On summer break

This is...the fourth year I think I haven't taught summers? In 2004, sign-ups were low, and I elected to cancel the classes a month or so before summer session. Later, I found out there were people who MIGHT have signed up at the last minute (one guy came to my office and yelled at me about it, I told him that even if he didn't sign up right away - to avoid the tuition bill - it would have helped to have had an e-mail. Because I literally would have had 4 in one class and 5 in another).

In 2011, I chose not to teach - it had been a couple years since I published anything and even though I had successfully been promoted to Full Professor, I felt like I needed to get some research done. And I needed a break. (that was the summer I started watching MLP: FiM - they re-ran it around noon, and I'd come home from the field, shower, make lunch, and watch an episode or two).

Last year I didn't teach after 2016 being the year of being paid at adjunct rates because I had *slightly* below 10 students (in previous years, we had been able to "support" lower enrollment classes with the ones that were over 10; in 2016 they changed it to "in order to be paid at your standard rate, you must have 10 in all your classes). And I just decided it wasn't worth it. I have had to budget more carefully, but it is nice having the time off.

I doubt I'll teach summers again unless demand becomes so high, I can be guaranteed I have 10 people per class. And even then, I don't know: teaching all year round may be a younger person's game. It's kind of nice having summers off, and if the post-tenure review thing grinds on (and we have to make ourselves seem ever more indispensable), it's probably wise not to teach, to take that pay hit, and instead do research and revamp my classes and do a little continuing-ed type stuff.