Your role, especially in your first year, is to be a sponge, a grateful guest, and a visiting anthropologist studying the lore and habits of the natives.
Study those who've recently gotten tenure. Use them as role models and learn about their teaching and research. Ponder these scenarios that Ms. Mentor finds in her files: .
• Russell, who came from a culture of complaining, was used to bemoaning, belittling, and satirizing. In his first department meeting, Russell groaned and rolled his eyes during the chair's announcements. At the reception afterwards, he groused loudly about "this hick town we're stuck in." His new colleagues felt wounded and insulted. .
• Nelly, paralyzed by worry about her new colleagues, threw up three times on the morning of the first faculty meeting. Once she was introduced, she stood up, smiled, and had to race from the room again. .
• Jared, who exuded self-confidence, snagged the seat next to Cherie, a lovely and newly tenured associate prof. He couldn't resist smirking while a much older professor at the front of the room declaimed about outrageous salary discrepancies, unfair teaching loads, and perfidious deans. Jared leaned over and murmured kissingly to Cherie: "Who's the old goat?" She smiled glacially. "He's my husband." .
Rude Russell went on to alienate so many colleagues that he was never even invited to lunch -- a sure sign that he was being frozen out. After three years, his contract was not renewed. .
Nervous Nelly was more promising and much luckier, for she had senior colleagues who cherished her and wanted her to succeed. They got her into a writing group, with deadlines, rules, and stern criticism; they protected her from too many committee assignments; and they shared teaching strategies and portfolios. By the time she received tenure, Nelly was beaming and self-confident. Ms. Mentor congratulates both Nelly and her colleagues.