Inauguration Day Missive January 20, 2009

Inauguration Day Missive
January 20

Budget News
While I am still waiting for news on what cuts will need to be made this year by the Department and College as a result of budget issues I wanted to share a few items with you.

1.   Department chairs have been asked to conduct a thorough review of our budgets and faculty loads (including looking into all non-instructional load release time). At this time I am requesting you let me know by Monday, January 26th if you believe you will have release time for grants starting this summer and next year. Even if you are not sure a grant will be funded I will need to know.
2.   My thoughts right now is that our travel money will be significantly decreased next year. This is not good news.
3.   I am also being asked to look at ways to save money by combining sections of courses and deleting sections that have had low enrollments. This may impact our course planning and faculty schedules. Don't forget we are adding back in MWF courses for Fall 2009.
4.   Also, I know several of you have asked about summer courses but at this point I do not know what will be available.

Kudos
It is with great pleasure that I let you all know that Holmes Finch has been awarded Division 5 of the American Psychological Association the 2009 Division 5 Anne Anastasi Early Career Award. This award is presented each year to honor an individual who has demonstrated distinguished promise early in his or her career. We of course already knew this but this provides evidence that his colleagues around the United States recognize this as well. Holmes is invited to present a 10-minute address at the 2009 APA Convention and receive his award. Please be sure to congratulate Holmes when you seem him.

Teachers College Awards
I am now in receipt of the packet detailing the procedures for nominating faculty for TC teaching, research, and service awards. Please take a look at the materials available from Penny. I know we have many deserving faculty.

Lastly, for all of those who have asked my father is doing much better. While we have more surgery and chemotherapy/radiation to look forward to we believe he will make a full recovery. Thank you for your thoughts and prayers.

Have a nice week!

Lisa