No teaching, but LOTS to do

I am very lucky to be at a university where they allow untenured faculty a one-semester break from teaching. For me, that break is this semester. This time away from teaching classes gives me a chance to catch up on research that has been neglected during the last few hectic semesters, so that I can hopefully get tenure. The timing is great for me because I still have time to write a few more papers, submit them for review, make revisions, then have them accepted before I submit my dossier for review in Fall 2007. I'll write more about this later, but the dossier is basically a very detailed document of ALL the work I have done since being hired at Miami- including teaching (every class, teaching evaluations, numbers of students, etc.), advising of students, research (conferences, papers, and proposals), and service (committees, reviewing papers for journals, etc.). We turn in annual reports every year and starting last year I have also had to submit a draft dossier with this report. These annual reports are reviewed inside the department, by the college, and the provost's office. Then, they tell you whether you are on track and what you need to improve on. I am doing pretty well, but need to publish a couple more papers. So, this semester is a research semester. I won't have to prepare for classes, teach, or do any grading. I just need to finish up several projects, write some papers, write some proposals (to get funding for MORE research), and get caught up! Now, if only the migraines would cease and desist...