Guest Faculty Termination - Need Help

Dear Friends,

I was working in an Institution as Visiting Faculty/Guest Faculty from the past three months.

Though I am highly qualified, I accepted this offer because

1. I had passion for teaching
   
2. I could not go for full time because I have a small daughter
   
3. Though pay was less I agreed because it gave me my preferred timings
   

I was not given any formal letter, though they took my address proof and pan number. I found lot of drawbacks in institution, lot of mismanagement etc. But when ever I tried to speak to the head, he would just avoid me. So I thought its ok, let me just do my teaching with what ever facilities are there. And I gave my best. There were no projectors, every time I went with pendrive, with ppt, then I would explain to students showing the ppt in laptop.

The student strength was very low like 5-6 everyday.

I could see that being autonomous the students are not really bothered about attendance or internals.

Still there were one or two honest students, so I continue to teach with same enthusiasm.

I gave them case studies, assignments, quiz, showed them videos and made every class interesting enough.

Last week when I went to take class the head said, we are taking another faculty for your subject, so you need not come!!

When I asked how can you do like that, or why did you do like that? he says you never come when your class is there. It was such a false accusation. I told him, in the fist place I have always come when my class was there. Next thing, if you had problems you should have discussed the same with me.

But he was not listening.

I felt so humiliated. I felt like, I made a fool of myself by working in a place where such people are the leaders!

I thought I should have stopped going on first day, when I found the institution does not have a proper management!.

Now, coming back to the practial matters

1. I was asked to work for 30 hours and was terminated even before I can complete 20 hours.

2. I should have got 10k for the classes I have taken so far, and I have got around 5k from them.

3. They need to pay me 5k, and what about the other 5k, which I would have got had I completed the all sessions.

4. many a times I came back because students did not turn up. I would spend time, energy and money on auto or taxi, and I was not paid for those lost sessions because of their students not coming!

So I would like to know if there is any association whom I can consult in this regard?

I dont want to leave them at ease, when I put so much of effort and instead of being thankful they behaved this way.

Another reason I see is, they have recruited another person who is less qualified, might be that she might have accepted for a lesser pay!.

Let me know how to tackle this situation.

Thank you

Aantharya.

Dear Aantharya,

I feel sorry for you. Without a formal offer letter, ther is nothing much you can do. Is there any concrete evidence of you taking classes, like a attendance register. When I worked as a part-time tutor, I used to keep a register signed by students for attending my classes. Let this experice be a lesson for you and others. In addition to the register prescribed by the institution, staff should circulate a dated sheet and as the students to sign for attending classes. Also, it is a good practice to require students to submit a few sentencesat the beggining of the class, listing points that were not clear from the previous lecture. These can be produced as evidence of taking classes.

Recruited less qualified persons or promoting less qualified persons are all quite common, even in MNCs. There are various reasons or that. I know a case where a hard-working manager was removed and replaced by a keep of the manager's boss.

If I were you, I would be put it behind me and move on.

Have a lovely day.

Simhan

Learning & Teaching Fellow (Retd)

The University of Bolton, UK

Hello Aantharya,

I empathize with your situation.

Even if you 'may not' like what I wish to say/suggest, just give the following points a thought.

First & foremost, you began teaching there TO SATISFY YOURSELF & it suited your current situation--money being secondary [at least that's the message/impression your posting conveys].

Secondly, there are two terms in Sanskrit w.r.t. the 'act of giving': 'Paathra daan' & 'Apaathra daan'--meaning 'deserving' & 'undeserving'. Applying this tenet/principle to the present situation, you should/could have checked out all the variables that could have emerged & discussed with the management BEFORE you started.

Next, when you 'found lot of drawbacks in institution, lot of mismanagement etc.' AND 'the head would just avoid me', didn't it strike you as a signal that you were just being USED rather than a genuine need for your presence [the reasons could be many & varied--as you later realized that it COULD have been due to the power fees the new person was charging]?

As I always mention in such threads, what the other person(s) does/do is NOT IN YOUR HANDS--so I think you are wasting your energy & time by thinking about the qualifications/salary of the new person.

While getting into the mood/mental frame of mind of "I dont want to leave them at ease........" is both natural & easy, pl give a thought if that's what you really want/wish. I see it as a impulsive response, rather than a long-term solution. Unless, of course, if you have a lot time @ your disposal to handle the consequences of any such step.

I would suggest you to learn from this & move-on to your next career step. In a way, the institution has already, so to say, dug their own grave--by adopting such an attitude, it's more of 'when' rather than 'if' they would get hit by their actions. While this may sound philosophical, there's a lot of truth in what the Bible says: As you Sow, so you Reap [maybe the fact that they don't have a lot of students could be a pointer to this aspect--results of similar past action(s) on their part?].

All the Best.

Rgds,

TS

Thank you TS and Simhan for the support.
I did sign every time I took a session in their register. I would mark their attendance in the attendance register, but I dont think I signed there.
Anyway as you say, its not worth all the fight. I am continuing my work as Guest faculty at other college and also planning to do Phd. I have a small daughter to whom I should give my time. So better not to spend time on this issue.
But still I feel, we need to have a union of Guest Faculties, or Guest faculty association of India, something like that, which would help such people when faced with similar situations.
Thanks once again for responding soon,
Regards
Aantharya.

Dear Aantharya,
It is quite unfortunate to note what has happened to you. If I take it as case study of what has happened with you then I can deduce the following:
a) Understanding people around you is quite important. This is where many leaders succeed or fail.
b) How one's passion blinds and one fails to take note of ground reality.
c) from the description of the institution that you have given, it can be inferred that it is out and out unprofessional institution. Leadership means reading writing on the wall. Though it was clear, you failed to read it or even if you have read it your passion made you to adopt ostrich like behaviour.
d) Leadership is not just vision, mission and so on. A small percentage of you requires you to be street smart as well.
I once again regret what has happened with you. Take the incident in your stride and move on. This is what I can say.
Thanks,
DVD