In January 2017, John Muise, a contract instructor at St. Thomas University (STU), found out he was losing his job. Muise has been teaching through a “regular appointment position” for the past 17 years at STU, but to his surprise, he was told there was nothing more for him. The result is that he has lost his livelihood.
Muise was told that the loss was due to enrollment and economic issues. Whether that is entirely explanatory or not, the effect on Muise and his family has been hard. In this conversation, he reflects on the experience of losing his position, what it meant to him, the bigger picture message and more.