I don't think you should choose flight, but I think you should in easy on the fight, too. Go in confident but non-aggressive. If you were at another school that made you go through a similar hearing, just keep in mind that this may be a simple formality. Your job and tenure may actually not be in jeopardy. Just think; you've got years of experience teaching, and five years at this school already. If those evaluations said anything that might deny you tenure, it's probably the same kind of thing they would have addressed immediately or fired you over.

While I do not work in the educational industry, I think if you were at a point to be denied tenure or be reprimanded, they'd have done it already.

Keep your head high and remember to take a few deep breaths. I'll be sending positive support and prayers your way as you navigate through this!

First, sending good thoughts.

Second, I don't know that I see this as "fight" or "flight" but perhaps an opportunity for furthering understanding. It's a chance to show them your true nature which is very kind. You seem, to me, to be a person of great integrity and wisdom.

I wonder how they would respond if you asked, "Can you tell me more about where this student was coming from?" or "Can you tell me more about the situation that caused the student to say this?" Just some clarifying questions to show you're not "defending" yourself as much as wanting to understand.

Followed with, "I not only want to respond, but I really want to understand the concern."

You are bright and compassionate and this may give you the opportunity to say something like, "I felt for this student. He really seemed to incredibly frustrated with the material and felt overwhelmed. Unfortunately, it was a situation where if I gave him the answers, he'd miss the lesson and I believe that frustrated him even more. If this happens again in the future, I think what I'd do differently is to provide more referrals to the tutoring center."

This is just an example - obviously - I don't know the details.

Is it possible to sort of step into a different persona? When I am dealing with these types of situations, I step into my "Data" (from Star Trek) persona. He didn't get offended and wasn't afraid. He just explained things. He didn't feel he had done anything wrong and I think that's key.

I wish you the very best, Muji and hope it works out.

Please keep us posted.

I don't have any advice on this, so I'm just sending my support. You're a kind, intelligent, hard working and reliable person and a great teacher. It would be a very stupid decision not to give you tenure.

Hugs and support, muji. I'm sure you'll get everything to work out!

My union rep on the faculty just weighed in on the email I got from my college tenure committee saying it looks like I won't get tenure. He wrote:

"First of all, I am willing to do whatever I can do to assist you in this matter. With the email being so cryptic, I am assuming that you are not receiving tenure this year on the basis of your student evaluations."

Wow. Looks bad for me.

Muji, there's still a chance you'll do just fine. If your union rep only knows what you told them, and your email was cryptic, they may not have much to go on. You know?

First off, tons of purring support!

Based on what the union rep said, etc., Ithink the main question might not be: Fight or flight. It may be more like "am I fired, or still hired?" If you still have a job, okay, then the short-term is covered. Long-term plans can wait till you get some feedback on how they deal with student comments, perhaps? I say that with respect, b/c if they realy expect 98 Percent or higher customer satisfaction ratings, wow, they live in a dream world. Granted, my hubby at his old job had an overall "satisfaction" rating of 95-plus percent, but he never got through a year without one customer or two or five rating him poorly. We simply cannot be 100 percent to 100 percent, it's not statistically or psychologically possible.

The other questions to ask of your union rep are: 1. how much of this could be budgetary? (assuming tenure means pay raises or similar) 2. is there someone on the committee who, individually, declared a need for this meeting, and pushed for it, and if so, why? (OK, that's more like 3). And, finally, from where I sit? Ask to see the student complaints and ratings of other professors up for tenure this year or in the last 2-3 years, and find out if they got tenure, and if so, did they have a special meeting to address any negative commentary about them?

It's stress, I know, but if you're going to "fight", the best way is to go in with information... and if you're going to decide on "flight", ditto. I know it's not much time to get that much questioning done, but your union rep might want to get off their butt and find out how usual or unusual this procedure is at that campus.

Big hugs, and much peace on your heart, Muji. Remember, we're in a circle around you, shining smile-light on you:-)

I am not familiar with the tenure process, but I am familiar with the audition process. Sounds to me like you have been given a "call back". This is not a negative thing. It is actually the opposite. It places your fate back into your hands. If they were going to deny you tenure you would have gotten a thin white envelope in the mail saying thank you for your application, but...

Now you have a chance to go there and knock them out. You get to silence any area of concern by a logical response to every question they have. You can explain why specific negative evaluations were given and convince them not just that you deserve this, but that they would be foolish not to give it to you.

So breathe, relax, and review the answers you will give. You will go a great job!

I always say that PTSD, at its core, is an anxiety disorder.

Situations like yours ... put that in pretty stark relief.

"Okay. We're going to take some time to decide about the rest of YOUR life, but ... wait. Problem. Okay. Stay there. We'll get back to you."

Ugh. Plays right into the pathology of this disease/condition.

Fingers crossed for you, Muji !

I don't have much to say like others do by I will be thinking of you, sending u best wishes and sending a hug for you.

Looking back on events like this in my life, I'd say to myself...relax. Life will turn out the way it will turn you...you've been through much worse and made it through.

That said, I understand. Hugs.

Hugs of support Muji.
First remember you are a good teacher of a very difficult subject for young students to grasp.
Appreciation and use will come later when they need it, not now when they at their age feel invincible.
Likely most are taking the class as an overall part of a curriculum towards their desired field of study, or as a filler in humanities for a General degree.
That covers most of the student grievances.

Students that were part of the abuse you received, should be noted that their group and individual attacks, these grievances may be part of. Relate the steps you took and advice given by superiors at that time.

Ask the committee how they would suggest to handle them. Their behavior was enforced before they took your class and reinforced by acceptance of actions by their family and faculty, until property damage and safety were an issue.

Students that complained when you had your accident, were at that moment under their own stress based on the previous colleagues choices in minimal procedural instruction. You actively attempted to maintain the integrity of the college's academic reputation by making the requirements in the syllabus a standard for your instruction. Accidents happen and you fell on the ice causing your adjusted class learning plan to be interrupted for a short period. That is why they are called accidents, they are not planned by anyone.

I could go on, but add that the union rep only had what you did to read, but he is more familiar with the colleges protocol over all in these cases. Since all tenured instructors go through this process and the delivery of decisions.
But we as humans have to have hope, so go in with that and prepare.

Hugs of support, Professor
https://www.jobs.lcc.edu/postings/search

Muji, I strongly encourage you to trust your inner being with a knowing it will never let you down.

Sending Good Vibes Your Way : )

Much more support:-)

I took the advice here to heart, and went for understanding instead of PTSD fight/flight approach. So I'm exhausted as today I spent 2 hours with Chair & 30 mins with Vice President to understand committee's message to me I received via email Thursday evening.

Didn't come up with the key answer, but from both got message that committee wished to see my reflection on students' negative evaluation comments. What I came up with when I got home was:

Whenever student identifies me as "rude," "arrogant," my reflection goal is acceptance. Process is:
*Cope with PTSD fight/flight triggered response without medication: use Serenity Prayer & DABDA acceptance.
*Problem: acceptance can be read as passive or even uncaring, when like duck, serene on surface, paddling hard below. Every day reflection for me without medication.

In 2011 coming to teach at my community college coincided with my chronic kidney disease diagnosis and goodbye PTSD meds.

So upon reflection, it's interesting to see that my 5 year "tenure track" at my college has also been my 5 year period of learning to cope with PTSD without medication while teaching 5 death and dying courses per year and joining DS PTSD. I haven't retaliated at any student's negative comments, which is a big deal for me in handling stress with PTSD and no meds. But they don't know that.

It's kind of like with AA and sobriety. To someone who is not an alcoholic, not drinking is no big deal. To an alcoholic it's daily work. To me to cope with PTSD is Daily Strength work. To teach Death and Dying classes and cope with students' negative comments is, too.

Again, back to that problem of acceptance of negative student comments can be read as passive or even uncaring to my tenure committee. In reality, I'm like a duck about it, serene on the surface, while paddling so hard below I need Daily Strength PTSD support.

Anyways, I know it's not much, and it may not be enough to save my tenure situation, but it's reflection for today, and my Chair and my Vice President both asked me for reflection.

I meet with the tenure committee on Monday morning. Prayers and support welcome over the weekend.

That info kinda coincides with what I recommend. You have time to prepare your response to their inquiry. You know that it is an issue of appearing passive or indifferent to the tenure process. You will do a great job Monday.