Back to school for heads of (small) departments means:

• Plan your teaching for the semester. As usual.
• Coordinate orientation meetings.
• Write a report about how the department will nurture research in next year.
• Write a report evaluating the MA program.
• Follow up on reorganisation plans. Remind people we exist.
• Realise since everyone wants to use other teaching rooms than the one with the built in projector (because built-in-projector room has no windows and not enough seats for students) we now need more projectors. Frantic emails. Wish someone (like me) had thought of this earlier.
• Realise can buy new projector. Arrange for one to be bought and installed in pleasant teaching room. Consider where money will come from.
• Plan department seminars.
• Set up roster for leading writing group for MA students.
• Nag bookshop about more copies of dossier due to more students than expected.
• Make sure Facade is installed in computer lab.
• Arrange office space for people.
• Try to get some research done.

I’ve done or am doing most of these things. It’s under control. It just takes way more time than I wish it would.