Argh. No.

One of our newer hires is apparently causing problems. Or, one or two of my colleagues is having problems with this person.

The thing is: the issue involves one of our large intro classes. A class I do not teach. I have not seen any of these people in action in the class, I don't know the new hire that well (and I don't know one of the complainers that well. The other one, yeah, I'd give his concerns some credence.)

The thing is: THIS IS A CLASS I DO NOT TEACH. I have nothing to do with it.

I just wish the main complainer (the person I don't know so well) would stop cc'ing me on all of the e-mails documenting this new hire's suckiness. I don't want to hear it. This person needs to go directly to the person they are having problems with and work it out with them. I do not get involved in these kinds of cat fights.

If it escalates to "we have to have a meeting to address this," I will go. But I will sit, with my mouth shut, and say nothing. I may even abstain from voting (giving lack of firsthand knowledge as my justification) if a vote to renew/not-renew the person's contract comes up.

But the thing is: criminy. I'm teaching 15 hours here. A couple days a week I approach having a 12-hour day on campus (one day a week I actually have it.) I am too busy and too tired (and getting too old) do deal with these kinds of things. I honestly can't tell if it's a real problem or if it's just a case of "I don't like this person, they rub me the wrong way(1) and I want to make their life miserable" or what.

(1) (The person in question CAN be abrasive. And has been a little whiny in the past, to the point where I was gritting my teeth to keep from saying something like, "Cowgirl up. We all have things in our life that are tough; we all get stuck with classes that are bad sometimes.")

I love teaching - some of my students this semester are a real joy. But I could do without some of the petty politicking.

ETA: There's been a short-notice meeting called for tomorrow. And the person in question is not on the e-mail list. Ugh. Lord grant me strength, and give me the wisdom to keep my fool mouth shut.