Love this saga. And wow is there an anthology of essays somewhere about (the cult of) EWP. So much of your saga rings true for me — except bc I’m old as rope, when I got my “work study” job in the English dept, my princely stipend was 9k. Like, my annual salary. As a grownass woman in nyc in 1989. Whooooeeeee
Yes!!! Love this Carley! More please! My story: When I was hired in 2017 by Tisch Dance as an Associate Arts Prof, I was offered 75k and when I asked to negotiate a higher rate they lied to me and said everyone comes in at this number for this level. I later found out that one of my peers hired a few years before as an Assistant Arts Prof was brought in at 75k and that a man brought in a year before me as Associate got 85k. :-/
God, the lying is epic at NYU (everywhere?). Seems especially outrageous at NYU. I think I was told something similar when I came in at 42k. Yes, and the man starting at 85k. It's just so classic.
1994, community college in central ny, $24.000. Tried negotiating and was told that I was coming from an over saturated discipline - sociology - and that if I were in a business field I’d make a lot more.
Thanks for sharing Jeanne. I wonder if there was some shared list or class that managers, bosses, deans, etc took to learn all the phrases and sentences as to why none of could have living wages or raises.
I liked that angle because the arch seemed lust less blocked less blocked. I’m leaving in lust blocked using voice activated software here. I liked being able to see the arch without whatever the latest NYU building is unattractively blocking what would otherwise be a more unimpeded view behind it.
I loved (also hated — for the ongoing stubborn punishing nature of this particular academic world and its machinery) reading this, Carley. I taught in EWP in the last century (above The Bottom Line), and was in Poetry Land there when teachers who went on strike had their jobs taken from them (during the “oughts”). Always at odds to me: the School (software reconfigured “School” as “vacuum” — I’m serious) of Labor History there. Also, of course, The Triangle Building. Love, Lisa
Hi Lisa, School as vacuum is perfect autocorrect behavior. I was once deeply in poetry land. Many of us were at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Memorial last week, and our union is definitely part of this history. I was glad to be there this year, as I've often been teaching or too overwhelmed to go.
Love this saga. And wow is there an anthology of essays somewhere about (the cult of) EWP. So much of your saga rings true for me — except bc I’m old as rope, when I got my “work study” job in the English dept, my princely stipend was 9k. Like, my annual salary. As a grownass woman in nyc in 1989. Whooooeeeee
Lol "old as rope." 9k!!! A new low! What did you do with all of that extra money?! We definitely do need an EWP anthology.
Deborah L. Williams: Hello❤️
Yes!!! Love this Carley! More please! My story: When I was hired in 2017 by Tisch Dance as an Associate Arts Prof, I was offered 75k and when I asked to negotiate a higher rate they lied to me and said everyone comes in at this number for this level. I later found out that one of my peers hired a few years before as an Assistant Arts Prof was brought in at 75k and that a man brought in a year before me as Associate got 85k. :-/
God, the lying is epic at NYU (everywhere?). Seems especially outrageous at NYU. I think I was told something similar when I came in at 42k. Yes, and the man starting at 85k. It's just so classic.
Looking forward to the strike essay. Thank you.
1994, community college in central ny, $24.000. Tried negotiating and was told that I was coming from an over saturated discipline - sociology - and that if I were in a business field I’d make a lot more.
Thanks for sharing Jeanne. I wonder if there was some shared list or class that managers, bosses, deans, etc took to learn all the phrases and sentences as to why none of could have living wages or raises.
I liked that angle because the arch seemed lust less blocked less blocked. I’m leaving in lust blocked using voice activated software here. I liked being able to see the arch without whatever the latest NYU building is unattractively blocking what would otherwise be a more unimpeded view behind it.
Thanks for sharing all of this. Keep up the good fight!
This essay brought back so many EWP memories (good and bad!).
Hi Kate! Thanks for reading! Curious to hear about some of your memories, though I'm sorry for the bad ones.
Also wanted to say I like the (relatively) unobstructed shot of the arch!!
Comes from the weird trove of Substack stock images, though I changed the imagery and did some revision this morning because I love revision I guess.
Thank you sharing this. I can't wait for the next installment! Very proud of you all! In solidarity, another union member!
Proud of you too my union sibling!
I loved (also hated — for the ongoing stubborn punishing nature of this particular academic world and its machinery) reading this, Carley. I taught in EWP in the last century (above The Bottom Line), and was in Poetry Land there when teachers who went on strike had their jobs taken from them (during the “oughts”). Always at odds to me: the School (software reconfigured “School” as “vacuum” — I’m serious) of Labor History there. Also, of course, The Triangle Building. Love, Lisa
Hi Lisa, School as vacuum is perfect autocorrect behavior. I was once deeply in poetry land. Many of us were at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Memorial last week, and our union is definitely part of this history. I was glad to be there this year, as I've often been teaching or too overwhelmed to go.