9/11 Celebration on Campus - Please read.

I've been quiet while we got our semester going, but something fascinating has come up. President Jordan has invited us to the "Sharing the Freedom" concert. The Concert will start at 6:30 at 9th Street park. go to www.mscd.edu/freedomconcert for details.

Why? IMHO, a root problem that we have is that the full time faculty do not know we're there, or do not take us very seriously. If we show in numbers we will demonstrate not only our presence on campus, but our support of the school. My wife and I will be there. Look for us. Anyone should be able to point out "Howie". Bring your lawn chairs and picnic baskets.

I think that President Jordan has done what he can giving the load on his shoulders. I've met the new Provost. My immediate impression is that she is an honorable woman and will do what's best for the school. By showing our support we demonstrate that we are a major part of the school and should be taken seriously.

Email me with any questions: flomberh@mscd.edu or hflomberg@gmail.com We want the administration to walk away commenting on the positive support that the Affiliate Faculty showed.

Remember: Keep it Positive

Howie

Info - auto insurance and writing center

A metro grad, John Silva, is a Farmers agent and has put together a program that we are invited to participate in - he offers an 8% discount on auto policies and a 5% discount on homeowners or renters policies. (303) 751-9400 or johnsilva@gmail.com. This discount is after all other discounts. - note - I have no business relationship with John or Farmers in any way. Oh and I asked - he does not do health insurance.

Also might I recommend the writing center. They have a superb support program for our students. They will come to a class and do a presentation. I'm quite impressed by their professionalism.

(303) 556-6070

KC 310

www.mscd.edu/~writectr

MetroLeads

I can't say enough about this program! It has changed the face of our school for the better. I believe the fifth class is in progress now. Get involved. For the curious and the Leaders, I've started a Facebook Group simple called "MetroLeads" join us!

Howie

But Seriously

How's the semester going?

More from the nimble pen of Russ Meade

Morning Friends!

As we start a new year, I always like to see how our incoming Freshman are different from us Baby Boomers simply to try to teach from their view and with their TOOLS.....

Yesterday, I mentioned something from the Vietnam era and was met with blank stares:):):)

I finally realized that Vietnam was as unknown to them as World War 2 and the Korean war is to us.

Though we KNOW that we Baby Boomers are the last COOL Generation ,we are different from them and do need to incorporate Web 2.0 tools, Social Net Working sites etc into our courses.

If you have any you use perhaps we can share!

We need to EDUCATE the EDUCATORS most times:):):)

This term I incorporated some Web 2.0 tools into my METRO UNIVERSITY classes and others as an optional tool and was " blown away by their response!"

They received no credit for it, they had " other" things to do but did it in numbers that stagger my addled mind. Classes that were closed a year ago still contact me and their online classmates! Now why do they do that?????

I STILL do not understand though why THEY Twit")")")

I hope you enjoy the following from Beloit College's Mind Set for this incoming class!

Have a great Semester

Russ ( the hippy Geek Prof!)

TEACHING THE Y GENERATION - VIDEO

Most students entering our college for the first time this fall were born in 1991.

1. For these students, Martha Graham, Pan American Airways, Michael Landon, Dr. Seuss, Miles Davis, The Dallas Times Herald, Gene Roddenberry, and Freddie Mercury have always been dead.
2. Dan Rostenkowski, Jack Kevorkian, and Mike Tyson have always been felons.
3. The Green Giant has always been Shrek, not the big guy picking vegetables.
4. They have never used a card catalog to find a book.
5. Margaret Thatcher has always been a former prime minister.
6. Salsa has always outsold ketchup.
7. Earvin "Magic" Johnson has always been HIV-positive.
8. Tattoos have always been very chic and highly visible.
9. They have been preparing for the arrival of HDTV all their lives.
10. Rap music has always been main stream.
11. Chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream has always been a flavor choice.
12. Someone has always been building something taller than the Willis (née Sears) Tower in Chicago.
13. The KGB has never officially existed.
14. Text has always been hyper.
15. They never saw the “Scud Stud” (but there have always been electromagnetic stud finders.)
16. Babies have always had a Social Security Number.
17. They have never had to “shake down” an oral thermometer.
18. Bungee jumping has always been socially acceptable.
19. They have never understood the meaning of R.S.V.P.
20. American students have always lived anxiously with high-stakes educational testing.
21. Except for the present incumbent, the President has never inhaled.
22. State abbreviations in addresses have never had periods.
23. The European Union has always existed.
24. McDonald's has always been serving Happy Meals in China.
25. Condoms have always been advertised on television.
26. Cable television systems have always offered telephone service and vice versa.
27. Christopher Columbus has always been getting a bad rap.
28. The American health care system has always been in critical condition.
29. Bobby Cox has always managed the Atlanta Braves.
30. Desperate smokers have always been able to turn to Nicoderm skin patches.
31. There has always been a Cartoon Network.
32. The nation’s key economic indicator has always been the Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
33. Their folks could always reach for a Zoloft.
34. They have always been able to read books on an electronic screen.
35. Women have always outnumbered men in college.
36. We have always watched wars, coups, and police arrests unfold on television in real time.
37. Amateur radio operators have never needed to know Morse code.
38. Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, Latvia, Georgia, Lithuania, and Estonia have always been independent nations.
39. It's always been official: President Zachary Taylor did not die of arsenic poisoning.
40. Madonna’s perspective on Sex has always been well documented.
41. Phil Jackson has always been coaching championship basketball.
42. Ozzy Osbourne has always been coming back.
43. Kevin Costner has always been Dancing with Wolves, especially on cable.
44. There have always been flat screen televisions.
45. They have always eaten Berry Berry Kix.
46. Disney’s Fantasia has always been available on video, and It’s a Wonderful Life has always been on Moscow television.
47. Smokers have never been promoted as an economic force that deserves respect.
48. Elite American colleges have never been able to fix the price of tuition.
49. Nobody has been able to make a deposit in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International (BCCI).
50. Everyone has always known what the evening news was before the Evening News came on.
51. Britney Spears has always been heard on classic rock stations.
52. They have never been Saved by the Bell
53. Someone has always been asking: “Was Iraq worth a war?”
54. Most communities have always had a mega-church.
55. Natalie Cole has always been singing with her father.
56. The status of gays in the military has always been a topic of political debate.
57. Elizabeth Taylor has always reeked of White Diamonds.
58. There has always been a Planet Hollywood.
59. For one reason or another, California’s future has always been in doubt.
60. Agent Starling has always feared the Silence of the Lambs.
61. “Womyn” and “waitperson” have always been in the dictionary.
62. Members of Congress have always had to keep their checkbooks balanced since the closing of the House Bank.
63. There has always been a computer in the Oval Office.
64. CDs have never been sold in cardboard packaging.
65. Avon has always been “calling” in a catalog.
66. NATO has always been looking for a role.
67. Two Koreas have always been members of the UN.
68. Official racial classifications in South Africa have always been outlawed.
69. The NBC Today Show has always been seen on weekends.
70. Vice presidents of the United States have always had real power.
71. Conflict in Northern Ireland has always been slowly winding down.
72. Migration of once independent media like radio, TV, videos and compact discs to the computer has never amazed them.
73. Nobody has ever responded to “Help, I’ve fallen and I can’t get up.”
74. Congress could never give itself a mid-term raise.
75. There has always been blue Jell-O.

Russ

Dr. Russ Meade
Criminal Justice
Do respond to me at russmeade@bellsouth.net for a faster reply.
828-243-8259 ( Cell)
*Students: Please always add your Course Name and Number in your Subject Line*. Thanks!

Just for laughs - brighten up your day

The Shoelace Site - way more than you ever wanted to know about shoelaces and the art of tying them

Introductions

Russ Meade left a good Idea - How about introducing ourselves:

I'll go first.

My name is Howard Flomberg, I teach in the Management department with side excursions to CIS and an occasional visit to Math/Computer Science. I am a Metro Grad ('74) and I've been Adjuncting since '78. I have over thirty years as a software developer and Database Admin. I came to Metro as one of the massive invasions on Vietnam Vets back in the early 70's. I stay for one reason. I feel strongly about the Metro mission. We are there for those who need us. We provide an excellent education. IMHO - President Jordan is wrong - We ARE a preeminent institution.

Next?

Monday and Tuesday

A bunch of us will be scattered around campus monday and tuesday so that we can help people find their way. please stop by and introduce yourselves. I'll be by the Mercantile (Einstiens Bagels) on Monday from 1:00 to 3:30.

As a matter of fact, you might want to be looking for that "Confused look" and help them out. Lets make their day a great day.

Howie

Questions from a Colleague

One of our colleagues, Tiffany Regan asked me to post a couple of questions. I think that they are excellent questions to start some discussion. Here they are -

Two topics that I would love to discuss on the site are in her own words:

1) Is there job security at Metro for adjunct faculty? For instance, if you teach 1-2 sections of a class in the fall, are you reasonably assured of having a section to teach in the spring? Do most of the ad. faculty work full-time or part-time?
2) What are the pros and cons of teaching public ed K-12 vs. college? I assume that some faculty have taught K-12, but that may not be the case.

Thank you Tiffany, I think that you're nailing some important area for discussion!

Howie

PS, her tag-line is great: Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. Margaret Mead

Wikipedia

Safa Suleiman sent me the following question:

I'm curious to know how my colleagues in the affiliate faculty feel
about Wikipedia. Since anyone can contribute to the articles the
chance of inaccuracies is high. Would you mind posting a question
asking if faculty ban or discourage the use of Wikipedia as a source
for papers, essays, etc?

This is an excellent question. I only allow it as a starting point for research. Anybody else?

Notes from the Affiliate Session today

There were about 60 Affiliates there and a lot of excellent information was shared. The Power-Points and some of the notes will be posted. I'll link them in as soon as I find out. However I detected a note of optimistic and positive enthusiasm from all the presenters.

There is a great website for the Education Technology Center that Dr. Potter has assembled: http://www.mscd.edu/etc/ The "Services" link is very informative. Dr. Potter is quite enthusiastic about linking the various groups on campus. I brought a set of phone numbers in and Dr. Potter will be including them.

Lee Combs (combsl@mscd.edu), the schools Legal Counselor, put together a presentation on the legalities that we face. I asked for a session for us with him. His talk about copyright was superb.

Percy Morehouse, the director of Equal Opportunity also spoke about the situations we might face. I recommend your checking out their website.

http://www.mscd.edu/facstaff/admin/eoo/index.shtml

Dr. Morehouse is quite amenable to open and frank discussion.

I also found out that this blog gets quite bit of attention from management. It is important that we let them know what we are thinking, in a positive manner, of course?

I also spoke to Ms. Porsha Black. Ms Black is in charge of issuing lockers. Her phone number is 303.556.5221. I'd move fast on these. They are going to be a scarce commodity.

Also - One of the presenters - a guy named Howie :( - apparently gave some misleading information about the Incomplete grade. I was called on the carpet politely and appropriately from Vonda Knox, The Provost's Executive Asst. I apologize. The Incomplete grade can be a valuable tool when needed. I implied that it should be avoided. I asked Vonda to send me a correction and I will post it. Thank you Vonda.

I Do wish you had all been there!

Howie

Notes from a Colleague

A colleague that I deeply respect had some difficulty getting on, so here are her comments. Note: if you have the same problems - just send them to me and I'll post them without any editing hf

We have tried in the past to get adjunct faculty to wear something
special on a certain day to stand out, whatever. The problem is
getting the word out. What mechanism would you have to do so for t-
shirt sales? Before anyone spends money printing them, consider the
probable lack of participation. Constance Wise

Second comment: I've just (after 4 years) discovered the ETC --
Educational Technology Center -- where they offer great support in
learning the new MSCD on-line software -- VISTA (used to be
blackboard, before which it was Web CT). Anyone interested in
teaching on-line should contact them: 303-352-4232. To ask them for
help, go to www.mscd.edu/etc/contact/serviceform.html Constance Wise

I have a crazy Idea

What if we set up one day this semester as Affiliate Day and we all wore something unique?

I don't think that anyone understands how many of us there are. We need to think of constructive, non-argumentative ideas to make that point. Would you folks spend a few bucks for a Metro Affiliate T-shirt, Cap or Pin?

Ok, this has nothing to do with Metro but...

So many of us use Firefox, I thought that you might want to read this column about speeding it up: Here