How to stall a job offer?

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by chrisjm18, Dec 3, 2021.

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  1. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    I thought as a society we were MAYBE finally making headway on this kind of discrimination. Looks like one step ahead, two back. I found this read a valuable, but very painful learning experience. I can scarcely imagine the pain that exclusion, prejudice and censure cause LGBTQ+ people.

    To think that so much of this merciless bigotry comes from - and is condoned by - religious sources is sickening.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
  2. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Trust me, it was a tough decision because it's in a suburb of the city I wanted to be. One of my colleagues at the Catholic school I taught asked me what century they wrote that in the handbook. haha. I am not mad at them though. I guess I have to respect that some people will maintain a conservative Christian approach. When I told the Dean of my decision, she responded:

    "Dear Dr. Chris,
    I am saddened to hear of your decision but I completely understand.
    It was an absolute pleasure meeting you and I wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors."

    Translation: I am saddened to hear of your decision but we will continue to discriminate.

    Another thing that bothered me was the faith and learning paper that's required to achieve tenure. They told me about it during the first interview but I thought it would be like a 3-5 page paper. When I read the handbook, it says 20 pages... like WTF. lol, What could I possibly write in 20 pages about how I connect my discipline with the faith that I couldn't in 2-3 pages?!

    Anyway... I still have that verbal offer from a state school, but I haven't followed up because I enjoy "buying" time. I stopped applying to schools, but I continue to interview. I am now a finalist at a Catholic university for an Assistant Prof/Program Director position. I will have my campus visit after Easter week.

    Here is a statement they include on all their job postings:

    Our work benefits greatly from the contributions of people of color, people from different socioeconomic backgrounds, women, LGBTQ+ people, and individuals with disabilities. Hence, we strongly encourage applications from people with these identities or who are members of other marginalized communities.

    Catholic schools are known to embrace everyone, which is another reason I've worked for three Catholic schools and absolutely love the environments.
     
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  3. JoshD

    JoshD Well-Known Member

    I was going to ask how you could be terminated for having intercourse outside of marriage but then I re-read and noticed it was a Baptist university. That makes sense as they tend to be more strict on that stuff.
     
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  4. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    Not necessarily. Termination for sex outside marriage makes no sense at all to me - unless maybe someone is sleeping with the boss's spouse. If you mean it makes sense that only a Conservative Baptist school would do this thing that makes no sense - maybe. I wouldn't put it past some others, myself.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
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  5. JoshD

    JoshD Well-Known Member

    I meant that it makes sense a conservative Baptist university would have this policy. I started undergrad at Tabor College which holds similar policies. When I was a student, the young women and men were not allowed in ones another's dorms.
     
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  6. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    Well, it's right there in the gospel of Myopinionstands, Chapter 9 Verse 22 "Let he without sin make the first tuition payment."
     
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  7. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    First Christian school I ever heard of that admitted to not understanding Jesus' guidance. Usually, they'll tell you what Jesus meant by anything He said, for hours on end - as if they were the only ones that really knew. I'm still not impressed, though. I think they know darn well what Jesus means and are trying to make an end run around His counsel.

    Jesus said "Love one another." Seems pretty simple to me. I'm an atheist, but I do have a fondness and admiration for the historical Jesus.
     
    Last edited: Apr 7, 2022
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  8. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    In the gospels Jesus is asked many times about his interpretation of God's law. Sometimes Jesus interprets the law more strictly than was written, and sometimes he interprets it less strictly. This is not inherently a contradiction in methodology. He consistently interprets the law in such a way that prioritizes the wellbeing of fellow humans over box-checking one's resumé of righteousness before God. Sometimes it means being more strict (don't just love your neighbor, love your enemy, too) and sometimes it means being more lenient (it's ok to do a good deed on the Sabbath).

    There are zero examples in the gospels of Jesus turning people away for living a life of sin, even if he quite clearly did not condone it. There are plenty of examples of Jesus turning people with impeccable religious credentials away due to insincerity, hypocrisy and self-righteousness.

    Hey, last but not least, I've read some articles positing, with sophisticated linguistic analysis, that the extremely few references to homosexuality in the Bible may all have been spurious interpolations. If true, it wouldn't look good on the reliability of the text, but it would illustrate how little clue any of us actually have about God's will.
     
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  9. SteveFoerster

    SteveFoerster Resident Gadfly Staff Member

    There's also the theory that a lot of what people take super seriously as set doctrine was just Jesus answering sarcastically to people who were trying to trap him.
     
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  10. Maniac Craniac

    Maniac Craniac Moderator Staff Member

    He's frequently sarcastic. No doubt about that.
     
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  11. Johann

    Johann Well-Known Member

    That's one of the things I like most about Him! :)
     
  12. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Would you choose a position that has 12 pros and 5 cons (NTT Asst. Prof, faculty/leadership role, higher income, 4-5 yrs promotion, private Catholic university, liberal government policies) or one that has 10 pros and 4 cons (TT Asst. Prof., faculty role, lower income, 6-yr tenure/promotion, state university, conservative government policies)?

    I am so torn! I was ready to choose the former but the latter is asking if they can do anything for me to reconsider :(
     
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  13. JoshD

    JoshD Well-Known Member

    Personally, I would choose the latter. I would prefer the TT position. I'm not particularly sure what you mean by liberal and conservative government policies unless you are meaning the state each university is in is typically a liberal and conservative state.
     
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  14. JBjunior

    JBjunior Active Member

    It isn’t clear to me in your post which ones are pros/cons for you. Thankfully, it doesn’t matter because we would all likely rank them differently and ultimately it doesn’t matter because we don’t have to live with the decision. Regardless of the number of pros and cons, I recommend choosing the one that you think most aligns with your ideal vision for daily work and your future; higher income and quicker promotion don’t matter if you end up departing because you aren’t satisfied with the position, the people, or your future there.
     
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  15. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Yes, I mean the states in which they are located. So, one is a red state and the other is blue. I so not like states that don't provide protection for LGBTQ people or are "backward" on certain issues like medical and recreational marijuana.
     
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  16. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Well, yea, the pros/cons are based on what I've identified personally as pros and cons, which wouldn't be the same for another person.

    I will think hard about which one I believe would be more satisfying long term.
     
  17. JoshD

    JoshD Well-Known Member

    Gotcha. I figured such but wanted to make sure.

    Personally, I would not give much bearing on the government policies for a state. However, you are a Criminal Justice Professor so I can understand how it would have much more significance to you. In that instance, definitely choose the place you feel will provide you a more comfortable living situation. If you feel you would be unhappy living in a "liberal" state then choose the other. If you feel you'd be miserable in a "conservative" state, then choose the other.
     
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  18. JBjunior

    JBjunior Active Member

    I would add to this that I would look at it from a micro level, where will my quality of life be better? Instead of focusing on the perceived ideology of the state government, how does it manifest in reality for me as an individual in my local community? There are many cities, and as a result actual living conditions, in various states that are drastically different than what may be assumed by looking at their state government.
     
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  19. Dustin

    Dustin Well-Known Member

    This is a great point. Iowa is very red, but if you live in Des Moines or Iowa City as a conservative you're going to be miserable because those are Democratic strongholds.

    Same thing if you live in Northern California as a progressive. The state skews blue but that's a red part of a blue state.
     
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  20. chrisjm18

    chrisjm18 Well-Known Member

    Great point, Josh. The city in the red state I mentioned is very liberal and has a Democrat mayor.
     

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