Sunday, June 19, 2011

I'll bet you know someone like the students described in this article!

The article talks about "drifting dreamers," students with high ambitions but no clue how to achieve them, who practice "strategic management of work requirements -- that is, getting a degree with as little work as possible." Know anybody like that? (Not you, of course.) Btw, the article appeared in a Canadian online newspaper, but it's talking about U. S. students. http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/opinions/opinion/is-our-students-learning/article2062281/

Monday, June 6, 2011

living with the "generation gap" in the workplace

Instead of calling people above you in the organization "old farts" while they call you "slackers," you might get some new insight by reading this article on the generation gap in the workplace. http://career-advice.monster.com/in-the-office/workplace-issues/workplace-generation-gap/article.aspx

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Read the book, now, this summer

"School's out for the summer," sang Alice Cooper. So what are you doing? One thing you should do is get hold of a copy of the textbook you'll be using in your hardest course this fall (statistics, economics, chemistry?) and read it now, during the summer. By the end of the summer, you'll have read the whole book and be 'way ahead of the curve. Or, you could sit around doing little or nothing and just hope your GPA will improve.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

If you're a business student, here's what people are saying about you.

Want to know what professors really think about you? Read this article. It's a long one, but I think you'll either hate it or agree they got it right: http://chronicle.com/article/Business-Educators-Struggle-to/127108/
Let me know your reaction by posting a comment.

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Can you really think?

There's been a flurry of discussion among professors lately about teaching students to "think critically." What's that? Well, it means something a little different from one prof to the next, but basically it means teaching you to analyze a situation, including the data if any, judge the validity of facts or opinions you hear, come up with a solution to the problem or a position on the issue, and defend it well. Case studies in business and law are an examples of methods used to do that. Does it work? You tell me. Do you think critically, or just accept what's thown at you like you do when you watch Jersey Shores? If you graduate without being able to think for yourself, are you really an educated person? Think about it (critically)!

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Stop texting; rejoin the world

That's the headline of an article in the Daily Record (not a journal I usually read).  The author tells it like it is.  If you think there's something wrong with him when he complains about students texting, you really need to read this article: http://www.dailyrecord.com/article/B3/20110324/NJOPINION03/103250319/1082/Charlie-Sheen-s-live-shows-fast-sellout/Dear-students-Stop-texting-rejoin-world?odyssey=nav%7Chead
Leave a comment here to let us know whether you agree with his criticsim of freshman and sophomore college students.

Friday, February 18, 2011

How will the budget crisis affect you?

   The newspapers are filled with alarming reports on the state's budget crisis.  Included in the news is that the governor has asked our University to plan for a 10% reduction in our funding.  It seems likely that will happen. What does it mean for our students? For you?  Here's what I hear being gossiped about in the hallways and over coffee.
   Adjuncts and other professors with temporary positions could be let go.  So we could lose some valuable people.  The effect on you could be an increase in class sizes, as students who would have been in sections taught by adjuncts are crammed into other sections.  It's also possible that programs with low numbers of majors could be discontinued or merged with other programs, though current students already majoring in any affected program should be able to finish that program.
  Another possibility is that some administrators and support staff could be laid off.  That could mean you'll be standing in longer lines, waiting longer for action on your requests, etc.
  There is one possible effect that you might not notice but that would upset some professors.  Their research subsidized through reduced teaching load could be eliminated, with a corresponding increase in the number of courses they teach.  In other words, professor Jones (a fictional person), who currently teaches three courses, could be teaching four.  Jones may not like that, but it could actually benefit you (or not, depending on how good a teacher Jones is) as Jones replaces the adjunct who used to teach that course.
  All of this is conjecture at this point.  Keep tuned, as they say.  The next few months are going to be interesting

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Do you know about the "contract major?"

Suppose you'd like to change your major to fashion merchandising, or sports marketing, birdwatching, or whatever, but the university doesn't offer those majors.  You could enroll in another university, but that's a hassle.  An easier solution might be the "contract major."  (I don't know how many universities offer one, but mine does.)  The undergraduate catalog says, " a contract major is a coherent program of studies leading to a B.A. or B.S. degree, proposed by a student in consultation with a faculty adviser...The intent of the contract major is to allow students whose academic interests extend beyond existing majors sufficient flexibility to design a program of studies appropriate to their academic goals."  There are requirements to be met that I won't go into here; consult your advisor.  But a contract major just might be the solution you're wishing for.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Open your newly-purchased texts now!

My university starts classes next Monday.  Many of my students have probably purchased their texts by now.  (Yes, I know, they're expensive!  I hate that too.) Will any of them open the books to see what's inside, before the class starts?  Sadly, not many. If you're serious about your GPA and your education in a larger sense, you should open each text now and read a little, enough to get a sense of what's going to be covered in your courses.  Maybe something in one of them will confuse you, and you can ask about it at the first class.  That'll be a great way to impress the professor, whicih never hurts!