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.
-----