Stunner!

I got an email this morning from my department chair saying that he was stepping down at the end of the semester and that he would be leaving my university to accept a job at another university. I was stunned. My chair has always had a rebel/cynical side to his personality, particularly as he talks about administrators, but I never saw this coming. During one of the retreats over the past couple of weeks, we were talking, and he asked me if I felt appreciated and if I ever thought about moving to a more research-intensive university. That conversation makes much more sense now, since I'm sure he had an offer at that point. It's interesting to think who will be taking over in January. We have a new Dean as of this summer, and so to have a new chair also makes the future a little uncertain. I feel like my university carefully balances teaching and research. While most people respect that balance, I know that there are people in my department that would prefer a stronger teaching bias, and I hope that the new chair does not fall into that camp.

But more than being destabilizing, it's a little sad. Nobody's perfect, but for all his faults, I really liked him. He was dedicated to our department and would "fight" for us if resources seemed scarce. More than that, he supported me in my research and teaching, and he understood my sense of humor (slightly sarcastic and cynical).

Dr. Chair, you will be missed.

Classes Under Way

All of the classes I'm teaching meet on Mondays, so Monday was a pretty hectic day. Especially given the students that were also begging to be let in to the first class. My other two classes went really well. I think Mondays are going to be pretty long days throughout the semester, but it makes the rest of the week a little easier.

Yesterday, I met with the director of a nonprofit in the area who I was hoping to recruit for my organizational communication analysis class. This director was great, and when she heard about the professor who had given me her contact information, she was especially enthusiastic about participating. So, I've now got two nonprofits on board for that class, which is exactly what I was hoping.

All in all, a great start to the semester. I meet one class today and the other two tomorrow. Then a long weekend. The universities that I attended for my undergraduate and graduate degrees didn't take Labor Day off, so it's nice to be at a place that does. Especially with all of my classes meeting on Mondays!

Wait Lists

I met with my first class this morning. I am teaching a class that is required of all of our majors in the most popular time slot of our schedule, which means that I had the students who were enrolled plus those that were on the wait list and were smart enough to show up in case there were any open spots. Interestingly, I actually ran out of chairs today. Part of the problem is my departments because they only create enough sections for the number of seniors that year, which means there is little room for maneuvering by students. Most of the problem is that everyone wants to take the class in the fall so they can have an easy semester in the spring of their senior year. And most of them want this time slot. The class is enrolled to the limit, but I'm probably going to allow at least 2 of the students that are wait-listed to be in the class. Besides, I have too much free time this semester--I need a couple of extra papers/assignments/tests to grade!

Finally!

The marathon wait is over. Just shy of 12 months, the manuscript that I had under review since last September has received a decision. And the decision is a great one, by my standards. One reviewer torched the paper and said that it should be rejected. The other reviewer really liked the paper and recommended that it be revised and resubmitted. The editor told me that she agreed more with the second reviewer and that if I revised the paper, she would only send it to that reviewer. Not only that, I don't really think the edits will be that substantial. The reviewer pointed out several things that I had not noticed, and I think the end result will be a much better paper. While this paper was under review, I collected more data, so the sample size will be larger as well. It's nice when it all comes together. Finally.

New Graduate Students

I get to meet with our new graduate students today at their orientation. I'm kind of excited about it. We've got a pretty large class this year--11 students (which is larger than we've had since I've been here). Three of those students are part of our accelerated Master's program, where students take graduate classes during their senior year and finish a bachelor's and master's degree in 5 years. At first, I wondered if this wouldn't be seen as the easy way to get a master's degree, but having watched students go through it last year, I think it's quite a bit tougher than the traditional way. Whereas a traditional student might be taking a minimal load and adjusting to the increased expectation of graduate school, these students are taking 15 or 16 hours as well as completing graduate requirements in some of those classes. I teach a communication theory that is usually the first class that our master's students take. I'm not particularly looking forward to grading that many papers for the class, but I am very excited about the prospects for discussion--from everything I've heard, it should be a pretty lively group.

Classroom Technology

I am interested to know what other people do about students' use of technology in the classroom. I'm not talking about the obligatory use of PowerPoint by professors. I'm referring to practices of surfing, IMing, and texting during class. I know other teachers who say "no laptops allowed" in class. Being untenured, I'm not brave enough for that. I have a statement in my syllabus that discourages electronic distractions and says that I reserve the right to forbid them. I heard about one professor who became Facebook friends with his students so that he could find their IM screenname and send a message to stop IMing (without missing a beat from his teaching). The IT people at my university have indicated that I may soon have the ability to "switch" on or off the wireless access in my classroom. (I would love to be in the middle of teaching and switch off access--it would only be surprising once, but the looks on students' faces would be priceless!) This morning, I read this syllabus statement about "multi-tasking" in the classroom that I really liked. I've already printed my syllabi for the Monday, but I'm thinking about circulating this statement.

Almost through "Orientation"

I just read this wonderful post on the word “retreat." I wonder if they teach you at "adminstrator school" that calling an all day meeting a retreat makes people think that they are not at a meeting. At any rate, most of my retreating is done now. I had a breakfast training session to discuss how to effectively mentor new faculty, which was actually a productive and important discussion. The only thing left for this week is my presence at a series of new student orientation exercises. This afternoon, there is a time for communication majors to meet with professors. I don't think there's much value at all in me going, but it seems like it would be "noticed" if I do go. Then, Friday there is an orientation for new graduate students, and since I am teaching one of the first classes the graduate students in my department take, it seems like a good idea for me to go.

Another Day of Meetings

Whereas last week was filled with lots of meetings with my department, today is an all-college meeting and department break-out times in the afternoon. We'll hear from the new dean this morning as well as a special speaker on some topic of interest. Fortunately, the afternoon session is typically less intense for our department than others because of last week's "retreat." I love seeing everyone back and ready for the school year to begin, but sitting through speakers seems agonizing, even when they are good speakers with useful information. On the plus side, I'm on my way to breakfast, and it's the best breakfast of the year!

Mentoring and People Who Need Mentoring

I've been asked (and I accepted) to be a mentor this year to a new faculty member at my university. It's a little weird that I have only two years under my belt, and I am trying to give advice to this new person. But maybe the person that is in charge of the program knows something I don't. My mentee seems like a nice person. They mix up departments so that you aren't paired with someone you normally see anyway. That has advantages of fresh opinions, but it also means that one of us will be trekking to the other's building for lunch or coffee from time to time. And it means that me sitting in on his class and vice versa may not be as meaningful. I'm excited about the opportunity to do this, though. It's a nice way to give back, it will probably help me better know what's going on in the university, and it's a good way to meet other faculty.

I got a review back from a journal yesterday. The editor gave me a third revise and resubmit. One reviewer is still not happy with the manuscript. This reviewer is the same one who asked for GFI and other statistics that are not used in SEM anymore. This time, the reviewer asked me to use confirmatory factor analysis to let factors emerge from the data, which is condemned in chapter 1 of almost every introductory SEM textbook. The reviewer said that it would be the "gutsy" thing to do. He/she was full of nuggets like that. My subject needs to "grow up." He/she was "exceptionally bothered--almost perturbed" by one aspect of the manuscript that he/she had not noticed before (complained that this was missing from manuscript, but told me in the first review to delete it). My favorite comment was, after a few introductory sentences praising the changes I had made, he/she transitioned to critique with "Now, what do I find problematic in this manuscript?" I don't mind healthy critique. It's not my favorite part of my job, but I know that my research needs it, and I know that it's a vital part of academia. And this reviewer did offer some helpful tips for cleaning up a table and has provided each review in less than three months (better than some). But I don't think that he/she will be satisfied until the manuscript fits some agenda, and he/she uses sarcasm to encourage me to get it there (and I only put about half of the borderline-sarcasm in this blog). Of course, I will revise the manuscript. I've invested too much time to not, and I have other articles waiting on this one. It will be interesting to write a response letter. I've already decided that I probably won't respond to the sarcasm/arrogance, but I have to write it in such a way as to argue for my position on thing that I'm not giving in on.

Assessing my teaching

So the “retreat” that my division begins each year with is over. Monday and Tuesday, we met and planned for the coming school year, and one of the big topics that we discussed was classroom assessment—proving how effective my teaching is. I am expected to be able to show at the end of the semester that students have achieved the objectives that I set for them in my syllabi and if not, how I will teach differently next time. Having been an assistant professor for only two years, I am not in a position to say that I have found the perfect teaching techniques. Far from it, I am constantly thinking how I can better communication a particular lesson, so that isn’t the problem that I have with this assessment talk. My disagreement is that it places the burden of proof on me. There is no sense that a student is also responsible for his or her learning. There is a growing attitude of consumerism in students, who feel that they have paid for their education, which entitles them to sit passively in a classroom while the teacher entertains and shows them how each skill or knowledge component being taught gets them a better job when they graduate. Assessment fits in with that mentality perfectly, but I think this is the wrong model from which to approach education. Don’t get me wrong. I am against the old sage on stage perspective. Tuition gets a student in the door. What that student does with the opportunity to learn is up to him or her.

Meetings begin today

This morning, I'm about to sit through two days of meetings. I'm near the back of the room, so there is definitely the temptation to stay on my laptop through the meeting. I've watched my students do that in class, and I can tell when they are not "taking notes" on their computer. So I should probably not try it...

The meetings today and tomorrow are my department's annual "retreat." Today, our chair will give a "state of the division" speech and we'll talk about assessment through the afternoon (far too long, in my opinion). Tomorrow, we'll be learning how to "podcast" our classes so that students that skip class can easily get caught up. It'll be a fun-filled time of sitting.

The nice thing about today is that it's great to see people again. After being separated all summer, it's nice to reconnect.

Choosing a Blogging Platform

This blog was developed on Blogger.com. I have another blog that I have also started on Wordpress.com, and it’s been interesting to see the comparisons between the two. Blogger is so much easier to use, and I really like the fact that I can access the HTML, which makes customizing the program so much easier (which is why I have three columns on this page instead of two). You can’t play around with Wordpress.com (the hosted version) like that, and I miss that flexibility. Blogger is also a little more user-friendly and intuitive. However, I feel like Wordpress does a better job of directing people to my blog—that blog gets more hits from Wordpress.com than this blog gets from Blogger.com. I wish there was a way to combine the benefits of both without the drawbacks. But just knowing something like that is interesting, given that I knew so much less about blogging a few months ago than I do now. I think part of the reason that I love my job is that I get paid to learn new things.

Organizational Communication Analysis (but a little organizational recruiting first)

One of the classes that I’m teaching this summer is Organizational Communication Analysis. Basically, it’s how to conduct a communication audit in an organization. I’m kind of excited about this class—when I interviewed, this was one of the classes they said I would be teaching. And there’s certainly opportunity to slip in some of my research into the data collection, which is kind of nice. Historically, the class has been taught as a service learning experience for students, where students are analyzing communication in a nonprofit organization. This benefits the students with an experience much better than any classroom exercise and with something they can put on a resume. It benefits the community by improving communication in a nonprofit organization that is providing services to the community. Lots of good things happening through this class project. The problem is that means that I have to recruit a nonprofit. I’ve already blogged about how much I like recruiting organizations for research. (I’m still working on that project, so available CEOs are still welcomed to email me.) Fortunately, I’ve connected with a professor who has a lot of contacts in the nonprofit industry, and she has helped me. I’ve got one nonprofit on board. Still, I’d really like to split the class into two groups and have each group study a different nonprofit. I think the comparisons would provide incredible fodder for discussions. So I’m trying to get one more nonprofit organization to buy-in.

Urgent Grade Change

One of the students that worked with me this summer turned in paperwork late and received an “I” for her work. She got the final stuff finished and emailed it to me about a day after I turned in the “I.” No big deal. This student worked hard, and I don’t have a problem changing the “I” to a good grade. The problem is that is something I have to do in person, on campus--it’s not an online change. But I’m trying to avoid campus right now, partly because of gas prices (the reduced demand that’s in the news—thank me) and partly because commuting time eats into the time I can use to get stuff done (and this is the final week of freedom from meetings). Again, no big deal. I’ve talked with the person that’s in charge of grade changes in my division, and I can fill out the paperwork next week when I have to be on campus for meetings. But it’s not that simple, at least not for the student. She gets an angry email from financial aid saying that her name will be stricken from the “approved” list because of the incomplete summer work. I think that we’ve figured out that as long as I complete the grade change by the first day of school, the financial aid office won't smite her and nothing else bad will happen. I have competing emotions from all of this. Having student-loaned my way through many years of college, I understand what the threat of losing that financial aid means to a student. At the same time, the paperwork was late. I sent four emails before her grade was due explaining the urgency of the situation. So I struggle with sympathy and indifference. Fortunately, all’s well that ends well. I will complete the grade change next week, two weeks before classes begin.

Waiting on Journal Reviewers

I have an article ready to send to a journal write now, but one of the citations is to another manuscript that I have under review right now (but not the 11 month review, fortunately). I’ve gotten two revise and resubmits on that manuscript, so I feel like it is close to being accepted. I would really like to cite the manuscript as “in press” rather than citing a conference paper version that is out of date. I wish reviewers were faster.

Under Review

I have an article that has been under review since last September. I normally start gently asking the editor for updates around 4-5 months after submission, but in this case, those inquiries have tended to fall on deaf ears. I got one update in March that promised a decision, but I haven’t heard anything. I recently called the editor, but he is at “his summer home.” I am at the point now where, I hate to pull out and have wasted a year, but I wonder when, if ever, I’ll get a reply. And if I get a revise and resubmit, how long will that take?! I think I’ve decided to rewrite the manuscript and wait to withdraw it until I’m completely ready to send it to another journal. I’m shooting for end of August so that it’s done before school starts and so that I can say I gave it a year.

Punctuation

You Are An Exclamation Point

!

You are a bundle of... well, something.

You're often a bundle of joy, passion, or drama. You're loud, brash, and outgoing.

If you think it, you say it.

Definitely not the quiet type, you really don't keep a lot to yourself.

You're lively and inspiring.

People love to be around your energy. (But they do secretly worry that you'll spill their secrets without even realizing it.)

You excel in: Public speaking

You get along best with: the Dash

An interesting diversion at What punctuation mark are you?