TITLE: Two Conversations AUTHOR: Eugene Wallingford DATE: May 09, 2008 4:50 PM DESC: ----- BODY: ... with folks in university administration, colleagues whom I respect and with whom I like to work. [earlier] Them: These reports can't be combined. Please make separate ones. Me: They will be identical. Them: That's okay. Me: Fine. [later] Them: These reports are identical. That's a problem. Me: That's what you asked me to do. Them: They can't be identical. Please make them different. Me: But the committee in charge told us long ago to combine the tasks, so we did. Most of the resulting document really is one item, so we have a common report. Them: But the reports can't be the same. Please make them different. Me: But they aren't different. Them: If they aren't different, the board will be unhappy. Me: But if I make reports that differ artificially, they'll see that, too. And if they differ only a little, then it will be hard to tell where they differ. Them: If they aren't different, the board will be unhappy. Please make them different. Me: But... Them: Please. ~~~~~ This is the sort of situation that makes me wonder (1) if the board really understands how universities work and (2) what I am doing in The Office. -----