Learning on the Job

Today, we delve into the often discussed but less frequently practiced theme of self-care. Nic and James share personal anecdotes and tips on incorporating culinary creativity into your self-care routine. Plus, we explore the importance of financial literacy in academia, especially for those of us who don't come from wealth, offering some insightful tips on managing finances to support your well-being. Pro tip: Moving your body is (almost always) free! And don’t miss out on our reading recommendations to nourish your mind, soul, and body. We still want to hear from you! Let us know what topics or themes you’d like to hear more about by sending your questions to ⁠lotjpod@gmail.com

Send your questions to lotjpod@gmail.com Alrighty, here goes! We're back and trying our hand at giving ADVICE! Got a question about higher ed, lower learning, making it, faking it, or anything in between? We're your queers! We're kicking things off with a bit of advice to our younger selves. But we want to hear from you!

We're 50 lessons deep, y'all! The time has come for us to lip sync for our.....wait, wrong show! Although it goes without question about who would slay who in a lip sync battle, Nic and James have decided that the time has indeed come for reflection. Reflection on this podcast, its content, and where we imagine it going. To be crystal clear, we aren't going anywhere but we are moving in another direction. Think "Dear Abby" meets the real housequeers of the university meets podcasting. Or, something along those lines. We want to hear from you, listeners, about the questions, comments, and observations you have being in higher education and provide a space for us to talk frankly and collectively. Reach us at lotjpod@gmail.com and let's chat!

The queers are back, baby! Nic and James shake the cobwebs off the microphones and jump back into The Academic Discourse. Speaking of, we see you Cal State. They share what’s been going on in their lives and discuss where they hope to go. It’s been too long and we’ve missed you. Join us on this journey! Further reading:  “US university faculty celebrate ‘victory’ after deal reached in one-day strike”, The Guardian “Cal State System Strike Begins, Ends in 1 Day”, Inside Higher Education 

We're taking a long break. This isn't a goodbye. Far from it. We are re-grouping, re-assessing, and resting. Thank you to all those dear listeners out there! We'll be back in the near future. Remember: A "no" to others is also a "yes" to you. 

The recent(ish) queer PhDs of color are back to discuss all the moving parts of the world around them. So many things to keep track of these days! The world(s) of higher education remains held together by the thinnest and most fragile string possible. We're here, though. And we're glad you're here, too. Further Reading: “After a Tragedy, Michigan State Will Resume In-Person Classes. Some Students Say They Aren’t Ready,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “Temple grad students will continue picketing despite 'union-busting tactics,’” Philly Voice What We're Reading: Gilberto Rosas, Unsettling: The El Paso Massacre, Resurgent White Nationalism, and the US-Mexico Border (Pre-order) Evren Savci, Queer in Translation: Sexual Politics under Neoliberal Islam Rana Jaleel, The Work of Rape

We're back for one final episode before the holiday break! US higher ed doesn't disappoint when it comes to mess, small joys, and everything in between. Listen in as Nic and James reflect on 2022 and their speculate about the future. Enjoy and catch you in the new year! Further Reading: “‘It's a Mess’: U. of California Grades Are Due Soon, and Professors Are Struggling,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “Purdue U. Northwest Chancellor Apologizes for Speaking Made-Up 'Asian' Language During Commencement,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “How Gender Bias Worsened the Peer-Review Crisis,” The Chronicle of Higher Education Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) What We're Reading: Natalie Lira, Laboratory of Deficiency: Sterilization and Confinement in California, 1900–1950s C. Winter Han,  Racial Erotics: Gay Men of Color, Sexual Racism, and the Politics of Desire Richard T. Rodríguez, A Kiss Across the Ocean: Transatlantic Intimacies of British Post-Punk and US Latinidad Tanya Holland, California Soul Alvin J. Henry, Black Queer Flesh: Rejecting Subjectivity in the African American Novel Tiffany Jackson, White Smoke Fran Ross, Oreo Justina Ireland, Deathless Divide

This week we switch formats and become a wall-to-wall sportscast in celebration of the 2022 World Cup! jk, that would be awful. BUT, we do have some thoughts about the limits of academic freedom under theocracy, a story that reverberates from the hallowed slave-labor built stadiums of Qatar's World Cup all the way back to our old stomping grounds at THE Ohio State University. Turns out sometimes Presidential transitions can get messy. Who knew?  And of course we've got lots of thoughts about academic labor and labor more broadly, from the UC system to the national rail worker's strike. We've said it before and we'll say it again: the fact that the wealthy are working this hard to undermine unions should really tell you everything you need to know. Books to read for the holiday, thoughts on the year ahead, all the things you need for that drive to see those people you absolutely do love (just remember that). Further Reading: "World Cup Raises Issues of Academic Freedom", Inside Higher Ed "UC Postdoctoral scholars and researchers reach tentative deal but strike continues", LA Times  "Deal reached to partially avert University of California strike", KTLA "Ohio State President Leaves Big Plans Unfinished as She Steps Down", Chronicle of Higher Ed "Press Release: UAW 2865 Disabled Workers form Justice Coalition, Reject Tentative Agreement" What We're Reading: Keith Haring, Keith Haring: Journals Larissa Hjorth and Ingrid Richardson, Ambient Play

Hey, hi, hello! The end-of-the-semester slump is here and has us all in our feels. Nic and James discuss conferencing, the midterms (we're not a 'political' podcast in that sense we swear!), and how they plan to get through to the end of the year. Also, did you know that most of us don't actually know how to do peer reviews?! Lots of great stuff in this episode. You don't want to miss this one! Further Reading: “Ben Sasse’s Contract at Florida’s Flagship Has Lots of Perks. But Not Tenure,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “The Scholarly Skill Almost No One Is Teaching,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “Biden Student Loan Forgiveness Plan Is In Peril: Key Takeaways After Court Rules It’s Illegal,” Forbes “How ‘Education Freedom’ Played in the Midterms, The New Yorker Something to do with coffee… What We're Reading: Tanya Holland, California Soul Marty Fink, Forget Burial: HIV Kinship, Disability, and Queer/Trans Narratives of Care

Further Reading: "America's PhD Production Experienced Its Steepest Decline on Record", Chronicle of Higher Education "'A Perilous Position,': Some Community College Students Struggle to Meet Basic Needs, Report Says", Chronicle of Higher Education "What Happened to Black Enrollment?", Chronicle of Higher Education "Big Vote on Undocumented Students", Inside Higher Ed "US State Policies on DACA & Undocumented Students", Higher Education Immigration Portal "Echoes of Latin American Racism Reverberate in the US", The New York Times What We're Reading: J. Logan Smilges, Queer Silence: On Disability and Rhetorical Absence Twyla Tharp, The Creative Habit: Learn It and Use It For Life GO VOTE!! Find My State or Local Election Office

We thank you for your patience during our short hiatus! We’re back and trying to make sense of all the things. Nic and James discuss the events of the recent weeks, including the overnight changes to Biden’s student loan forgiveness terms (do better!), the unsurprising “prestige hierarchy” of faculty life, and how to handle the mid-semester slump. We add a new segment to the mix. Listen now! Further Reading: “In a Reversal, the Education Dept. is Excluding Many from Student Loan Relief,” NPR “The Biden Administration is Changing Who Qualifies for Student Loan Cancellation,” NPR “The Prestige Hierarchy: Five Universities Trained One Of Every Eight Tenure-Track Faculty At Doctoral Universities,” Forbes “Just 5 Universities Produce One-Eighth of the Nation’s Tenure-Track Professors,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “Why Faculty of Color Are Leaving Academe,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “Why I’d Gladly Exchange My Tenure for a Union,” Inside Higher Ed What We're Reading: Richard T. Rodríguez, A Kiss Across the Ocean: Transatlantic Intimacies of British Post-Punk and US Latinidad bell hooks, Teaching to Transgress: Education as the Practice of Freedom

And none of us ever want to go back there. We're far enough into the pandemic to do some real taking stock, figuring out what worked, what didn't, what we can let go of, and what we really shouldn't be in a rush to bring back. And yet somehow if feels like the plan is just to ignore all that and pretend the pan dulce never happened. It's going predictably. Also because the universe can be relied on for at least some humor, a streetwear brand somehow manages to be uncool and exploitative at the same time. Is this...growth?  But it's not all bad news, particularly on the academic hiring front. And at least there's always books to read.  Further Reading: "CUNY and Kith Partner for Fall 2022 Clothing Collection," CUNY "UI to Invest $50 million to add 150 to 200 faculty members," The News-Gazette What We're Reading: Nic's Book Manuscript! Watch this Space! Jarvis R. Givens, Fugitive Pedagogy: Carter G. Woodson and the Art of Black Teaching

We're back for year 3! To say that academia is a wild ride and that we still have jobs is...an understatement. Whew! Nic and James take time to reflect on the summer break and their current trajectories before jumping into the newness of the year and all that comes along with it. Did you hear that we're getting some student loans cut by the Biden administration? Is it nearly enough? Do we need to continue demanding more forgiveness? Hint: You probably know the answer. Also, it turns out that big money and big tech are the only ones who can save us from ourselves?!? Oh, so much to unpack in this episode. Have a listen and find out! Also, we want to hear from you. Drop us a line at lotjpod@gmail.com Further Reading: “Biden’s student loan plan: What we know (and what we don’t),” Associated Press The Debt Collective “Biden Just Forgave Some Student-Loan Debt. Now What?,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “Higher Ed Must Change or Die,” Inside Higher Education ‘A Historic Moment’: New Guidance Requires Federally Funded Research to Be Open Access, The Chronicle of Higher Education The College Devaluation Crisis Market Disruption, Diminishing ROI, and an Alternative Future of Learning, Jason Wingard What We're Reading: How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America, Kiese Laymon There’s a Disco Ball Between Us, Jafari S. Allen

Because we can't just have nice things, this week yet again James and Nic are tasked with sifting through the wreckage that is higher education in the age of anti-intellectualism. This week the duo gets to spend a sweet moment basking in the glow of a successful educator's strike (Shoutout CSU!) before being immediately reminded of the how hard it is out here in these streets. We pour one out for the Florida governor/baby man who just really wants y'all to chill with all these book bans and try to read the tea leave or what exactly the state of Oklahoma thinks diversity is. It's...not great. But we've got each other, great book recs, and a country Beyonce album to look forward to if that's your thing. Silver lining? Further Reading: California State Union Approves Tentative Deal, Despite Dissent (Inside Higher Ed) DeSantis denies Florida book ban claims, backs limiting 'bad-faith' objections (ABC 6 South Florida) The Rise and Fall of DEI at the University of Oklahoma (Chronicle of Higher Education) The Met Aims to Get Harlem Right, the Second Time Around (New York Times) What We're Reading: Emma Pérez, Testimony of a Shifter Zora Neale Hurston, I Love Myself When I'm Laughing, and then Again When I'm Looking Mean and Impressive

Oh you thought the semester was over?! Well, you were right. It is. But like good academics, we had just a few more things to get off our plates, including this episode recorded back in May during the height of Finals madness. And let's all just agree to blame finals for its tardiness. Worth the wait, though, for some reflections, some introspection, and just a bit of planning. We've got ambitious plans for summer (books, conferences, actually exciting stuff!) and thoughts about how to maybe make next year functional? Also heads up: We'll be dropping a few more surprises in the feed over the next few weeks, so stick around. You know none of us really gets to be "off" all summer. Further Reading: CUNY BRESI Funds What We're Reading: Marlon M. Bailey, Butch Queen Up in Pumps: Gender, Performance, and Ballroom Culture in Detroit Bettina L. Love, We Want to Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom

We’re approaching the final weeks of the semester/quarter and that means summer is just around the corner! The trees are finally coming to life, the birds signing, the flowers blooming, and everywhere everybody in higher ed is just trying to survive the last bit of obligation. We’re all feeling the exhaustion, no doubt. This week, Nic and James stray from their regular format and discuss the pandemic and its ongoing effects on student participation this term. It’s not all doom, though. Turns out there’s this pretty great federal program (what they’re call in an “experiment”) that makes funds, specially Pell Grants, available to incarcerated and formally integrated people looking to pursue a degree. *In best Oprah voice* Well, hey, let’s celebrate that! Drop us a line sometime! We want to hear from you. lotjpod@gmail.com Further Reading: “Dozens More Colleges Can Now Enroll Incarcerated Students With Pell Grants,” The Chronicle of Higher Education “Education Department Announces Expansion of Second Chance Pell Grants,” U.S. Department of Education “A Proclamation on Second Chance Month, 2022,” The White House “The Pieces of a New Deal for CUNY,” CUNY Rising Alliance  What We're Reading: Sean Strub, Body Counts: A Memoir of Activism, Sex, and Survival Laurie Halse Anderson, Speak

Spring means cleaning, taking stock, and reflecting. And that, dear listeners, is exactly what we're doing this week. We get a bit meta as we think through this show, its audience, purpose, and future. (Heads up, an exciting Young Adult book podcast is coming your way soon!). From there we think about the limits of pitting disability politics against expanded online access and James tests out the beginnings of a theory of city organizing. Books you need, thoughts you need to hear, time well spent if you ask us! Further Reading: "Some Colleges Are Ending Hybrid Learning, Students Are Pushing Back," The Chronicle of Higher Education What We're Reading: Johnathan David Katz and Rock Hushka, Art AIDS America Carla Lalli Music, That Sounds So Good

This week Nic and James take a different approach to the issues and bring things a bit closer to home. The two use the segment "Failing Better," to share their small wins and victories as junior faculty and acknowledge how far they've come. Nic confesses his love of spreadsheets (send him your tips and tricks!) and James hits his stride with administrative work. Truly, they're learning and learning good! (Don't burst their bubble, please.) Then, in an absolutely sobering fashion, the duo discusses the massive coordinated effort across the U.S. to ban books at every level. The children's books first, then the young adult fiction, and finally the adult romance novel you've tucked away under your bed out of fear of being found out that you do, in fact, love a trashy scene. Who doesn't?! But, seriously, we should all be concerned. Ideas are dangerous, but banning books is even more dangerous. We recommend you urge your local library to not ban books or, if possible, buy a banned book. Need recommendations? The links below should help you out. Further Reading: Schools have become the latest culture war battleground. Are public libraries next?, Deseret News The librarians uniting to battle school book ban laws, ABC News LGBTQ Books Removed from Target.com, Publisher’s Weekly Black Authors Are Being Pulled From School Libraries Over Critical Race Theory Fears, Newsweek Division over Critical Race Theory's Meaning Has Spurred A Rise in Book Bans, The Takeaway YA Author Ashley Hope Pérez Responds to Viral Video that Calls for the Banning of Her “Out of Darkness,” SLJ Staff Ashley Hope Pérez, Out of Darkness What We're Reading: Alvin J. Henry, Black Queer Flesh: Rejecting Subjectivity in the African American Novel Robb Hernández, Archiving an Epidemic: Art, AIDS, and the Queer Chicanx Avant-Garde Other Things: How MacKenzie Scott’s $12 billion in gifts to charity reflect an uncommon trust in the groups she supports, The Conversation Conman Syndrome

This week spring is springing, birds are chirping, and Florida is...Florida-ing. We spend a bit of time on some potentially hopeful news about the perceived value of a college degree, and that is good. Hold on to that feeling, because from there it's pretty much straight downhill. This week's Disingenuous Arguments segment is really just a rundown of sunshine state shenanigans, from fired tenured faculty with 20 years of service to undermining the very notion of accreditation. And that's before we get to "don't say gay". What is in the water down there? Can we help? Florida, blink twice if you need help. Cleanse the pallet with a book. People will think you're smart. Further Reading "Public's Impression of Higher Ed Improves (Somewhat)", Inside Higher Ed "Florida Memorial University Lays Off Four Tenured Professors, Discontinues 16 Degree Programs", Miami New Times "Education Department Warns Florida: Forcing Colleges to Change Accreditors Jeopardizes Financial Aid", Chronicle of Higher Ed "Florida Lawmaker Puts a Conservative Stamp on Higher Ed", Chronicle of Higher Ed What We're Reading Han C. Winter, Racial Erotics: Gay Men of Color, Sexual Racism, and the Politics of Desire Karen Sands-O'Connor, Children's Publishing and Black Britain, 1965 - 2015

Happy March! Spring, sprang, sprung...We just want the weather to be consistent! Speaking of the opposite of consistent, ain't it wild to be a human being at this particular moment in time? This week the duo begin with the blue and yellow elephant in the room and attempt to make sense of how we – as educators – approach and handle situations that are beyond our scope yet affect us all directly. If anyone has figured out how to address global catastrophe with poise and collectivity, then please message us! It isn't all dread, though. The duo acknowledges the sliver of silver lining in U.S. higher education happening across institutions, like U of Chicago, where departments dedicated to actual people's lives are popping up with the potential for real promise. We'll wait and see... Did you hear about what's going on down in Texas regarding tenure and Critical Race Theory? An absolute mess, really. CRT is (unsurprisingly) the phrase among far-right and conservative groups aimed at keeping white feelings from being stirred too much. The duo sit with the disingenuous arguments being launched in Texas and think through the other, equally valid arguments that might be made against tenure. To be clear, we're NOT advocating against tenure... Drop us a line sometime! lotjpod@gmail.com Further Reading: “Department of Race, Diaspora, and Indigeneity established at the University of Chicago,” University of Chicago Jennifer Ruth, The Increasingly Authoritarian War on Tenure, The Chronicle Colleen Flaherty, ‘A New Low’ in Attacks on Academic Freedom, Inside Higher Education Kate McGee, UT-Austin President Jay Hartzell defends faculty tenure after Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick proposes to end it at all public universities, The Texas Tribune Texas lieutenant gov. seeks tenure changes at colleges to stop critical race theory lessons, The Grio Christina Valhouli, These college dorms have infinity pools and tanning rooms, Fortune What We're Reading: Rae Lynn Schwartz-DuPre, Curious about George: Curious George, Cultural Icons, Colonialism, and US Exceptionalism Natalie Lira, Laboratory of Deficiency: Sterilization and Confinement in California, 1900–1950s