2008 Woodie Awards
The Elder Statesman: Reality takes a sabbatical
Joe LaBarbera
Issue date: 1/30/08 Section: Web Extras
After spending 25 years in the real world, I've developed a strong understanding of what benefits are common and reasonable in a professional work environment. Most of you will graduate, get a job and find out what benefits come with your new career. Think about that for a moment. What do you expect from your employer?
I'm guessing most of you will look for a decent salary, health and life insurance, a 401k plan, maybe some profit sharing, paid holidays and two or three weeks of vacation your first year. Some of you may even look for an expense account, company car or a tuition reimbursement program toward an advanced degree. If you're really ambitious you'll go after a corner office, some extra vacation days and the flexibility to come and go as you please.
Those requests would be based in reality. However, the more time I spend in the university environment, the more I see benefits and behaviors that seem to belong in "fantasyland."
I'll set an example for you. Fast-forward your life. You've graduated and have been in the working world for a number of years, moved up through the company and you've recently been promoted. You're in charge of the entire department.
Business is great, and you decide things are humming along for you. Then you ask the boss for six months or a year off to help make you a more effective leader. You want full pay for six months or maybe 65 percent of your pay for the entire year. You also want your benefits. What do you think the response will be?
In most cases in the real world your boss will laugh at you. Check that, your boss will fire you and then laugh at you.
However, if you work at UW-Whitewater your boss will likely say, "That sounds fine with me."
Look for yourself. There are guidelines for a Faculty Sabbatical Program here at UW-Whitewater. It's online at http://www.uwworsp.org/library/488/SabbatibalRFP%20Only.pdf.
You can read all 23 pages if you like, but I'll give you the highlights. "The Faculty Sabbatical Program is a professional leave program ... to enable faculty recipients to be engaged in intensive study in order to become more effective teachers ... and to enhance their service to the university."
I'm guessing most of you will look for a decent salary, health and life insurance, a 401k plan, maybe some profit sharing, paid holidays and two or three weeks of vacation your first year. Some of you may even look for an expense account, company car or a tuition reimbursement program toward an advanced degree. If you're really ambitious you'll go after a corner office, some extra vacation days and the flexibility to come and go as you please.
Those requests would be based in reality. However, the more time I spend in the university environment, the more I see benefits and behaviors that seem to belong in "fantasyland."
I'll set an example for you. Fast-forward your life. You've graduated and have been in the working world for a number of years, moved up through the company and you've recently been promoted. You're in charge of the entire department.
Business is great, and you decide things are humming along for you. Then you ask the boss for six months or a year off to help make you a more effective leader. You want full pay for six months or maybe 65 percent of your pay for the entire year. You also want your benefits. What do you think the response will be?
In most cases in the real world your boss will laugh at you. Check that, your boss will fire you and then laugh at you.
However, if you work at UW-Whitewater your boss will likely say, "That sounds fine with me."
Look for yourself. There are guidelines for a Faculty Sabbatical Program here at UW-Whitewater. It's online at http://www.uwworsp.org/library/488/SabbatibalRFP%20Only.pdf.
You can read all 23 pages if you like, but I'll give you the highlights. "The Faculty Sabbatical Program is a professional leave program ... to enable faculty recipients to be engaged in intensive study in order to become more effective teachers ... and to enhance their service to the university."
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