Regular readers might remember that I am the newest member of the Liberal Arts Computer Science (LACS) Consortium. (An earlier post responded to the 2016 annual meeting.) As the newest member, I was invited to host this year’s meeting. Some joked with me that this is hazing, but more accurately it’s paying my dues to an organization that truly depends on the contributions of all its members. It is also the host’s privilege to invite guests of her choosing from both her own institution and others. Finally, I’ve also been invited to host other professional meetings at Whitman in years to come. My experience hosting LACS—a small group who I know fairly well—makes me more confident I can do so. Continue reading
Category Archives: Administration
Visiting speakers
I was so busy this spring that I didn’t blog on our three wonderful visiting speakers! I did not post about them in the CS @ Whitman group on Facebook either—an oversight I will rectify in the future. In the meantime, here’s a brief summary of those three visits, with thanks to those who made them possible, and a glimpse at what may come in the fall.
Pre-registration for Fall 2017
In what has become a tradition, I report on pre-registration for next semester. The highlights:
- Major declarations are off to a strong start.
- With the exception of Data Structures, our classes filled.
- Two courses have long waiting lists, and one of them needs a response.
Pre-registration for Spring 2017
In what has become a tradition, I report on pre-registration for next semester. The highlights:
- Enrollments blew up at the 200-level.
- Enrollments in CS 167 and two out of three 300-level courses are strong but not overwhelming.
- Enrollments in Algorithms are underwhelming, but we’re not worried about it.
Pre-registration results for Fall 2016
Gentle readers, last time I left you with a cliffhanger:
Will Whitman CS be overwhelmed by students in Fall 2016, underwhelmed, or both at the same time?
The answer is both—though not too badly in either direction. Here are the numbers as of the conclusion of pre-registration for rising second-year students:
Prospective students and pre-registration
I’ve heard colleagues describe April as “the month of a thousand nights” because of all the senior recitals, shows, celebrations, and so on. April is also the month of admitted student visits and fall pre-registration. Next year I need to account for all the time in April I’ll spend just talking with current and prospective students.
Pre-registration for Spring 2016
Spring 2016 pre-registration ended a week ago last night. After considering how Whitman’s system compares to Grinnell’s, I will discuss the build-up, the enrollments, and the aftermath.
Institutional relationships
When I was a newly minted assistant professor at Grinnell, at first I didn’t know many people beyond my department and the other new faculty. There were the Dean, the division chairs, and the HR representative I met during my interview. I’m sure I met a librarian and some folks from Student Affairs during New Faculty Orientation. But there were whole offices I would only gradually become aware of during the nine years that I spent there.
Starting a new program at Whitman means getting to know these folks very quickly. I’ve sought some out, and some have sought me out. This blog post will address my relationships at Whitman thus far.