A little progress...

After my last post, I had a conversation with the dean and he's perfectly ok with waiting for his data.  Mostly he wants me thinking about the kinds of data we should be collecting each year to develop charts and graphs of progress.  This conversation morphed into a different conversation about my position.  My former boss was the Associate Dean of Research and Operations.  I took over the operations portion of his job when he left (I'd been doing a lot of it as his assistant already).  The dean commented on this and I said, yes, I was doing operations but because I don't have a PhD, I'm not eligible for an Associate Dean position.  He paused and said (to the effect of), "you know, we've been having this conversation in the Provosts Counsel about Assistant Deans.  It used to be that these were considered to be positions that would eventually lead to a deanship but that's not at all how they are used any more.  So we've been considering how we could use this title more effectively and how the requirements might be different.  I could really see you and XXX, and YYY in those positions and it would help address the authority issue."  You could have knocked me over with a feather.  Of course, I'm not holding my breath in anyway but it was nice to think that he would consider it.

The person doing our accreditation report is not so accommodating.  Every time I though about work over the weekend, I started to have a panic attack.  So I really tried hard not to think about it.  Monday, by mid afternoon, I had three additional data requests from her with the same Friday deadline.  I tried talking to her about it and she was adamant that she had to have it by Friday. (Of course this is because she's going on vacation, not because the report is due that day)  I sorted through all the requests she's sent and got a good feel for the information that was still lacking. Then fumbled around a little more trying to collect faculty demographics and qualification information.  Finally, I concluded that I just don't have that information available to me and called HR and institutional research.  Institutional research confirmed that it was impossible to get that information out of our current systems...they've been trying to figure it out for years.  My heart sank until I heard, "but.." This was followed by an explanation that they had just finished putting together a database so he might be able to help me out.  I told him I needed it by Friday and he said he thought he could do that.  Bless him!  I had the data yesterday afternoon.  I still have manipulation of the data to do.  After my conversation with IR on Monday, I sent an email out Tuesday morning outlining the items she'd asked me to pull together and explaining where I was with each task and any obstacles that could affect my ability to get the information to her by Friday. I CC'd the dean and associate dean since they were CC'd on the original requests.  I also asked that she let me know if I'd missed anything.  There has been a huge flurry of emails and I could easily have missed something. If I have, she hasn't figured it out.  At this point, I'm waiting for one more piece of information from IR but I am ready to submit the information I have left to give her when I receive that.  I am not optimistic that the report she is submitting is even adequate let alone outstanding.  However, I've been surprised before.

In other topics: I've been trying to walk more since getting my FitBit One for my birthday.  When it's hot, I have no stamina for exercise, unfortunately, so these weeks that are in the 90's are just not getting much play exercise wise.  I go home, collapse on the couch and sometimes just go to bed after an ice cream dinner.  I know ice cream is not low carb or low sugar but it's all I want to eat when it's hot. (Low sugar ice cream is sweetened with alcohol sugar which makes me miserable so it's not an option).  However, since June 22nd I've walked more than 50 miles according to the FitBit.   I got out on Saturday and zigzagged through town to find a 4.65 mile walk.  I was aiming for 5 miles but didn't put enough zigs in my zags apparently.  I have another idea for a walk that may make the 5 mile mark.  I'm trying to work my way up to 10 miles by Next year at this time.  I did 4 miles the weekend before.  Mom and I are looking at a walk/easy hike on Saturday that is in the 5 mile range.

There has been some gardening and some sewing but I'll show that to you later. I hope you all have a good day.