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Is there a worse university contract?
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taikibansei



Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 811
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 12:27 am    Post subject: Is there a worse university contract? Reply with quote

I've seen some bad contracts, but this one takes the cake. This is the standard contract for 名古屋商科大学 (Nagoya University of Commerce and Business):

http://www.nucba.ac.jp/pdf/contract.pdf

Some of my favorite bits:

"The faculty will be expected to observe the normal principles of loyalty, discretion, and confidentiality as appropriate. The Faculty Member will not speak about or discuss teaching or faculty matters with persons outside of university for any reason whatsoever. Any behaviour inimical to the interests of the university that constitutes a breach of this clause will be regarded as serious misconduct and grounds for instant dismissal according to 'Article 4 (d) (1)' in the main text. [emphasis mine]"

or,

"The Faculty Member agrees to make best efforts as a classroom instructor and to secure at least a 'satisfactory' rating of 70 points or better on student evaluations administered at the end of each semester. The university will judge the Faculty Member to have neglected his classroom duties if he or she obtains an 'unsatisfactory' rating below 67.99 in his or her evaluations. [emphasis theirs] These ratings are described in the 'pay for performance' system in 'Article Two (b)' below."

or,

"The Faculty Member shall be responsible for marking his or her own classes' papers, examinations, re-examinations, or supplementary examinations promptly and for submission of grades by the announced deadlines. The Faculty Member will not take leave while the such work is outstanding. Examination papers shall not be taken from the school premises without special arrangements with the University." [emphasis mine]

Remember that their ads ask for people with PhDs, university-level teaching experience, and publications. These are also just 2-year contracts (if anyone can survive that long without getting fired...)

This university has been advertising positions almost continuously for the last three years--their ads are up on the Chronicle's website (posted twice--two different months....) right now....wonder why? Wink
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buffy



Joined: 12 Feb 2003
Posts: 57

PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 12:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sounds like you have to constantly watch your back and make sure the students like you....
Do they pay PhD level salaries?
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taikibansei



Joined: 14 Sep 2004
Posts: 811
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 1:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

buffy wrote:
Do they pay PhD level salaries?


That's the one thing they don't mention...i.e., salary. But with that bonus system in place, the sky's the limit, I'm sure. For example, if you have both outstanding (i.e., over 99% on average) student evaluations and an 'outstanding' rating on your biannual evaluation from the Dean, you may qualify for a one-time 10% bonus! Wink
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Gordon



Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 5309
Location: Japan

PostPosted: Sun Nov 07, 2004 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sure sounds Orwellian. That is one of the most ridiculous sounding contracts I've ever seen for a uni job in Japan. You can't even mark or prep at home it seems. Wonder if they have cameras in the classrooms too?
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Miyazaki



Joined: 12 Jul 2005
Posts: 635
Location: My Father's Yacht

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I remember seeing discussions on this school and dug this thread back up.

recently, I've heard from a friend that the President of this university is charging staff and teachers $50 a head to attend his MoE award banquet for "making a significant contribution to Education in Japan". Nice, charging people to get to your party. I wonder how many people actually go! Shocked

Also, I've been told that the whole campus uses nothing but Mac computers and forces students to purchase a Mac computer. Students have to pay for it as part of their tuition when they enrol. All classrooms and admin use Macs, so teachers and staff are forced to use them too.

Bonuses are paid, apparently, but they're linked to student evaluations. Low evals results in pretty much zero bonus.

National holidays are not observed and teachers, staff and students are required to show up on most national holidays.

the President of the university, from what I was told, doesn't really give a crap about people and is a "my way or the highway" type personality. It's as the Japanese phrase goes, "one-man" type deal.

I also heard that he was also sued by several teachers for illegally witholding their salaries after they resigned.

And finally, that the students are essentially "Special Needs" students who couldn't get in to schools anywhere else. The university lets anyone in and that the entrance examinations exist for "appearances" only to show the MoE that they indeed have an entrance exam. Then they largely ignore the results.

Some who are interested in applying to this school may also not like the fact that it's out in the middle of the jungle. It's in the rice paddies and not easy to get to with only Mon - Fri bus access from the train station. Not easily walkable which turns some people off.

Will find out if there's anything more about this sh*thole and post it.
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 1:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

How about adding some substantiation to these alleged claims?

What is the point in digging up a 4-year-old thread?
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Apsara



Joined: 20 Sep 2005
Posts: 2142
Location: Tokyo, Japan

PostPosted: Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
What is the point in digging up a 4-year-old thread?


Perhaps to provide an update for anyone thinking of applying there?
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Symphany



Joined: 10 Aug 2006
Posts: 117

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:06 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

...and to define a new "bottom"
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 1:19 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

An update is not unsubstantiated claims, IMO.

Facts, people. Firsthand.

Try this for a new low.
http://www.gaijinpot.com/bb/showthread.php?t=64000
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Yawarakaijin



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 504
Location: Middle of Nagano

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 2:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The way things seem to be going here I often wonder if I haven't incredibly lucked out.

I do not have a diploma ( currently working on one though ) and got to Japan because I had 3 years experience teaching at an Eikaiwa in Canada.

I got lucky with an unusual set-up where our company is basically contracted out to teach course within one rather large engineering company.

I teach about 6 hours a day, four days a week for a salary nearing 400,000 yen per month. It's for the most part a very pleasant environment and I have my meals and transportation subsidized by the company.

Recently though I've been of two minds. One, I want to improve myself and beef up my resume for any unforseen incidents which may arise in the future. I'm getting a little older, nearing 35, and wondering if it is "ok" to basically be an eikaiwa teacher for the rest of my life.

On the other hand though, I have came across very few people making as much as I currently do for the limited amount of work I have to do. Should I just sit back and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle and stop worrying or do I need to keep improving my credentials all in the hope of landing a uni job that will arbitrarily fire me after 4 years and pay much less than what I currently make?

The more I see job advertisements like this, the more I want to simply chill and settledown with this job, no longer worrying about what I "don't have".
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fluffyhamster



Joined: 13 Mar 2005
Posts: 3292
Location: UK > China > Japan > UK again

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Surely that's a no-brainer, Yawarakaijin! You should stay put where you are, while it lasts and the money's good. Wouldn't hurt though to get more qualified in the meantime (no university diploma?(!)- or do you just mean no TEFL-y one?) just in case your idyllic existence does ever have to come to an end (and if you're even remotely serious about working in a university, you'll very likely need a lot more than just a first degree).
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Yawarakaijin



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 504
Location: Middle of Nagano

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:34 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a TEFL certificate and have done numerous workshops that were offered all through my time spent teaching in Canada but no first degree. Currently working on a Political Economy degree through Athabasca university. It is from there that my future options get muddy.

Stay at my current job and salary after obtaining my new BA or move on, maybe back to Canada to get my teaching license, and then become a "real" teacher? or just enjoy what I have. Wink

I've always been the kind of person who is searching for greener pastures but lately I've been wondering how long I should keep on that path.

I'm in a great little town,making good money, have a month vacation per year, good boss, perfect set-up really. Do I need to search out something better? More and more it's looking like i'm going to stay put.
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Glenski



Joined: 15 Jan 2003
Posts: 12844
Location: Hokkaido, JAPAN

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
I'm getting a little older, nearing 35, and wondering if it is "ok" to basically be an eikaiwa teacher for the rest of my life.
Unless all you are doing is teaching general conversation at that farmed out client, you are not an eikaiwa teacher but a business English teacher. Big difference.

Hardly anyone stays at true eikaiwa for many years. There is hardly any reason. Pay often does not go up (unless you want to be a manager, and that in itself can be pretty deadend and unliked). Many eikaiwas don't pay into shakai hoken. Does yours? If you are planning to be here for the long haul, you deserve it.

Quote:
On the other hand though, I have came across very few people making as much as I currently do for the limited amount of work I have to do. Should I just sit back and enjoy a comfortable lifestyle and stop worrying
I'm surprised you have to ask that with the way the econmy is today. Improve yourself and you improve the odds of lasting longer as a teacher (or whatever branched out job you end up in). To sit and do nothing but work with nothing more than a mere diploma is pointless and wasteful.

Quote:
or do I need to keep improving my credentials all in the hope of landing a uni job that will arbitrarily fire me after 4 years and pay much less than what I currently make?
Trust me. No university is going to hire you with your current credentials or if you just add years of the same old, same old eikaiwa work to it. Unis are drying up, students are becoming fewer, and uni jobs are becoming increasingly more competitive. As it is, most uni jobs, they say, are for part-timers, so you'd have to be lucky to get enough of them strung together.

Your salary now is commendable, but I wouldn't rest on my laurels if I were you. Who's to say that your current employer won't fold next week? Many large eikaiwas have done precisely that and given their employees zero to little notice.

Oh, and I take offense at this remark.
Quote:
Stay at my current job and salary after obtaining my new BA or move on, maybe back to Canada to get my teaching license, and then become a "real" teacher?
Even in eikaiwa, I worked hard and got paid. That's a real job anywhere, isn't it?
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Yawarakaijin



Joined: 20 Jan 2006
Posts: 504
Location: Middle of Nagano

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 3:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Surely I realize that I would not be offered a university job with my currently qualifications. I could have written it better but what I meant was, is working my ass off for 7 or 8 years to get those qualifications really worth it? To get my BA plus a Masters is a big investment and the chances seem slimmer and slimmer each year of finding a university in Japan that would make all that hard work worthwhile.

No offence was made with the real teacher remark. It was put in parenthesis. I personally feel that anyone who puts in the effort to teach and cares about their students progress is a worthy teacher and deserves their salary. Sadly however there are many who don't feel that way. I have met my share of those types in Japan and they annoy me to no end.

Oh yeah. YEAH! I'm a business english teacher! Now I can laugh at all those eikaiwa jockeys! Very Happy (sarcasm off)

Personally I feel that all of us over here teaching are in the same boat and am thankful for the many different voices I can hear here on Daves.
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Brooks



Joined: 16 Jan 2003
Posts: 1369
Location: Sagamihara

PostPosted: Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:33 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

get your BA, at least.

If you want to work at a university, you need a MA.
Getting work at a university is only going to be harder in the future.
If I think how it was even 2-3 years ago, it wasn't as competitive.

If you like your job, stay there. You can always move on later.

Since you only work 4 days a week, you have time to study Japanese.
Knowledge of Japanese is very helpful at getting a university job.

Sagami-Ono is worse than before. There is a new place that is 30 stories high south of the station. Many people will move in.
Enjoy Nagano. It must be a much nicer place.


Last edited by Brooks on Thu Nov 27, 2008 5:40 am; edited 1 time in total
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