It did not take me long at my new job in Anchorage to realize that the culture of UAA was vastly different from UAF. Granted both these institutions of higher education have their inherent academia flaws, in which there are some tenured faculty members that think very highly of themselves and very little about others, especially if the other person does not have a Ph.D. But this fact not withstanding UAA harbors a dark underbelly that festers in an atmosphere of mistrust and abuse of power by those who perceive themselves to be in power.
The ivory tower syndrome runs rampant at UAA. Those affected by this syndrome are not only the tenured faculty but the Administrators, our Chancellor, Provost, Registrar, and the Deans of several of the colleges have all been known for making decisions based on what they see their needs are and not the needs of the students we are here to serve or the staff members that are in direct contact with the students.
At UAA my ears, on numerous occasions, have heard the phrase, “people at this institution are reluctant to make changes, even if it were to the benefit of the students.” The negativity that surrounds statements such as this further cultivate that dark underbelly, and promotes an atmosphere of a non-cohesive working group that ceases to put energy into making positive change for our students. Somewhere along way the leaders and the culture at UAA became unhealthy, poisoned by thoughts of mistrust in each other.
On the other side of the coin, UAF has not always been the perfect place to work, and they too have struggled with the ivory tower syndrome. Some of the people they have hired into the leadership positions have been true brown nuggets, that when they left those positions and moved on, back to the lower 48 in most cases, all around campus you could sense the sigh of relief as we enjoyed the end of that era, or end of an error as it were. But the overall culture at UAF is more open to change, more receptive to new ideas and a more productive way of doing things, as they keep their eye on their mission, their students. They value working together as a team that is working for the same goal.
UAA and UAF are also the product of their environments. One is part of the largest city in Alaska with all the attitudes associated with the big city mentality. Anchorage residents could be describes as unfriendly in their behavior towards one another, they are standoffish and detached from those around them that they do not know. The smaller community of Fairbanks and the residents could be described as welcoming, forming fast friendships and treating those around them like family. As if these new comers to town are their family of choice in place of their family of origin, as most everyone’s family of origin lives outside of Alaska or in other places around the world.
I should also add that Anchorage and Fairbanks have been rivals since the very beginning. In 1915 when Anchorage was first marking its territory as a tent city, Fairbanks was well on its way to forming the Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines, which caused a fuss in the Alaska Territorial Legislature as there were opponents in Anchorage that claimed Fairbanks was just trying to be the first to cash in on the territorial treasures. So began the rivalry that survives to this day, and if you are from Fairbanks and are now living in Anchorage you might as well be a Green Bay Packers fan living among the Broncos of Denver.
When I had been at my new job in Anchorage six months I was struggling with my choice and wondered why in the world was I employed at such a terrible place to work. What lessons was I to learn from this experience? After all each experience in our life should be building blocks to a better version of the person we wanted to become, so what was I to learn from spending my work days in this type of negative culture?
If the truth where to be told I am still asking myself this question. I have found some higher understanding why I am still working at my current job even after having sought other positions, only to have that job recruitment be closed, and left unfilled. That particular job, by the way, is closing its office in Anchorage due to the state budget cuts, so if they had indeed hired me I would now be faced with being laid off in October and on the hunt for a new job. My disappointment at the time worked out well a year and a half later. Proof enough to me that what we think to be doors of opportunity sometimes don't open up because something better is behind another door.
This post started out being titled ‘lessons of having to stay at a job I dislike’ or more clearly stated ‘lessons from having to work a job where I like the tasks I do but dislike the ugly personalities that I have to work with’, and I can see now that it has turned into something more positive.
Something that more resembles hope, perhaps I am here to be a positive force that floods that dark underbelly with light.
Shine on and share the love! Always!
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