http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Luther#Diet_of_Worms
It was about this time 2 years ago. I was still Dean of Faculty, I was looking for potential interested candidates for my post (as I did not want to stay in office) when an ''issue'' occured. The new ''Chairman of the Board'', aka, 'top brass boss' at the University, created a problem... : he decided to close and eliminate a full department from another faculty and insert it in the faculty I was Dean. I was not consulted, but worse, the faculty was not properly consulted; What was even worse, in the voters list of nearing elections for Faculty and Deparments Deans & Heads, the moved staff was already in those 'lists' of ''my'' faculty. In some sense, it was like moving some counties\electoral districts from Virginia or Ohio (those famous 'swing' states in the US elections) into other nearby states. And leading to new scenarios regarding the votes and governors, senators, you see the picture. Can the US president do this? Maybe he needs a prior approval from the Senate or Capitol Hill to approve. Likewise in the university: the 'Conselho Geral' (sort of higher senate house) had to approve in advance (!). Which it did not. It was not even informed. Well, what could I do: the basic rule of law of proceedings had been violated. So, I put a complaint to the 'Conselho Geral' as well as to the 'electoral commission', saying the lists were unlawfull and had to be removed or replaced. The result?
Part 1: I won (!) in the electoral comission ie the sort of 'inner court' and a new list had to be done, the transfer that the 'top-brass-boss' wanted had to wait; To a date after (!) the elections.
Part 2: I lost (?..!). I lost in that the 'top brass boss' was fumming furious, I put my career on the edge (taking the right stand in terms of principles is sometimes putting your all future in a ''ctrl+alt+del'' operation), I lost some supporters (even those backing me and being against the ''Chairman's'' decision, turned to him as some swift 'promotions' and supports for Dean's and Head's appointments lured) [those colleagues did congratulate me as soon as I won in Part 1; but later the clouds of part 2 loomed and ....],
Part 3: I lost ... well I sort of lost again, when I wanted to have some 'office shielding' (that 'plain civilian academics cloths' would not provide) and consider to run for office (again). But I was told I was doomed before I could even start. And that if I won, my life would be a living hell (administratively speaking...) . So I did not went to the competition.
Am I being too negative? ''Yes'', I hear you say. Well, allow me to say that some good (in my opinion...) ideas I shared some time ago in faculty and the boss's inner team were now being taken but not given credit. Ie, those ideas are in some 'actas' and dispatches, but now they re-appear as completely new but with an official superior stamp from the top authorship... . Shall I pick up a fight again? As a mere 'staff'? No way, I am already in ''desert walking mode''.
So, I am not a leader, not even exercising leadership, I blew it all away, what can I do? Is it necessary for me to exercise some\any kind of leadership? Well some ideas and governance from the top-brass team are fine. Somethings are moving in a reasonable direction (although not as I would like, but people sure can have different views and I respect that). Moreover, is not safe to further damage one's career: You could be off 'terminately' (academically speaking).
This is 'aKademia 101'. Nasty, can be really nasty.
Maybe I was not meant to 'exercise leadership'. On the one hand, I went against the 'boss' (even if right on the 'principles' issue). By the way, we (the boss and I) talked in advance of the 'judicial' issue, ie, I explained to him that (for me) what he was pretending was like wanting to impose real solutions of x^2 + 1 = 0; It does not work (mathematically, regarding real numbers). Did I went alone? Only in the sense of providing a face to the complaint, since all others in the faculty against it were affraid. Because I did talked, hear, listen, sought for a lot of backing from higher ranks academics in the faculty and their feedback before making a (really dificult) decision. I had to go and ask the lists to be removed and replaced. However, most of those that supported me and were happy I went all the way, were quick in distancing themselves as soon as black smock and red flames were seen up in the top office and now are themselves conducting the faculty and sectors. Was I naive? No, I knew it would end like this, the signs were there.
So, what would have you done? I am sure you are far better leaders than my 'exercising'. Would you just make no waves? Would you make a more solid stand? Get more or better support in the path towards the complaint? It would be great to hear your feedback, your experiences as leaders, your insights, your errors or just your feedback on mine.
Meanwhile, I've been busy
* http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Cosmology-Supersymmetric-Perspective-Fundamentals/dp/3642115748/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275147431&sr=1-2
* http://www.amazon.com/Quantum-Cosmology-Supersymmetric-Perspective-Advanced/dp/3642115691/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1275147431&sr=1-1
* A blog dedicated to my aKademic views and reporting on aKademic life: http://sol.sapo.pt/blogs/thehonourableschoolboy/default.aspx (yet to be started)
* Some research: http://www.slac.stanford.edu/spires/find/hep/www?AUTHOR=moniz%2C+p.&TITLE=&C=&REPORT-NUM=&AFFILIATION=&cn=&k=&cc=&eprint=&eprint=&topcit=&url=&J=&*=&ps=&DATE=&*=&FORMAT=WWW&SEQUENCE=
What next?
* There will be faculty elections only in 2.5 years, 1.5 years for the Conselho geral and 2 years for Rector (I cannot and will not apply!).
* There recent elections for President of Republic (I am merely saying it is important to get a good person in the post), surely there will be new elections for the Portuguese government in 2 months (should we try to change a gear in this country?).
* I hope to be teaching-free the semester 03/11--07/11
* I hope to be on sabatical 09/11--08/12 (Paris, Koln, London, Madrid, Lisboa, Boston?)
New challenges?
o I did tried to be deputy CEO at FCT for Sciences but I did not yet had enough academic rank;
o More books and publications?
o Funding for universities seem to get worse (in spite of official memo's) the 'glass ceiling' is up there in aKademia, house rules sort of prevents mobility and likewise from strong (some fair) competition.
o Going into politics?
+ Can we change this country?
+ Does this country needs to be changed?
+ Shall one restrict politics to aKademia? I am really a 'lone wolf' now ... .
+ Politics in the broad sense? Current parties? New?
Have a great spring.
Paulo Vargas Moniz
