Hunter, etc.

[Alina Israeli]

Someone said (I don't remember who it was, but I am sure that our
illustious group members will immediately remind me) that it is good to
complain about the hirarchical ladder standing atop of it. We could add: or
outside it.

Would Gorbachev, the darling of the West and of some inside Russia (yes,
among the "rossijane" whatever their "nacional'nost'"; the issue of what to
call the citizens of RSFSR was clearly a moot one, while since 1991 it has
come to the fore), have become Gorbachev if he did not bid his time, giving
awards to Brezhnev ("Dorogoj Leonid Il'ich...")?

Graduate school represents a similar type of hirarchy: the professor holds
the key to the students future, not only in passing on exams and
dissertations (should I remind you of the case when a grad student shot his
adviser?), but also in the form of confidential letters of recommendations.
How many of you know what's (or what was) in yours? And they are of
paramount importance, as those who sat on the opposite side of the table
could attest.

Graduate school represents a type of bondage undergraduate school does not.
Undergraduates are paying customers, they can slam the door; graduates are
apprentices (please recall Chekhov's "Van'ka"). So by the time they (us)
feel like expressing their opinion (on Internet, for example), they know
that making waves is not encouraged. Union ogranizers are also not welcome
in many cities.

It is wonderful to read that there are such great places as Mr. Klanderud's
office, but I am sure many among us heard of different type of ambiance.
Maybe it is function of the industry or of his own position in it. There
were studies on stress in the office and they showed that the person's
stress level is inversely proportional to his/her position in the hirarchy.

There is talk of academic freedom in academia. But it is invariably
stressed that that's why academia needs tenure, implying that there is none
prior to it. I can attest to that: I was once fired for writing a letter to
the College president. Well, technically, I wasn't fired for that, my
contract wasn't renewed because I was too demanding. Rejoyce, that college
does not have a Russian program anymore.

Most unwisely
Alina Israeli