The Grinch rips out heart of history dept.

Professor Waiser is a former department head and graduate director with the department of history at the University of Saskatchewan. Dear Santa,

It’s me, Bill. It’s been years — no, decades — since I last wrote to you.

But I don’t know who to turn to at this time of year, especially since the Grinch has been at it again. He’s ripped the heart out of the history department. And the future has never been bleaker. Let me explain, Santa. For some time now, the department has worked hard on several fronts and emerged as one of the foremost units at the University of Saskatchewan, certainly within the college of arts and science. It expanded its graduate program, especially at the doctoral level, and attracted several exceptional candidates who have promising careers ahead of them.

It made research and publication a top priority, and now secures most of the external tri-council funding in the humanities and fine arts. Several faculty members have won prestigious grant competitions and academic honours.

The department also publishes the internationally recognized Canadian Journal of History. The serial has been an in-house institution within the department for more than 40 years now.

And the department has recently embarked on an ambitious review and renewal of its undergraduate curriculum, particularly at the introductory level, to ensure that its students enjoy an intellectually enriching experience in the classroom.

All of these initiatives would not have been possible without the support, dedication and professionalism of the department’s administrative staff. Indeed, they are the ones who have done the heavy lifting to ensure that everything runs smoothly and effectively — that the department, its program, its students and its faculty have been able to excel. Then, the Grinch struck. Come the new year, some of the department’s staff will be reassigned to a kind of administrative command post, while others will be laid off. There will be no one in the department to directly handle myriad administrative tasks and duties.

Instead, department faculty and students must deal with the new administrative commons. This action, Santa, is designed to save money — ironically at the expense of some of the least paid members of the university community.

Even then, the savings will not make much of a dent in the university budget shortfall. But the change will have huge, long-term consequences for the operation of the history department.

How can the administrative commons, unfamiliar with the operations of the department, put together the curriculum and timetable? How can the administrative commons operate the department’s complex and growing graduate program?

How can the administrative commons edit and produce the Canadian Journal of History? How can it provide help with confidential grant accounts and related matters?

And I haven’t even mentioned the ongoing demand by students for administrative help. A day does not go by without students bringing their questions, concerns and problems to the history general office.

And Santa, you must realize that I’ve only been talking about the history department. Other departments in the humanities and fine arts will be just as adversely affected by these changes. Surely the Grinch must have realized the invaluable role performed by the administrative staff.

Santa, I must admit that this sorry episode has caused me to question the value of the history department being good at what it does. It has not made any difference.

The really sad thing is that the administrative staff deserve better treatment, especially given their years of selfless service. In fact, to announce this change — for people to lose their jobs — just weeks before the Christmas holiday is heartless.

But Santa, as we both know, the Grinch has a very, very small heart. It’s time for some goodwill and more creative thinking to address our challenges. Your friend,

Bill

P.S. Safe travels on Christmas Eve.