Blogs

My college offers a January intersession. The idea is that students take a single class in a compressed timeframe. For the last few years, it has worked remarkably well for students who are already here. They can either make up for a slip in the Fall or start making headway on the Spring. Course completion rates have floated around the 90 percent range, since such a short timeframe doesn’t give much opportunity for life to get in the way. And anecdotal feedback from the faculty who have taught it has been glowing; they report that there’s an intensity that comes from “owning” the student entirely for a short time that lends itself well to certain types of classes.

I have a colleague who does not have an office. He is an an edtech leadership role in higher education, with over 20 years of experience managing a large and complex organization. During the time in which I have known this edtech leader he has had a couple of different offices throughout his campus, as his responsibilities are distributed across a number of units.

December is just around the corner. I think I might be in trouble.

Question: How can our office utilize social media to build community and enhance connections with students?

I was outside yesterday, enjoying some early fall weather after dinner with my son. I was pushing him on the swing, doing exaggerated “karate” moves and noises whenever I pushed him. He loved it and was giggling uncontrollably. The more he laughed, the more ridiculous I tried to make my moves. And in that moment, I realized something: I’m having fun, too.

A recent NY Times article by Cal Newport caught my eye. Entitled “Follow a Career Passion? Let it Follow You,” it hinted at an interesting take on career decisions.

When the Supreme Court heard arguments in Abigail Fisher's suit against the University of Texas last week, the focus was on the right of a public university to use affirmative action to ensure a "critical mass" of diversity among students. There is another aspect of this case, though, that warrants consideration, though probably not a SCOTUS decision.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about who I write for.