Sunday, January 24, 2010

questions of the day

1. Even though I don't teach until noon tomorrow, should  I go in around 8 am just to make sure I escape the hell that is first-day-of-the-semester traffic? I could get some work done in my office and then leave around 2 pm. Or, should I wait  until 9 or 10 and ride with TH (who parks on the other side of campus with ease, but will drop me by my bldg anyway) and then stay later in the day to get work done? Alternatively, I could wait until 11, drive to my parking lot/building and just hope a few folks with early morning classes have left, leaving me a parking spot--and then I can get out of Dodge whenever I please.

2. Why is the super-close food court on my side of campus now completely bereft of a vendor with a good french (or italian) roast? This really makes me want to send a complaint to the campus food services people. I will be in my office far more infrequently now, and more on the other side of campus where good coffee is brewed and sold.

3. My big lecture class of 140 will not be receiving a hardcopy of their syllabus. I will be posting it to the course site tomorrow and  also sending it by email for their printing-pleasure. Here is the question, should I send it tonight or tomorrow morning? If I send it tonight, I might have to set my email to automatic out-of-office reply, because chances are good that 20% of the recipients (at least!) will immediately write with questions about its content or ask if they have to come to class anyway, etc.  If I don't send it tonight, some students will not be able to get it printed in time for class and will be upset that they don't have a hardcopy (even though I will be projecting a digital copy on the screen).

4 comments:

participant-observer said...

send tomorrow.

as long as you have a digital copy they can look at there should be no complaints!

Anonymous said...

I say, Phuck it all; have a glass of wine and relax while you still can!

P said...

Well my responses are too late, but here you go anyway:

1) I have worked hard to identify optimal writing times (which vary for everybody). The most productive time of the day for me to write/research (i.e. do non-teaching "work") is between 9-12 or so. If I start later than this, I struggle. So I would say, figure out when you are most productive and go from there?

2) Is it time for a personal (in your office) coffee maker? I ask this without having "gone there" myself yet, although I really should.

3) I like the idea of emailing it on the morning of classes. Or even just keeping it available online (Blackboard or its equivalent). Then on the first day of class, go over the syllabus (projected onto a big screen)? You might end up saving paper. How many students print *and hold onto* their syllabus? (In my discipline, not as much as I hope...)

Welcome back to the semester!!!

auto ethnographer said...

Thanks for the suggestions, all. I sent the syllabus out this morning before leaving the house (rode in with TH, and hitched a ride home with my department chair a bit earlier than TH would have left campus). And Pocha, they are indeed only getting a digital copy (our department is trying to wean students and faculty off of hard copy syllabi).