I learned from teaching that the really important stuff should be at the beginning of class, before students’ minds (and often bodies) wandered off. Therefore, thanks to all of you for all that you did this past semester in teaching, research, and Extension. Graduates used the exit interviews to praise both our undergraduate and graduate programs. Research publication quality remains high, and involvement in large, issue-oriented grants shows that everyone gets it in terms of the future sources of research funding. Even with cutbacks, Extension continues to provide the knowledge-based educational materials and decision tools to help people in Kansas, the U.S., and around the world in addressing vital agricultural, agribusiness, natural resource, and development issues.
So, great job!
Odds and Ends
Thanks again to the Undergraduate Committee for modifying the Student Learning Objectives for our undergraduate program. Addition of international trade, globalization, and awareness of natural resource and environmental issues should strengthen the department’s attraction for students across campus, as well as prepare our students for life on the outside.
Mike Boland will serve as the chair of an ad hoc committee this spring tasked with reviewing undergraduate classes and programs of study. The first meeting for the committee is January 21st at 11:00 a.m. Mike intends to make the process very open, and will include several brown-bag discussions to make sure everyone’s thoughts are aired in the review process.
Thanks to Arlo for agreeing to serve for one more year (2010-2011) as the department’s Undergraduate Coordinator. Hikaru has expressed a strong interest in serving in this role, and will become the Coordinator after her return from next year’s sabbatical. Arlo’s offer of services to help Hikaru learn the ropes will be greatly appreciated.
For those of you preparing course syllabi for the Spring, please be sure to follow the K-State guidelines by including the verbiage suggested on the Provost’s website:
http://www.k-state.edu/provost/policies/course.htm . In addition, following College guidelines, you should also include: (1) any Gen Ed requirements that the course meets, if applicable, and (2) departmental Student Learning Outcomes addressed in the course.
Most of you know that John Crespi is off to Berkeley for a spring sabbatical leave. Sean will serve as the Graduate Coordinator during John’s absence. Currently, the Graduate Committee has recommended admittance and funding for several excellent new students to start next fall (plus a few new students in January as well). Funding will be used to attract the best students to the M.S. and Ph.D. programs next year. If you have grant funding and are in the market for a good GRA, Cherie has copies of the admitted students’ application materials for your perusal.
Bob and Andy have both been accepted as presenters at the Faculty Teaching Retreat on January 12th. Information and registration materials for the workshop is available at: https://www.ksu.edu/catl/fete/.
Shannon Washburn will present a warm-up for the campus-wide event by leading a teaching workshop for the department on January 11th, from 10:30 till noon, with lunch provided. The workshop will be held in Waters Annex. Since we will be ordering in lunch, please let Judy know if you will be attending.
Monday, December 21st, is the day for the Annual Sharing of Snacks Festival here in the department. Please bring snacks to share if you wish. Food will be available throughout the day in the Conference Room. There may be an exogenous shock to the food supply at noon for those who wish to share lunch in the Conference Room.
Upcoming important dates:
Uploading of progress or termination reports to the CRIS database must be completed by January 8th, 2010.
Performance reviews for 2009 and plans for 2010 must be submitted electronically (with hardcopy addenda as needed) to Judy by January 5th, 2010. Judy is scheduling meeting times for individual reviews for the January 19th – 29th (though dates outside of this range are possible if necessary).
And once again, for those of you who made it this far, have a great holiday and a happy new year.
Dave