I miss Sandy!

A year ago, we had 2 full-time administrative assistants in our department office. Nancy, our office manager and assistant to the department chair, retired in May, http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-05-12
She had been the only office manager I had ever known in my 29 years and she was very, very good at her job.

Two weeks ago, the full-time assistant assigned to “graduate studies,” Sandy, was reassigned on campus (by her choice). Since then, we have one half-time staff person and today the first fellowship nominations were due at the Graduate School’s office of assistantships and fellowships. Sandy’s replacement is efficient and knows the university systems and practices, but as the only person in an academic department’s main office and only half-time at that, she can only do so much on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday afternoons.

As my department’s “Director of Graduate Studies,” a lot of official stuff (“signatures,” for example) falls to me, but I have always relied [very] heavily on Sandy for organization and scheduling. She anticipated what I had to do and what I would need before *I* knew what I had to do and what support I would need. Two emergencies arose today that wouldn’t ever have happened with Sandy at her desk.

We managed to get the department’s nominations turned-in on time, in part because I hand-delivered the nominations in the last half-hour before the Graduate School offices closed for the weekend.

Eventually, we will be back to 1.5 full-time staff members in the office, but in the meantime, I miss Sandy!

This “journaling” post is Sandy’s desk. Well, the desk that was Sandy’s. A very full desk at the moment … with an empty chair. As you can see, there is still unopened mail that must be processed. We *will* get caught up, but in the meantime…

A year before *this* empty chair (“Empty Chairs at Empty Tables”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-01-27

[Netkonnexion]

It is always sad to lose someone who is great at their job. But people have to move on. Nice capture - nice words of tribute.

[Thom Mitchell]

@netkonnexion Thanks. I often think of the adage, We know the worth of water when the well is dry, but I have long known how invaluable Sandy was. Thankfully, I did not discover it only when she left.

[Rick Schies]

And if it's like other places, the ones remaining must pick up the slack.

[Thom Mitchell]

@digitalrn You've got that right, Rick!