Back to Work!

Hoo-ray, the physical therapist says I can work again as long as I take frequent breaks and don't overdo it! Starting today, I am slowly working on updating my Fall classes. I figure it will take about a week.

Sadly, my Detective Fiction class, which I was really looking forward to, has been cancelled for low enrollment. Oh well, maybe things will work out the next time it's offered. In the meantime, that means I have only one class to prepare for Fall. Teaching four sections of freshman composition will be a LOT of grading, but it does cut down on the prep time.

I'm really annoyed with our Regents. They have changed our academic calendar and for the first time in years we'll start Fall classes AFTER Labor Day. That means exams will last pretty much until Christmas. Look at our schedule:

Sept. 8 -- Classes Begin
Dec. 14 -- Classes End
Dec. 15 -- Study Day
Dec. 16-22 -- Exams
Dec. 24 -- Grades Due

Yes, you read that correctly: grades are due on Christmas Eve. Christmas Eve! Apparently our Regents don't actually teach and never have. Bah! Humbug! It's going to be a LONG fall semester and a very short Christmas break...

Go Blue!

After a miserable start to the season, Michigan made a huge comeback yesterday in the second half of the game against Wisconsin. I was literally about to turn off the TV in depression and disgust when Michigan intercepted then scored 4 touchdowns in 12 minutes. That's what I expect from the Wolverines!

I nearly had a heart attack when Wisconsin got a touchdown with 13 seconds to go, putting them just two points behind Michigan. Fortunately for us, there was a penalty on their two-point conversion (which would have tied the game), and then they missed the two points. Whew!

Read the details of the game on My Go Blue Football, The Michigan Daily, or The Big Ten Network.

Good comeback, Blue. Bo would be proud.

Photo courtesy of The Big Ten Network.

Before and After

Fall semester started Wed., Aug. 27. They weren't quite done remodeling the English Department when we moved in Tues., Aug. 26. My furniture all ended up in my office but I have no phone or computer access (Ethernet or wireless)! We're all hoping things will get better next week.

The second floor of French Hall looks quite different since the Big Remodeling.

Here's what the Foreign Language hall looked like in Feb. (photo courtesy of my colleague Fred):






















And here's what it looks like now:


























Here's the English Department hall looked like in Feb. (photo courtesy of my colleague Fred):






















And here's what it looks like now:


























Quite a difference, eh? The change from green wallpaper in the halls and light tan paint in the office to bright white paint everywhere has made a huge difference in the amount of light reflected. It's so bright!

I'll be glad when the computer access is fixed so I don't have to leave my department to use my laptop!

French Hall Remodeling

French Hall, the building where my office and classrooms are located, is under construction. The central portion is blocked off and only two hallways are open.

Here's the Foreign Language hall (photos courtesy of my colleague Fred):






















Here's the English Department hall:






















Interesting, eh? The overhead lights disappeared with the drop ceiling and we are amused by the temporary coal-mine style lighting. (If you can't tell from the photos, the lightbulbs are in cages on a heavy extension-cord type line, strung along the hall at ceiling level.) When I look at all the steel above the ceiling level I am amazed that my cell phone works at all in this building!

This phase of remodeling should be done around the end of this semester (April). Then they'll start on our hall: rearranging walls, painting, recarpeting, etc. I'm glad I'm not teaching spring or summer semesters and will miss all the mess, but it will be weird to pack up and leave my old office and come back to a brand new one!

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While Googling "French Hall" for external pics of our building, I found a few related links:

French Hall Renovations (with a really nice external photo)

The University of Michigan-Flint on Wikipedia (who knew?!)

Whew!

Whew! Things are finally getting back to normal for me. When my uncle died, I spent that week at the funeral home and frantically preparing to teach my Winter semester classes (which started following Monday). Since the semester started, whenever I wasn't in class I was frantically working on the materials for my first Major Review, which I finished and turned in yesterday.

All professors do an annual review. Since I'm non-tenure track, our union requires a Major Review every 3-5 years. A Major Review covers the previous three years. I had to complete and present in a notebook:

A Summary
The Review Form
My Vita
My Teaching Philosophy
Syllabi for every class I've taught over the last 3 years
Student evaluations for every class I've taught over the last 3 years
My Analysis of Student Evaluations
My Analysis of My Successes and Challenges
At least one Classroom Observation by someone who outranks me (I included 3!)
Any Additional Materials

For additional materials I included a couple of assignment sheets, unsolicited feedback from students (letters, cards, e-mail, etc., about how I helped them, changed their lives, etc.), Golden Apple Awards (award certificates students can give to their instructors each semester), feedback from my Department Chairman and Director of Writing Programs on my previous reviews, and the papers I presented or published during the past three years.

Whew! I'm glad that's over. I'm really glad that since I turned it in I haven't thought of anything I should have included but forgot.

What do I get for all this? A promotion from Lecturer III to Lecturer IV, a raise, and more job security -- but I won't know for sure for about 2 months. The good news is that everyone who has seen the notebook tells me I have nothing to worry about. In the meantime, I'm glad to return to my normal stress/workload!

Wolverine Turnaround

Do you hear "Hail to the Victors" playing somewhere? You should because the Michigan Wolverines have done quite a turnaround since the beginning of the season. Yesterday they beat Purdue 48 to 21. Whew! Unfortunately, the game was only televised on stations we don't have, so I didn't get to see the game.

The University of Michigan NCAA News site and The Big Ten Network: Michigan seem to be good places to follow the latest Wolverine football news.

Michigan Redeemed!

Yesterday Michigan beat Notre Dame 38-0. Whew! Both teams had no wins when they faced off and that has never happened before.

I discovered that I could follow the game with the Internet feature of my new phone! I can track any team and when I added Michigan to the list, it gave me instant updates during the game including the score, statistics, etc. I never thought I needed to access the Internet on my cell phone but that is a pretty cool feature.

UM Game: Worst Loss in 39 Years

In case you missed yesterday's Michigan Game: Michigan fares no better this week. They lost to Oregon 39-7.

Hear that whirring sound? It's Bo Schembechler, Michigan's beloved "winningest" coach ever, spinning in his grave. The Wolverines have not won a game since Bo died last fall. That's only three losses (four, if you count Bowl games), but these last two were so embarrassing that Coach Lloyd Carr must be ashamed.

Come on, Blue, your fans know you are better than this. Get your act together and start winning for Bo!

Bo Schembechler 1929-2006

Bo Schembechler
1929-2006
Obit * Coaching Record

He was the "winningest" coach Michigan ever had. "He will always be both a Buckeye and a Wolverine and our thoughts are with all who grieve his loss," said Ohio State coach Jim Tressel.

Bo loved the U of M vs. Ohio State game. He no longer traveled to out of state games, so he wouldn't have been in Columbus tomorrow anyway, but I'm sure it will be a hell of a game. Both teams will play harder than usual, wanting to win for Bo -- and I'm sure Bo will be watching from the best seat in the house.

Rest in Peace, Bo. We'll always miss you at U of M.

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UPDATE: Sun. Nov. 19

OSU 42, Michigan 39. When my time comes, I'm sure I will die from heart failure during the last two minutes of a Michigan game. It was SO close!

Bo's funeral is today. According to the Ann Arbor News the public is invited to attend a viewing at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Ann Arbor, 12-3, today.

Tuesday "A Celebration of Bo's Life" will take place at 1:oo p.m. in at Michigan Stadium. (How appropriate!)

Memorial gifts can be made to support the Michigan Cardiovascular Center - Bo Schembechler Heart of a Champion Fund. Send contributions to:

UM Cardiovascular Center
300 N. Ingalls, #8B02
Ann Arbor, MI 48109

The Landmark

This is the newly-dedicated sulpture that celebrates our campus' 50th anniversary. Here's what it means, according to the official blurb:

"An outdoor sculpture commissioned by the Ruth Mott Foundation and the UM-Flint Alumni Society, and created through a partnership of local artists and community members, is part of the University's 50th anniversary celebration. The sculpture is designed to look like a large fingerprint from a distance-representing something unique to each person, regardless of race, creed, age or gender. Closer examination reveals that the work comprises cast porcelain pieces depicting the faces, quotes and signatures of historical and contemporary social reformers and civic icons. (Photo by Mel Serow, U-M-Flint)" More photos.

I intend no disrespect, but apparently modern art is lost on me. I thought it was just a big fingerprint behind some steps. I had no clue (until told) what it represents. What is the half-circle incomplete? What do the steps represent and where do they go? I can see how steps might represent the future, but I'm still wondering about that incomplete half-circle. (That will drive the engineer-types crazy!)

As a mystery-lover, I like the big fingerprint, but it reminds me of something and I can't figure out where I've seen it before. Hopefully, I'll remember eventually. In the meantime, since it's conveniently located between the theatre and the library, I'll have stop by and look for the porcelain bits in the fingerprint. Maybe that will help me figure out what it reminds me of, or at least give me a better idea about the meaning of the overall statue.

I suspect the real purpose of this thing is to give the students a place to lounge in the sun.

Get The Real Thing

All three campuses of the University of Michigan have stopped selling Coca-Cola products because of Ann Arbor students protesting Coke's alleged human rights violations in Colombia and India. Read about it at the Detroit Free Press and UM (Ann Arbor) web sites.

Diet Coke is my favorite beverage in the whole world (regular in the morning; caffeine-free after that). I don't mind bringing my own pop to work, but I do wonder why I can not find any evidence of the alleged human rights and an environmental issues the Ann Arbor students were protesting. Without evidence, this is just a bunch of students getting worked up over nothing and inconveniencing Coke drinkers on all three campuses as a result. I know they mean well, but their protests are unsubstantiated and therefore invalid. If anyone finds any evidence of their claims I want to see it!

Update Feb. 17: Despite UM's break with Coca-Cola and the alleged human rights and an environmental violations, Coke's stock (and presumably sales) remains steady, so banning Coke from UM has done nothing to hurt the Coca-Cola company. I wonder what the protestors hoped to accomplish?