The Ed Biz – lee-lawmaster.com

Pivot

For many of my generation, that word will forever be tied to a scene from the sitcom Friends.

I am speaking about a different kind of pivot here though. I recently pivoted my career.

Since 2008, I have worked at Indiana University in one way, shape, form as a IT support provider. For the last seven and a half years I have been the Senior Technology Support Technician for the IU School of Medicine-Bloomington.

I will forever be appreciative of that role, not just for what it provided but what it gave in return. The connections to people I can only call heroes, and the ability to afford to live in this world on my own; something many today cannot do.

Over time however, the role and the place became less friendly to a person such as myself. I was given more and more responsibility, yet when asked about an increase in my salary I was given an angry meeting with my director stating “I would never receive another pay raise.”

While the bad times had calmed down, other events happening around me told me that the environment I was in was much like the dinosaurs. The person I literally looked up to, the person I eventually was able to become professionally quit. He professed publicly on social media that he had been bullied and couldn’t stand it anymore. He then moved to New Orleans.

I was also in a position where any increases in salary were questionable at best. A change in my title would be required. So I was stuck. Do I sit and take what is given? Or do I find a new challenge that will let me expand my skills and potentially my paycheck? Employment has always been a hard subject for me, especially attaining it.

I was in luck however, as a friend told me about a job that was opening up. I reached out to the person that held the position, who gave me a great deal of information of the duties involved. I applied, and interviewed. It took a while, but I was the choice of those in the hiring committee.

It’s a large change for me, as the position is a salaried role versus the hourly lifestyle I have lived all my life. I will be receiving my first full paycheck from the position at the end of this week.

The official title is Business and Database Systems Analyst for The University Graduate School. There is no roadmap or solid tasks for the position. Each day is a learning opportunity. Many have told me that it takes about 8 months before they really know what they are doing.

In the meantime, I am also offering limited support to my old job which has thrown the vast majority of my workload onto the Nursing IT Pro, which I tried my best to keep from happening.

I will always have a soft spot in my heart for the place and the people that provided me a family when I felt as if I had none. The place that provided me opportunity at the exact time when I could have become homeless.

Now it is on to new goals, new challenges in my professional world.

Culling of the Herd

In the past several months there have been some significant changes in management at Indiana University, my employer. Changes that are removing all of it’s appeals to persons like myself that rely upon it for their way of life.

There has been some controversy to the hiring of our new president, Pamela Whitten. As the trustees performed some questionable actions that resulted in her hiring. That said, I have no real evidence that any of these changes that from my point of view have become somewhat widespread are linked to her. They are however linked somewhere at the top tier of leadership at the university, it smells of it.

Over the soon to be six years I have been in this position, there have been ebbs and flows to my performance but it has never been in question. Not once. I am the defacto person that others across the state are told to come to if they have difficulties or questions. I have went on trips to other centers to take care of technology issues at the locations which do not have their own IT personnel.

Now however? It appears everything I do is wrong. Communications throughout the department have been cut. Instead of a casual atmosphere where we are all co-workers with our own specific roles, it is now tight lipped. You don’t know who is your friend and who is your foe.

In the last meeting I had with my director, he essentially told me to just shut up and do the job, with a very alpha like attitude. Not a way he and I’s conversations had ever been like before.

There is now an extremely paranoid level of knowing where I am between 7:30am and 4:00pm daily. To the point where I have to place such information, including doctors appointments, sick time or movements on campus on multiple locations electronically.

For the past few weeks, we have begun “stand up” meetings daily. Where each one of us have to discuss what we did yesterday, what we did today and if we have any roadblocks to being successful. For a few years, we have also had to submit a weekly report summarizing the tasks we accomplished. We also have a ticketing system that is integrated with most of the university. A replication and micromanagement that only again, wastes time in my opinion.

The advancement of hostilities towards me seems to only continue at a fever pace, as during my 1 on 1 meeting with my manager today, she had a person from HR in the meeting. This person primarily was just there, I’m not sure of the official reasoning, but it told me everything I needed to hear. Just the presence.

In this meeting, I was told that I say too much in my emails and communications with others, while at the same time being told that I don’t communicate enough. That I “have” to be available on Skype for Business, Microsoft Teams and Slack from 7:30am until 4:00pm Monday through Friday. That any and all reasons why I am not in the office needs to be on my calendar, which has to be shared or a departmental staff calendar. That I need to have “standard” hours going forward, something that has never been discussed.

With the issues in supply chain right now, receiving needed technology equipment, such as docking stations and monitors has been impossible at best. I was then told that I need to update people at minimum every two weeks on the status of this equipment. There are items I have been waiting 4 months on. To send 8 emails telling people “I don’t know when I will receive” your (insert thing here) seems to be micromanagement at it’s best.

After being informed of all of these wrongdoings that I did not have any knowledge about, my manager then asked me if I had any questions. I learned a very long time ago when HR is involved, the only play is to not play at all. They are not there for you, they are there for the company they represent. I was for the most part, silent during the entire meeting. I do not know if it was recorded or not.

Mind you, all of this is being instigated by our new Financial Director, who has only been at the job for 3 months. She speaks to my manager and director about all of this. Do they become supportive of me? No, it’s quite clear that this is information a person 1 pay grade lower is not privy to, even though it’s directly about him. It’s quite clear that my actual leadership does not care.

My manager then went on to tell me that while many people in my position feel “alone” that we are not, and then went on a diatribe about how since we are now a part of UITS we have more doors opened to us. While at the same time, urging me not to reach out to units like UIPO or UISO – which are units of UITS.

At the same point in time, I am dealing with a back injury. Something I have never had an issue with in my life. I have not been able to get proper healthcare partially due to the pandemic and partially due to my VNS implant. The stress of both of these has sent me into both physical and emotional turmoil.

I don’t know where life will lead me from here. I was in a place where I felt secure in the future. Right now I don’t know if I will have a job tomorrow.

These games that are being played on me by management and leadership are pushing me to both my emotional and physical limits.

I went to IU to get away from this. The real world treated me like this, while my time at IU has never been sunshine and roses I have never felt “less than” those I work with, those I support, those I look up to. I sure do now.

At the same time I am being inundated by emails from the university mentioning how important mental health care is while at the same time I am having my mental health destroyed by IU itself. Something has got to give. A coordinator and Associate Director has already resigned. The Associate Director a MD, told me she no longer felt as if her voice mattered.

Mine is directly under assault.

Overloaded

If this pandemic did anything to me professionally, it showed me and many others how important the role of technology plays in our everyday lives in this abundantly interconnected world.

Many were given the opportunity to work from home. I did too, but many times I didn’t have a choice. I had to go to the office and take care of a situation.

Now, as we are starting to see real traction on the other side of this my responsibilities have been increased. Responsibilities that sometimes cannot be managed by a single person physically, as it’s impossible to be in multiple locations at a single time. My frustrations were just below the surface until I received an email newsletter that is sent to people in my division, UITS.

This email literally is talking about me

This was how I learned of this happening. I didn’t get an email from my manager, my director didn’t send an email to the department letting them know of this. There were 0 official communications on the subject.

Roughly a year ago my manager asked me how I felt about / if I think I could manage Nursing, but later on told me that Nursing wanted to keep with their current model.

Then about a month or so ago, my printer guy who has also been the IT person for Nursing told me that there was some plan to hire him under my department as the IT person for Nursing. He said that it was all hush hush and that nothing was official yet.

When I received that email however, it threw me into a fit of rage. In the last 6 months I have been named the “Lead IT Support Person” for an entire building and now, whether they want to admit it or not I have to support the entire School of Nursing. Even if we hire that guy, if something happens – the responsibility will fall directly on my shoulders.

So I did what I’m known for. I sent a long email to my director and manager stating my issues and my concerns. I don’t think my director fully understood – but my manager did. When I was young, such things would have gotten me fired from a position, which happened to me several times. But at IU, holding truth to power is many times embraced; and I for one appreciate that.

I’m appreciative for what I have, but I have had to navigate all of this with no increases in wages. IU suspended cost of living wages last year, but they are slated to begin again this year. I’m starting to feel that I’m in a similar spot as to the one I was in around 2017, when I learned that two people who I helped hire for positions based off of mine were earning 13k more a year than I was. It felt like a slap in the face.

All of this has led to costs for me personally, as my energy levels have plummeted. A typical day for me is to go to work and then lay in bed for most of the evening when I return home. Sleeping most of that time. The most recent revelation is that I am in a lot of pain doing small tasks, such as walking to my vehicle, standing up, etc. This pain lasts for hours after the event. I do not know what is going on with me; and it is seriously scaring me. I have reached out to my physicians and hope to do something to start mitigation of this by the time we leave for our first vacation in 2 years.

Orders from Headquarters

Last week I began a new adventure professionally. One I didn’t know or have a choice in participating on. I have been named the Primary IT Contact for the still under construction, Regional Academic Health Center.

The RAHC from what I have been told is being pronounced “rock” by IU Health personnel, is a joint venture between IU Health and Indiana University, my employer. It is a new hospital that is replacing the current one, which exists in a central location. It also houses a building for all of IU’s clinical education units, which I work in.

The buildings sit on the site of the old IU par 3 golf course and driving range.

This opportunity has given me no accolades, no pay raises, no appreciation. It has only given me seemingly incredulous amounts of responsibility that I did not have previously.

I have been kept in the dark on many things to do with this project. Specifically with many things that directly affect my job. To say frustrating is an understatement.

Last week, I took care of a large portion of my newfound responsibility by configuring the computers in each of the general classrooms, sans one of them. I made a friend, who seemed saddened by how disturbed the landscape was changed.

The the task was easy, just overwhelming. Put a new operating system on roughly 20 computers while learning a new building and the technologies put into the building that I had never worked with, or had an opportunity to know about.

Classroom technology control panel, there are quite a few flaws

That panel gives me some anger. IU is full of red tape and bureaucracy, much like a government is. The official building code for this building is AH, not RAHC. I’m a stickler for detail. I have requested that be changed.

This screen almost threw me into a seizure

IU Health, is not IU. But this partnership and what is in essence “licensing deal” has blurred the lines for many across the state. There are many who think they are one in the same. It frustrates me on many levels. The president of IU and the dean of the School of Medicine are on the board of IU Health, for which they both get a salary that is along the lines of the median household income level for the area. It’s through these sort of deals that have gotten us to where we are today.

This week, I will have to configure the large room of our building. It can be split into four different rooms and has up to sixteen different configurations. All of these configurations are controlled with a touch panel mounted to a rack in what will eventually be my office.

I’m not a fan of that space as my office, as it offers no security. Others will need access for the functions of that room. I have spoken with the building manager, and there are other spaces that I will be able to utilize that foot the bill.

The largest thing lingering in my mind at this point is how I will handle all of the responsibilities given to me on this building, with all of the other responsibilities I have still in the other buildings I support on campus? All signs point to hiring an assistant in my eyes. My management says “ticket numbers will tell us if you need one.” It’s hard to make numbers when you are spending half of your days driving between buildings however.

Onward and upward? Meh.

Darkness in the World of Academia

I’ve been in IT at Indiana University since 2008. In that time, Bradley Wheeler has always been the CIO, head of all technology.

I really don’t know where this post will lead me, but I feel I need to write it to get it out of my head, the subject matter bothers me.

Recently, and shockingly it was announced by the president of IU that he would “retire” his role, take a sabbatical and then return to his roots as a professor at the Kelley School of Business.

Replacing him? The head of my very own department. A person that has went from essentially a nobody that I had never heard of before, to being the head of IT in just a short 2 years. It doesn’t pass my sniff test. Not by a long shot.

When I was just beginning to really make a name for myself in the pit of nameless souls called IT, Brad would come to the office I worked at and talk to me on a level that was personal. He would talk about how the office in which I resided was one of the first big projects he had been in charge of. My office at the time had a long curved desk, with a meeting area that was turreted with long vertical windows.

He spoke of that office like it was his baby. Genuine care and pride. He never made me feel like the hourly nobody that I was, and never did. I appreciated his vision and I appreciated his leadership.

As time marched on, and I did create a name for myself I was given a bonus and a letter from Brad. It was for being a IU Brand Ambassador, in my work in helping other centers of the School of Medicine across the state. I hold that letter in the highest of regard. It sits framed, right next to my degree from IU.

To get to my point however. I don’t think this is something Brad wanted to do, I think it’s internal university politics at play, with him paying the price.

The current lead of my division came to us more like a blue collar person, not a white collar leadership person. His speech was rough, his ideas even more obtuse. Overtime it was like he went through a makeover for executives. I found it very odd, and still do.

At the same point, we are all working off campus and working on paths to return to a new normal. My leadership are pushing unreasonable expectations to migrate our computers to a different build, regardless of what problems this causes the users of said computers. Users who have little to know real computer / operating system knowledge, medical research labs that are working hard to fight cancer, and computers that are accessed remotely by users that need them for their job.

They don’t care, they just want their dashboards to say X numbers of computers have this. There is no security threat, there is no significant reason for the change other than the change itself.

I sent a message to several of my research labs and faculty members to make them aware of this today. What came out of that message was one thing, consent. That’s what is missing here, consent.

My people rely on these computers to do work, and store data important to their work on them. If I were to blatantly rebuild these machines, there is a possibility that data that is important to them would be lost. To me, an unacceptable risk.

I haven’t connected all of the dots yet, but there has been increasing measures to combine IU and IU Health’s computing resources. Those measures didn’t increase until the head of my division started his role. Coincidence? I really don’t think it is.

I sent Brad an email, not expecting a response. I had to air some of my grievances at what is going on. He replied in kind, and thanked me for my kind words. I know he will be okay, I know I’ll be okay. I just do not like the direction I see the world of education going. A world that welcomed me in where the real world never did.

The New Normal

It’s been a while since I’ve written. I’m really trying to make a conscious effort to not keep up with writing my thoughts. It’s important, especially in times like the ones we are having now.

The entire world is now dealing with the effects of the COVID-19 virus. Infections and deaths are rising at a exponential level. It’s a situation I’ve never seen in my life. As a parent, it’s scary. As a person, it’s scary. As a survivor, I feel like I’ve been waiting my entire life for this.

Last week, the governor of Indiana initiated a Stay-At-Home order. Indiana University has instituted it’s pandemic plans by extending spring break by a week and moving all learning to online. They have also asked that nobody come to campus unless it is absolutely necessary.

As of this writing, there are 22 confirmed positive cased of COVID-19 in Monroe county. I have been watching the numbers on a website the state setup. I expect that number to increase significantly over the next few weeks.

As a IT Professional supporting the School of Medicine in Bloomington, this situation has made work a very difficult task. In the weeks previous, I spent all of my time building new laptops and preparing my staff to work remotely, by giving them the information and tools they needed to keep working. Over the past few months, my remote support abilities have been all but taken from me, as I specialize in direct and personal support. I hope my leadership works on returning those soon.

IU has stated nobody will lose salary or PTO due to this situation, and I am greatly appreciative and grateful for this. Many right now are unemployed or have completely lost their jobs. However, since technology is everything now, I have been inundated. I take my job very seriously, and my faculty and staff need my help right now more than ever. I will not falter them in their time of need.

I am of a split mind when it comes down to how to look at this pandemic in the long term. In the short term, I am hunkering down with my girlfriend and her children. Sticking together and practicing this new term we have all come to learn called “social distancing.” My lifestyle is pretty much what social distancing is all about, so it does not bother me.

However, I feel carelessly unprepared for this. I keep no food at home. Also, if it becomes as crazy as the store shelves look out there, I don’t have the weapons to protect myself or my family. Yes, I am serious.

Regardless, I am a survivor. I was fortunate to have a childhood that gave me lots of gifts. I spent a lot of time on a family farm. Sure, my skills are rusty, but they are there. I can find a nice spot in the woods, build a shelter, hunt game and gather edible finds. That does not scare me.

I must say, we definitely have biblical signs of the last days upon us. First was the locust invasion in Africa. Now we have a worldwide pandemic that would have definitely been called a plague in times past.

I have ordered more parts for building a rifle. I am ordering cases of US Military MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), and will ensure I have portable water filter systems.

No matter what happens, me and my family will survive this. I only wish the rest of humanity the best as we struggle with a pandemic that hasn’t been seen since the Spanish Flu.

First Impressions

I finally stepped into the world of Apple. While I thought it would be a new and exciting experience, I must say I’m somewhat disappointed.

I purchased a Black MacBook off eBay that came with many accessories. The auction included a laptop bag, 500gb Lacie external hard drive, the original box and restore discs and an Apple keyboard and mouse.

It’s specs aren’t the best, but I don’t need them. It has a 2.16 ghz Core 2 Duo Intel processor, 2gb of ram and a 200gb hard drive. I plan on upgrading the ram to 4gb once I learn all I can on OSX and need to start working with VM Ware.

I must say that the design of and abilities of my MacBook amaze me, while some aspects of it downright disappoint me.

The first issue I had was with it’s “slot loading” disc drive. This computer came with Tiger (10.4) so I purchased Snow Leopard (10.6.3), and my first task was upgrading to this OS. While I’m still not sure if something is wrong with mine, or if this is a design flaw; my particular machine doesn’t particularly like to load or unload discs. The only way I can get them to load is by pushing the disc in all the way using a foreign object. Ejection is similar, as it only ejects about 1/16″ out of the machine. I asked some of my co-workers about this and they confirmed that these drives are finicky at best.

My second issue is with the seemingly “closed” nature of the Mac OS. While I’m basically a newbie, it doesn’t seem as friendly to someone who likes to customize everything like myself. While there are options, they are limited. Luckily I have vast experience with Linux, the second cousin twice removed to OSX; this makes my learning curve much more shallow than if I had no experience at all.

Let me restate for all the fan boys out there, these are just first impressions. I haven’t had a chance to dig deep into this machine yet. I’m diving head first into the mac world and only using a PC when required or when I can’t use it; such as at work or when I’m doing some work for my business.

I transferred my entire music library last night and eagerly anticipate setting up iTunes and seeing how similar the Mac version is compared to the Windows version. I’m also going to start transferring all of my personal home videos using iMovie and iDVD. Two programs I actually need to learn for my job at IU.

Since I have went on a technology “spending spree” of sorts, I am imposing on myself a probation from technology purchases. The only caveat is if something fails and needs replaced. I think I’ve put enough financial stress on my wife for a year or so in that department regarding this and my recent HTPC purchase.

Must Find Happy Place

Nothing seems to be going right lately. The things that normally bring joy to my life have disappeared or are disappearing. It’s hard to wake up in the morning when you don’t have a lot to look forward to. The only thing I have currently that brings some potential light at the end of the tunnel are my classes.

Education is sought after more than skills at this point. At least in my experience. I learned this the hard way and it’s really doing a number on me. There was an opening at my job in Technology Services at the Kelley School of Business. It’s almost exactly what I do, with a few other added responsibilities. I’ve been here just one month shy of a year now and I thought I would be a good fit. The only caveat, they wanted someone with at least an associates degree which I do not have.

They must have thought I was a good fit as well, because I almost immediately was asked for an interview. It went extremely well. I thought it was only a matter of time before the job would be offered to me. Then my boss’s boss wanted to speak with me, it was regarding the position. They offered it to someone who had “more rounded experience.” They said she “can give a different perspective that nobody else in the department can.” While I understand they have to do what’s best for the department and not myself, it didn’t hit me until today – the day she started.

There is really nothing I can do to make myself happy but continue my education and hope to find something someday. The only real issue bugging me is that I know that day won’t come soon enough.

This on top of all of the other issues I’m facing. I need a new computer & printer, I am on a deadline for remodeling the basement and old “office.” I need to start planning a summer job or load up on classes for the summer semester and get a large student loan to cover the lack of income.

I feel like I haven’t moved forward at all, but just taken a few dozen steps back since I started on my own back in 1999.

My only solace at this point is my love affair with ROX and computers in general. The computer doesn’t care about how much money I make or any of the other human conditions.

If only life were this simple.

No Matter What

I will achieve a degree.

Starting school again has become a mini-series of drama in itself. My past has finally caught up with me to make it hard to go to school.

I started going to Ivy Tech State College in the fall of 1999. Here it is the beginning of the spring 2009 semester and I have only attained 3 credits towards a degree.

The reasons why are various and run the gamut. The main reason why is because of opportunity. Whether it be a job, or just a reason to leave. I was sure to find it, and find it quick.

This is the 4th and last time I am enrolling in a particular math course, MAT050 – Basic Algebra. If memory serves me correctly, this course wasn’t hard – but engaging the last time I took it. This time, it’s almost an insult to my intelligence. Our first homework assignment – adding negative numbers. This course is so easy that you have to want to fail, just to fail.

School was never a good time for me, but the good time that I did have was while in high school. I took my math courses at IU, the county school systems did not offer calculus or finite yet. But since I never used those tools, they have been lost just like an angel’s share of whiskey.

This is where the drama comes in. Since I have enrolled and withdrawn as many times as I have, I am on what’s called Financial Aid Termination. Meaning I cannot receive financial aid, and since our household income is above some imaginary number that only changes when you ask for help, the state will not help either.

So this time, it has to come out of our pockets directly. But there are specifics, I must take at least 6 credit hours (2 classes) and get a grade of C or better in both courses. If not, I will still be on “termination.” If I achieve this I will be switched to Financial Aid Probation because I have shown the college that I am trying.

I am also appealing this decision regarding financial aid. This process includes counseling with an academic advisor, a letter to the college explaining all withdrawals and F grades. Also giving reasons as to why this should be appealed.

Even after through all of this, I still want to go.

No matter what I will attain a degree, and the sooner the better.

Numbered

My days with Morgenstern Home Services are numbered. Today, expecting some sort of work to do, I was given the run-around. I was told that the boss would get back with me, and he never called. This can’t and won’t last much longer, in these trying times my pocketbook can’t take it.

I e-mailed the CSR and asked if I could come in tomorrow and Wednesday to work. They said it would be okay. I will also be working full-time at Technology Services for the month of August.

If I could only get a “permanent” solution. I’ve been trying since September of 2006 with no real luck. My wife thinks it would be a good idea for me to be in the university environment, so I have been trying hard to achieve a position at IU. Here are some numbers to give you an idea of the sheer number of jobs I’ve applied to at IU.

# of jobs applied to: 61
# of interviews: 2

Most of these positions are “starter” office positions, which need little or no specialized skills mind you. There have been a couple which tickle my fancy as they have been video related.

Those numbers don’t take into account the endless number of positions outside of IU that I have applied to as well.

In other IU news, I have finally received a university identification card. I doubt it will help, but perhaps it might show some sign of permanence?