking that you were Wilbur... but you are starting to sound like the socks...

VS

[lollaerd]

[millie18]

But aren't most of the teaching faculty at the US universities from the home campus? So it's not really a matter of a contract renewal, especially if these people have tenure.

They also have recourse to a grievance procedure (and labour laws) in the US should they have a dispute, or am I misinformed on that?

Very different from being employed on a 2 or 3 year contract subject to the whim and whimsey of sometimes unpredictable management (not necessarily at QU - but I've seen it happen in Oman and UAE)

As for notification - I was surprised when I was told I was renewed before December - I've always been told in late January/early February in the past as have friends working at other tertiary institutions in the GCC.

[veiledsentiments]

At least QU has a procedure at all... many places don't have anything until suddenly you're told that you are not being renewed. As Millie says... these are short term jobs. If one doesn't like a system or a manager, one can always move on. QU is no different from all the rest of the universities in the Gulf. Everyone can find something to complain about. And everyone who was not renewed insists that it isn't their fault. Human nature... sometimes they are right, but more often not.

And you are talking about 3-4 teachers out of a faculty of between 100-130 or something like that? Now if it were 30 teachers fired, it would look a bit more like an issue.

VS

[squirk]

It is ludicrous to file a FIR for a petty incident could be handled in a more constructive way. Nobody has spoken positively about these reports. It�s demeaning and demoralizing a couple of months into a new job to be given one of these. This is nothing more than an example of micromanagement at its worst. Back in November we had to have a little visit with the chief to give a �general progress report on how we�ve been coping so far�. For some, these meetings were useful, for others they were picky, intrusive and a waste of time. He wanted feedback about the mentors, if you didn�t get on with yours what are you supposed to say? Complain? They seem to encourage people to complaints about other teachers, this FIR is proof of this, but definitely don�t complain about the workload, the syllabus, the courses, the committee work, etc. They don�t want to hear that: it is very risky to say anything negative about the program. You get labeled as a complainer. Some newbies felt that the main point of the progress report meetings was basically to suss out critics; newbies picked up on this message very early on. About 11 or 12 teachers are leaving, some of them were fired; others are calling it a day. I suppose they don�t want to deal with the �system� anymore. Maybe the FIR has made them mad.

Another crazy thing is teachers have to give 8 months notice. There are some very dissatisfied people who aren�t sure about staying but this 8 months notice is very restrictive. How can you decide if you like the department in one semester? You barely arrive in a new job and within a few months are told if you want to quit, you have to give notice the first Sunday in January. I have never heard of a place that asks for 8 months notice, the usual notice period in most places is from 2 � 6 months. Most places don�t even recruit until January or February so you are taking a risk to quit so early before recruitment. Four months is not enough for a newbie to know whether or not he wants to stay. Some newbies are leaving; others were thinking about going but the forced early notice made people think twice. If you resign after this date, you will be penalized financially. I think most people want to make the best of the job but when you are dumped on with work from the day one without being given enough time to get your bearings and adapt, it makes for a very difficult transition to Qatar and QU.. Things aren�t helped by the daily traffic battle and the problems in the compound. There have even been break-ins so some people want bars on the windows. Who wants to live in a jail? Some people live in much better accommodation close to the campus; living in one of these places would sure make life easier for everyone.

[veiledsentiments]

[helenl]

One question, in your contract isn't there a probationary period? Usually it's one academic year - during which either party can decide to terminate with/without cause (in other words, without having to provide any reason).

I know people in UAE who have told their supervisors that the organization "failed probation" and that they wouldn't be staying on for the rest of the contract.

I do know that giving at least one semester's notice is standard operating procedure in the GCC in academia - no matter if you're new or not. I would imagine QU is the same? What does the contract say?

[veiledsentiments]

A friend from QU sent me this:

All employees serve a six month probationary period (one year for academic
faculty) as specified in the employment contract. During this period of
probation, either party may terminate the contract with 7 calendar days notice.

The Department Director or Head of Section �In special cases- may
recommend the extension of probation period for a maximum of three or six
months. (QU Personnel Handbook)

VS

[squirk]

One week to make a decision about the next three years of your life? They let you know around Christmas and one week later you have to tell them if you want to stay or not. That's really putting the pressure on. You keep people worried all year wondering if they're going to be renewed so that they are in a state of constant anxiety � will he, won't he? FIR, evaluation, assessment, student evaluations, squealer reports, grievance reports; it seems to be pretty nonstop monitoring. This is why there is such an oppressive atmosphere of fear, not to mention some very scrofulous people who enjoy squealing. People are not happy with this FIR system; the constant monitoring creates a very unhappy workplace. There are loads of nice people but a few militants make the atmosphere toxic.

Crime and punishment; judge and jury (or maybe just the judge) is the way things seem to function ...

The incident report exists as a managerial and administrative tool to record situations that may come about unexpectedly. (Most situations in life come about unexpectedly, you don't know if you're going to get swatted on one of these crazy roundabouts.) The form will act as an official document that may help (may???) to dispel accounts based on hearsay or anecdotal evidence. For example, an incident may be unacceptable behavior from staff and/or students, (we need some examples of this) an act of vandalism or work related accident. (If it's an accident, it should be reported on an accident incident form.) The Incident Report Form (form?) will provide an official written record of an event (event? or incident?) and could be used as evidence to support any ensuing warning. The form may be used to describe an incident which may be useful in tracking (why do staff need to be tracked, isn't this just another word for stalking?) and/or addressing behavioral issues of and staff and/or students. (Some examples of staff behavioral issues, please.) While its findings (is this now an investigation???) may serve as evidence, (of the crime?) employing the incident report form (the form or the report itself??) would not necessarily lead to grievance procedures.

According to some teachers sometimes they don't even bother to tell you that they have filed a FIR. They say you 'should' be informed, not 'will be'. What if they don't tell you and the FIRs just pile up? There has to be a better way of dealing with 'incidents'. The Faculty Grievance form is no better as it gives people a chance to stab you in the back. This is definitely a very strange place. Luckily there are some very nice people working here which kind of compensates for the shady areas.

[veiledsentiments]

I can only hope that you have made the decision to leave. You obviously can't deal with the system and are starting to sound paranoid. Perhaps your home country might be the best choice for you.

It seems that you are only making yourself and probably everyone around you unhappy.

VS

[chanchanhae]

QU stands for: Quit Urgently.

A place that has been run by the same man for over 20 years tells you all. Does it ring a bell?[/b]