education
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Tales From the (Mental) Institution #2: Military Veterans are Scary People
During my first all-faculty meeting in the school auditorium, there was a presentation about a new program the university was introducing for returning veterans. All told, it meant that there was the possibility that an influx of nontraditional students with… Continue reading
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Tales From the (Mental) Institution #1: The English Bulldog
Dr. Elson Carpenter was a senior member of the English department. The reason is that she probably annoyed everybody else into finding work somewhere else. I never had any direct contact with Carpenter, but her presence in faculty meetings was… Continue reading
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Why Bother Knowing What Classes I Need to Take?
This article will sound like I am waving my cane at the clouds, but I am perplexed by how students seemingly don’t grasp the importance of registration. They come to my office and have no clue about what classes they… Continue reading
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Is it a Break or an Extended Vacation?
Classes resumed after spring break, and I was unpleasantly surprised by the number of empty seats in my classroom. I wasn’t too shocked about this in my early morning class. Most of the time, when students miss this class, I… Continue reading
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I Hate Playing the Game: The Academic Conference
Due to a plague spreading through my household, I decided to provide an excerpt from my novel. It explains why I am not the biggest fan of conferences. Enjoy or don’t. I don’t care. I was always told in graduate… Continue reading
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What Can I Do To Bring My Grade Up?
This line is one of the most popular utterances a professor will encounter in their careers. It is a simple question with several complex layers attached to it that there is no single proper answer. One thing is for certain,… Continue reading
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Mirth in Misery
My current institution recently held its annual “State of the Union” address for the employees. I am learning that this is a necessary evil at some places because they can be pep rallies or funeral wakes. The administration touched on… Continue reading
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This isn’t Shawshank.
Every semester, I receive accommodation notices from students regarding their educational needs. It seems like each year, I receive a more extensive list of students who require extra time for assignments and extra exam time, among other things. I understand… Continue reading
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Working at a Transparent Institution
If there is one thing I cherish above all else at this point in my career, it is transparent leadership. I have worked at some institutions where there was the illusion of transparency. In truth, cinder blocks offered better transparency… Continue reading
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The Kids Are All Right
Sitting in another faculty meeting (which is always about as fun as a COVID-19 test), I heard the old refrain from another faculty member about the current condition of our students being the worst that could possibly be out there.… Continue reading
Failing Upwards 