I thought I can leave that thread behind and forget about yesterday looking forward for tomorrow. But, the consequences of the past full of mean-spirited characters are often coming back like a re-flux after bowl of bad chili…
In my blog of September 12 (titled “Still waiting... and in the meantime...”) I more than hinted at my rather terse parting with the place, where I spent 37-years on the faculty. Unfortunately, the political strife, although not uncommon in academia, but often reaching an uncommonly high pitch throughout the last two-third of my 37-years there, has reached its highest peak at the end after the date of my retirement. As hinted in the aforementioned blog, I have been denied by “my” Department of Geology a status of an “emeritus”. At the time I did not put much stake into that last insult, when the FAC Chair “advised” the department Chair that “in light of [my] recent difficulties [sic!] with teaching” the FAC is against granting me the hallowed status of an “emeritus”. Her letter to that effect was enclosed with the departmental Chair’s recommendation to deny were sent to the school dean and the provost.
At that time my attitude was – so – what? They don’t want my mugshot on the departmental webpage – so be it… who cares? Validation of my 37-years at the Department of Geology came unexpectedly, when unbeknownst to me some of close to 50 students whom I guided through the years to completion of their MS or PhD degrees colluded with my family to create a scholarship in my name for grad-students working on their thesis/dissertation in hydrogeology. I could not ask for a higher recognition.
Yet, no mean-spirited deeds go without their consequences… While doing my research for my new project, I found to my utter dismay that (because since my retirement without becoming an “emeritus” at my former place of employment I am not formally connected in any way with any academic institution in Ohio) I cannot acquire any more copies of articles or other services available from OhioLink Bibliographic Services.
Thank you Alison… Thank you Daniel…