I am a Connoisseur of Academic Advice

I am a connoisseur--or perhaps a connoisseuse?--of academic advice. I read it avidly and judge it fiercely. I curate it, share it, and synthesize it. And now, I'm writing it. My first advice column, "The Art of 'No,'" was published in March in the Chronicle of Higher Education (with reprints in Chronicle Vitae and then, on April 14, in the print version of the Chronicle). Since I've read and loved the Chron for over two decades, this publication meant a lot to me. Kim Solga kindly blogged about it, and a journalist named Virginia Galt interviewed me for an article that ran in the Globe and Mail. People have told me that the column has been helpful to them, and I couldn't be more glad.

My follow-up column, "You Are Not a Public Utility," is set to run soon in the Chron. I'll post here when it's available. And I hope to publish more of this kind of work.

I've benefited so much from good advice--especially from people like Robert Boice, Philip Nel, Matthew Pratt Guterl, Wendy Belcher, and Karen Kelsky. I truly appreciate the value of this genre of writing, and I'm thrilled to contribute to it. It's wonderful to be able to pass on some of what I've learned.