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