It’s All Academic
by
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“Good. Then, onward to Spirit Week.”
I had to laugh. “You gotta be kidding me. We’ve got a dead dean on campus and we’re just going to go ahead and discuss Spirit Week! That’s insane.”
“It’s four weeks away, Mark,” said Caroline rolling her eyes. “Hartley’s death will be old news by then. Life goes on and we have to give the student body a healthy social life.”
“As opposed to someone giving Hartley’s body an unhealthy social life,” cracked Howard.
My mouth surely hung open. I got up to fill my coffee cup back up, if for no other reason than to cover my facial reactions. I couldn’t wait to call Natalie to talk about this ominous beginning.
“Mark, we really want academics to push Spirit Week and to involve students from the academic perspective. In the past, we’ve had little support from faculty for the events, and it’s frustrating to hold a ‘dunk-the-mascot’ event when only about twenty-five students show up.”
“Ah, I love the dunk-the-mascot event,” said Howard. “Seeing that sturgeon flounder in the water, trying to catch his breath. What a sight.”
“That’s very good, Howard,” I responded, already disgusted with myself for being able to plunge back into business so quickly since our interruption.
“Don’t praise him,” grumbled Hank. “He uses that ‘sturgeon flounder’ line every year.”
“I see no reason to abandon good material.”
“Maybe you should start with good material.” Hank apparently loved to rise to the challenge that was Howard.
“Can we stay focused, gentlemen?” snapped Caroline. “So, anyway, Mark, in the past the faculty have openly challenged us about letting students out of classes for these events during Spirit Week. We would appreciate you encouraging them to let students have time to participate in the events.”
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About the Book
Mark Carter barely has time to dump his personal belongings into his office in the administration building at Boan University when Dean Hartley’s lifeless body is found lying in a pool of blood. A booming, narcissistic voice is silenced forever just as Carter is about to begin his new role as provost.
While police roam the campus looking for clues as to who killed the dean, Carter attempts to seek out rationality in the often irrational world of higher education administration. Armed only with a sense of humor and an ancient cell phone, Carter steps into a universe of endless meetings, inflated egos, and inane policies and soon becomes disillusioned with a college administration more focused on a dunk-the-mascot event during spirit week than on a much-needed library renovation. The real mystery at Boan University is not, who killed Dean Hartley? It’s how does anything get done and can Provost Carter survive?
It’s All Academic presents a lighthearted and highly entertaining account of one man’s ill-fated year as he immerses himself in the often unpredictable, image-building life that surrounds the world of higher education.
About the Author
David Fleming has spent over twenty years in higher education in positions ranging from faculty member in English to provost. Contrary to popular belief, not all those years were spent sitting in meetings. Originally from West Virginia, David now lives in Caledonia, Michigan, with his wife, son, dog, and cockatiel. Check out his website at www.davidflemingsite.com