Emotionally Damaged: Living With Job Burnout - PTSD - Open Memoir - Chapter 1

It was July 18, 1963, when I began working at West Virginia University. It had been an easy choice for me. It was the closest major employer within driving distance. I car-pooled with my sister, Marlene, who worked in Morgantown as well. 

My first job found me behind this large building and in the basement... See those steps of the left? Well, walk across the walk, go down the steps and turn right into the basement. Look to the right and you'll see the post office for the campus! (See Also Appendix I.)

I was hired to handle two duties. Secretary to the Assistant Director of Personnel and Records Clerk. I very much enjoyed working there and, when, the Director's secretary moved to join her husband in Pittsburgh, she had trained me to become the Secretary to the Directory.

During my time in Personnel, I was also elected to serve on the newly created WVU Staff Council. This was comprised of two representatives from each of the recognized classifications on campus; e.g., clerical, technical, service, etc.

Mr. Serpento became Director of Personnel at the time I also was being promoted to the secretarial position. Mr. Serpento was one of the best bosses I've had. He allowed me to act on my own for the majority of time... I remember once I was working to compile, edit, and publish a new WVU Handbook. That's where I first developed my experience as a proofreader. And began to build a reputation.

When I discovered a somewhat major error in continuity, I brought it to Mr. Serpento's attention. He looked at me and recommended I put the issue in a memo and send to Miss (Louise) Keener, who was the chief financial officer at that time (Controller). I remember quite well the comment she made to my boss when he went to the next meeting with those writing the handbook. "I've never had a secretary who would take the initiative to question the writing of those writing policies and procedures." Yes, I corrected the Handbook error before it was published.

During that time, I also began to develop my research skills. Our Office routinely received a bulletin from the National Bureau of College Affairs, which provided all the significant changes from the federal government. I began to read and highlight all those that would affect WVU in any way. At that time, for example, the Accessibility Act was coming into use. I saw that it was coming and kept track of new and related developments. 

This prepared me, later, when I moved into Facilities Planning and Management where I was responsible for ensuring all the classrooms on campus were made accessible for all issues of disabilities. More on that later.

However, first, after working in Personnel for 5 years, I applied for the highest secretarial positions on campus and was hired to work for the Provost (at that time there was only one), who was part of the central administrative leadership of WVU. I was hired and worked with Dr. Munn until he retired as Provost to return to just Director of University Libraries.

Also, during that time, a new Provost for Instruction was hired and Jay Barton was named. His secretary was the one who came to me, when she was leaving, and asked if I'd like to be considered for her position.

I was hired! And, I felt I was now in the "big time" for secretarial work. Dr. Barton was an enthusiastic and energetic new member at WVU. I was used to coming in early, due to still car pooling. Well, as soon as he saw me arrive, he called me in (around 7:15-7:30). He would dictate letters, scheduling needs, requests for pulling files, etc. He dictated enough in one hour before he went off to all the meetings that was scheduled that day--I gave him a typed small card to carry)

The thing was...he would dictate in one hour what could actually take about a week to accomplish! So I was always catching up, because the next morning, of course, I'd be in taking new notes. Soooo, I quickly learned how to deal with him... You see, there is no way that a secretary could project what he wanted to be prioritized as high during that morning session. So, if he asked about something not yet done, I would just go ahead and do it and get it to him, stopping whatever it was that I had previously been doing before he asked for something. To me, it was exhilarating! My speed for shorthand was growing, my ability to act under pressure was necessary, and when he went off to another country during a summer, he left me totally in charge of handling things... I loved working with Jay Barton!

But once again, somebody approached me for a new job. It was Bill Campbell, director of a newly created office of Facilities Analysis and Utilization, including classroom scheduling. I would still be reporting to Dr. Barton on all things academic... And I took the job.

During my tenure in this Office, I at first handled the secretarial duties, which were light, since I was primarily hired to handle classroom scheduling. A secretary was soon added and another individual at that time was handling the creation and maintenance of a university facilities inventory. By the time, ongoing changes were made, adding new responsibilities, I was upgraded, first, to Manager and then to Assistant Director...

Another reorganization took place which eliminated the former University Architect Office, and placed the responsibilities under Mr. Campbell as, now, Director of Facilities Planning and Management.

And then it started... A new Assistant Vice President for Facilities was named. Bill Campbell, who was also a great boss, was "moved upstairs..."

Note: This begins the actual manuscript of this book, creating chapters, etc. Previous or new, related articles will be placed in the Appendix and ultimately will be referred to as being connected to any specific chapter. See first example, connecting Appendix I to this Chapter.