1451 Dean's Cabinet Meeting
Date- 11 April 2321
Time- 13:04
Location- Central Region, Central Academic City, MorningStar University, Conference Hall No.01
In the conference hall, all the members of the dean’s cabinet were assembled on the dean’s orders. Among them were Prof Lee and Prof Orian, the two contenders nominated for the Senior Prof position that had recently become available.
“Prof Orian, how did your research go? I heard you have been working on it for years now, Any results?” Prof Lee asked the lady Prof Orian in hopes of embarrassing her in front of their colleagues knowing that Prof Orian’s research for which she retreated for years was a failure.
The reason the Prof Lee was bent on embarrassing Prof Orian in front of their colleagues was that he believed it was unfair that they both were nominated as contenders for the Senior Prof position that had recently opened when he was the better fit for the position than Prof Orian.
Prof Lee believed that Prof Orian was not worthy of the nomination because she had made no new contribution to the research community and it has been years since she took classes to fulfill her role as Prof and her duty towards the students.
He believed that the only reason Prof Orian got nominated as a contender for the Senior Prof position was that she was a beautiful single-woman researcher in a field mostly filled by single and socially awkward men.
While Prof Lee, himself, had made a huge contribution to the research community by working as one of the lead researchers on the dungeon relocation project. Simultaneously he made time to take regular classes in University to impart his knowledge and experience to the future generation.
His dedication to his research and students was what qualified him to be nominated as a contender for the Senior Prof position that had become available. So he was pissed that his opponent was somebody like Prof Orian.
Considering that the Prof with the most votes will be given the Senior Prof position like choosing a winner in a third-rate popularity contest instead of choosing based on who has more merits and fit for the job, Prof Lee was already losing to Prof Orian. This pissed him off even more. Enough for him to publicly target Prof Orian.
“Prof Lee, I made little progress in my research. Thanks for asking,” Prof Orian gracefully answered. Attracting the attention of the nearby male dean’s cabinet members. They were all mesmerized by Prof Orian’s beauty making her the envy of the female dean’s cabinet members.
“Prof Orian, I did not know they called a failure as little progress in your dictionary,” Prof Lee mocked Prof Orian for lying about making little progress in her research when she had failed to produce the desired results. He targeted Prof Orian despite knowing that he will attract hostility from his male colleagues who are infatuated with Prof Orian.
“Yes, Prof Lee, in my dictionary failure is little progress as next time I know what not to do,” Prof Orian was not bothered by Prof Lee’s mockery, rather used it to teach him that failure was just another step towards success as long as you don’t give up. This instantly gained her more favor from the male professors who were already infatuated with her beauty.
Listening to Prof Orian’s comeback, Prof Lee’s face became unsightly out of anger. Then he lashed out saying, “Prof Orian, I heard you have registered to teach the dungeon exploration class for the upcoming first year. Good to see that you are finally fulfilling your duty toward the students.”
Prof Lee’s statement on Prof Orian neglecting her role as a professor immediately caused the professors infatuated with Prof Orian to look at him with disgust for saying something like that when he knew Prof Orian was busy with her research.
“Yes, Prof Lee, I have indeed neglected my role as a professor because I was preoccupied with my role as a researcher. Unlike you, I cannot multitask. I prefer to give my all to one job at a time. Since I have made a little progress in my research I plan to contribute as a professor now. I know this will not make up for neglection but I promise you I will give my 100 percent to these students,” Prof Orian gave Prof Lee a fitting answer which not only showed her in a good light but also slapped Prof Lee.
Seeing Prof Orian take criticism positively, the public opinion of her among her fellow professors, not just those who were infatuated with her, increased sharply.
Even the female professors who thought Prof Orian did not have to go through the same difficulty as them because she was beautiful began to think otherwise seeing Prof Lee publicly target her for her failure in research and neglecting the students.
However, seeing Prof Orian handle a bully like Prof Lee so skillfully without taking a single loss, the female professors forgot their jealousy of her beauty and began to idolize her for the smarts and strength she displayed in handling a workplace toxic bully.
Prof Orian’s actions not only inspired the female professors but the Dean that had just walked into the conference hall, who complimented Prof Orian saying, ” Well said Prof Sansa Orian, I was right to choose you as a cabinet member.”
Then the Dean took a jab at Prof Lee saying, “Besides, doing a half-ass job as a professor because you are juggling between your role as a professor and as a researcher is not fair for the students and research you are working on. It is better to neglect your duty towards students for a year and give them your hundred percent the next year than giving them a consistent 50 percent for both years.”
Dean criticized how Prof Lee was not doing any favor to the students or his research by multitasking as a professor and a researcher. Because the students deserve better, they require their professors to be present for them hundred percent.
This was why Dean agreed with Prof Orian’s decision to put her complete focus on her research doing justice to her job as a researcher. And then completely focusing on teaching students doing justice to her duty as a professor and the students who were dependent on her teaching.
After praising Prof Orian the Dean took a seat at the head of the conference table and then signaled his cabinet members to take a seat and announced, “The reason I have called you all for a dean’s cabinet meeting is to talk about the VR-Universe and the secrets it’s hiding.”