Book of D: The 🧡 and Center of the Center

Earlier this morning, our division boss came over to our area so we could follow him to the Student Activity Center (SAC). As it turns out, the furniture for the new Center for Student Belonging and Inclusion (CSBI), which is housed on the second floor of the SAC, arrived an entire month early. The furniture arrived and was set up yesterday. The new CSBI is a beautiful area. It used to be the gaming room, but the decision to move the gamers to a new center at the library was made by the university; that new gaming area is going to be a cool area, too. It has been a long, arduous process to get the gaming room renovated into the CSBI. The staff that is fortunate enough to move there is very excited. The furniture is nice and new. The area just needs to be cleaned (swept, mopped, and dusted), of which I so eloquently (or stupidly) volunteered to be the "lead." Not to clean, which is okay because no one is ever too good to clean, it's an honest living. My vol task was to contact the account manager, of the 3rd party cleaning company the U contracts with, and request that they please clean the CSBI. Anyway . . .

So, to my sheer and utter disappointment, I will not be joining my cohorts to the new CSBI. My role as the UTPB Coordinator of Health and Wellness Promotion is taking on new duties. I'm not sure yet what all that means and entails. Our boss has not been as forthright as we would like for him to be with several of us. I guess being "in the loop" is above our pay grade. There are two of us at the present area who did not "make the cut," per se, and will not be following our other colleagues to the CSBI. Both of us talked after the walkthrough with our boss, and we each expressed our disappointment at not being included in the move to the CSBI where students will be made to feel like they "belong" and are "included." I guess the sentiment of "belonging and inclusion" only applies to students and not to staff. Yeah, that was me being petty and a smart ass. But, am I not allowed to be. After all, for almost two years, I was told that my programs would be a vital part of the CSBI. Two of the newbies are going to the CSBI. I'm not mad at them; their programs are definitely vital and should be part of the CSBI, but I also have the right to feel indignant and despondent over not being included in the move. I knew there was a time when my role would change, but it has not been made clear to-date, so all I know is that I will be moving to the 4th floor near the counseling area. My boss called me on my office phone yesterday and asked how I would feel about "taking Stacie's old office" - to which I politely declined. Rest in peace, Stacie, I respectfully do not want your office. Poor Stacie has barely been gone a week, and the boss is already making plans for her office. That's just not very kosher or cool. You pick which one, but for me, it's both. Plus, it's cynical, trite, and vile to move so quickly after a person has died. But, that's the kind of boss we sometimes have. While he is highly intelligent, knowledgeable, and ambitious, his managerial and people skills are severely lacking. I am happy for my coworkers who do get to move to the CSBI. I won't act in a negative manner towards them or around them. It is what it is. Life happens when we're busy worrying for others. Bottom line, it's dire that we keep all eyes open when working at a university because who you know is as important as the degree that hangs on your office wall. Enjoy the pics.