Maybe I shouldn't have started this blog now, not with everything that's been going on.

Last day of finals. I arrived here at around 9am. There were still some late oral report submissions that I saw in my pigeon box, and some which were even in the neighboring pigeon box. Remind the students next time to be careful which pigeon box they submit their requirements in. I’m also planning of implementing the system where students who submit their requirements are given a unique fifteen-digit number that only the teacher can decode. That way, to prove that they did submit everything, if it is ever brought to question, all they have to do is produce the code for that submission. Of course, I’m not going to discuss the code behind that number here.

The student who took the final exam yesterday called up the Registrar’s office in the morning to find out whether they’ll still give special exam forms on Monday. They said yes, so she’s going to submit it on Monday. Resourceful girl.

Earlier today they also had a central committee meeting, which is basically all the senior faculty deciding specific matters that affect the whole department.

In fact, halfway into the meeting, the chairman stepped out and asked for someone not in the meeting to substitute for one of the committee member's exams in a few minutes. I guess that's how important their discussion was.

Today, one of the things they talked about was the vacant academic service faculty position. It’s only faculty in name and salary. Basically, it’s still a glorified technician, who handles most of the paperwork of the laboratories he’s assigned to, and is always first in line to proctor exams and substitute for absent teachers – without additional pay.

I should know, I was one for three years. The department started out with one. With the additional labs the department was given in the research building, it was approved that there was need for one more. In the past ten years, no less than seven people have held that position, and they are usually taken from the ranks of the part-timers, the fresh graduates or the masteral students.

There were six names on the board in the room where they met. Three were part-time teachers. Two where masteral students. One was erased. Is the erased name the one that was chosen? I guess only time will tell. Maybe on Monday, when we have our departmental workshop.