Ron:

Well, from one former Department Head to another, I have to say that the 
situation you describe mirrors my experience exactly.

Far too many demands from all sides, with very limited resources and/or 
power to do what's truly needed.

Actually, I received excellent performance evaluations from both my faculty, 
and the administrative side, but you just get to a point where you seriously 
have to ask the question:  "At what cost should I keep doing this?"

Teaching clearly is my real passion in academia, and it will be a pleasure 
to be back in the classroom starting in the Spring semester.

I now have your personal e-mail address, and would like to share more with 
you off list at some point if you are interested.

73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dr. Ronald E. Milliman" <    [log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 11:49 PM
Subject: Re: Update From KB8TYJ


> Tom, as the former Chair of the Marketing Department at Loyola University, 
> I
> fully understand and support your decision to take a break from the 
> position
> at the university. I think being a department chair is one of the most
> stressful jobs in academia. You are caught in a kind of sandwich; i.e. you
> hear complaints from all sides, and in my case, I had limited resources to
> remedy the issues about which students, faculty, and administration were
> concerned about.
>
> I retired a year ago, and I have not missed the publish or perish pressure
> for one nanosecond! <lol>
>
> Kick back for a while, and enjoy ham radio, and you'll be a new man before
> you know it!
>
> Ron, K8HSY
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Tom Behler
> Sent: Friday, August 16, 2013 7:00 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Update From KB8TYJ
>
> Hello, everyone.
>
> For a time, I debated sending this post, but have decided to go ahead with
> it, because I consider the folks on this list to be part of a great family
> that I have come to know over the past 12 years or so.
>
> If this is felt to be too "off topic" for some, please hit the good old
> delete button, and I promise I will not be offended.
>
> As many of you know, about a year and a half ago, I took the Acting
> Department Head position in the Department Of Social Sciences at Ferris
> State University.  When I took the position, I knew going in that it was
> going to be extremely demanding.  Not only would it be a 12-month 
> position,
> and would involve 50 to 60-hour work weeks, but it would involve running 
> all
> administrative functions for a department with approximately 30 faculty
> members, and 5 major University programs.
>
> By all counts from both administration and faculty members, I was a great
> success in the position, and met or exceeded all initial performance
> expectations.
>
> However, beginning in the late Spring of this year, I began experiencing
> some significant stress-related medical symptoms, and those symptoms
> steadily grew worse over the Summer.  Fortunately, the symptoms didn't 
> seem
> to aggravate my already-existing heart condition, but they became 
> important
> warning signs that I simply couldn't ignore.
>
> As a result, I have officially stepped down from the administrative
> position, and, with the authorization of my doctor, have taken a medical
> leave for the Fall 2013 semester.  Fortunately, I have ample accumulated
> sick time, so that this will not create a financial burden for my wife and
> I.  The plan is for me to take the Fall off, work on some other 
> professional
> projects, and then resume my full-time teaching in the Spring of 2014.
>
> I am nearing 60 years old, now, and still need to work a few more years
> before getting serious about retirement, so hopefully, this little hiatus
> will carry me through.
>
> I also am hoping that the time off will allow me to get more back into ham
> radio than I have been lately.  So, look for an increased presence from me
> on the list, and also on our week-end nets over the coming months.
>
> 73 from Tom Behler: KB8TYJ
>