Duty

(The conversation between the young lecturer and his department head continues.)

"Oh, yes, of course, I've got to teach students. It is also very important." K says, thinking that he knows what the chairman means.

"Em... You don't really need to worry too much about teaching. To tell you the truth, you don't need to teach very much. We've outsourced most of our students to other churches." L shook his head.

"How about postgraduate students?"

"I don't think you would have any. You know, the university is cutting down the quota of research student to many departments, including ours. Well... they say that the total number of quota stays the same but they are allocated to dedicated fields of research excellence. A positive feedback - the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. You know what I mean."

"I know, but, in that case, what is my major duty? As a theologian, I also work as a part-time clergy, but, from the department point of view, I don't think you want me to spend all the time listening to people's confessions?"

"No, of course not. The major things that you are going to do are to plan what you are going to do and review what you have done."

"What!?" For a moment, K imagines the man sitting in front of him is Humphrey Appleby.