Dear Susan, You Won't Read This Post, But You are VIP to Me and All That is CWP

At 6 p.m. last night, I spread paperwork and notes across my desk as I know that JUNE IS HERE and this means the closing of 2 state grants, 2 federal grants, as well as the beginning implantation of 1 state grant and 1 federal grant. To translate this, I should simply state that this is numerical insanity.

The University expects the closing out of grants 15 days before they are due, which is interesting for CWP-Fairfield work because our work begins in July. This, coupled with the fact that state grants don't arrive until 10 months after they're awarded, giving a 2-month period for implementation is quite spastic (if not impossible).

Ah, but we make it possible. My right-hand woman in everything is Susan, Office of Sponsored Programs, who like me is down a full-time assistant. This has resulted in the fact that she and I are working 80 hours a week.

At 6 p.m. last night, I was trying to get on top of all that needs to be submitted by next Friday when I got a call. Who was it? It was Susan who was also in her office after hours, until 9 p.m., unpaid, trying to partially stay on top of all we have to do.

We are both in a panic more than ever before because there just isn't the support for the work that has to be done (I'm channeling my mother here who used to stress during budget time in CNY with her administrative duties at BOCES with State money). It's not an easy task.

Meanwhile, I know that most faculty get "summers off" and I think about them and what they are doing, especially after 14-hour days like today. It will be another one tomorrow.

In two weeks, the kids and teachers start to come and there will be no time for the budgeting - it is full-on instruction. Did I mention I also submitted an $80,000 grant tonight? I'll do whatever it takes to put resources in the hands of teachers and kids. It would be wonderful to know that there was more post-secondary support from institutions that host grant-writing faculty. For now, across campuses everywhere, individuals like me are simply stating, "This is a breaking point...the lines have been stretched much too thin." There needs to be more investment by administrations on college campuses to support the community-engaged scholarship of faculty who are investing in societal good. It cannot fall on the backs of individuals like Susan and I who are offering 30-40 hours of free labor to our campuses each week. We are covering the hours of staff that no longer exist for us.

I am thankful for my colleague and good worker Susan. No one knows the amount of work we are doing except her (and the few who also get state, federal, and foundational grants). The paperwork is tremendous - a labor of love, but an acknowledgement there needs to be a better way.