are you the secretary?

[Galloway Cynthia M]

This has been an interesting thread and it is a bit of a relief to hear 
that this happens to other people.  I come into work at 7:00 a.m. to use 
the secretary's computer, since she has a 486 and I have an 8088.  Since 
I am sitting at her desk I can see the confusion to people who don't know 
me.  Who would expect students would be around at 7:00 wanting to make 
appointments with the chair, drop classes and leave things in the faculty 
mailboxes.

However, when I go to my own office upstairs with my name on the door, 
students will come in looking for Dr. Galloway and want to make an 
appointment with "him" when they see me in the office.  There is no 
question of confusion about a front or back office since there is just 
one.  I don't dress like a secretary, I'm the only Biology professor on 
the floor and we don't have postdocs so, I don't know where the confusion 
lies.  I think the students still cannot conceive of a women being "Dr."  
I am the only women in the Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Geology 
departments so the students do not come in contact with any other women 
sciences professors.  They also seem to have a hard time addressing a 
woman as "Dr."  I am usually "Mrs. Galloway" and I am not a "Mrs." either.

I guess I've gotten use to it but, every so often, I let it bug me.

Cyndy


-- 
Dr. Cynthia M. Galloway
Associate Professor 
Dept. of Biology
Campus Box 158
Texas A&M University
Kingsville, TX 78363

(512)595-3790
FAX: 512/595-3409