At the Gate

Although classes no not start today, today is the first day of the official school year for faculty at My U. Our Dean has called us for his annual pre-semester meeting this afteroon. Tomorrow is full of pre-semester meetings for departmental things. Wednesday, classes start.

I had also forgotten how many committees I am on (part of the academic life, I am afraid). I have scheduled two meetings this week to pre-meet before the actual committees meet, so that I can create an agenda for the committee meetings to come.

Yesterday, I spent nearly three hours in my office, rearranging books and papers into some semblance of order for the coming year. After the mess it had become, thanks to a new bookcase and the inheritance of a friend's 19th-century materials, this is a huge relief.

I know most people think professors spend all their time, well, teaching. Not so. Academic life includes teaching but also committee work, advising, research and writing, and endless meetings. We're just like everyone else in that respect.

Oh, and preparing to teach.

Today's agenda: meeting #1/pre-committee, Dean's meeting, post-Dean's meeting get-together with colleagues, finishing touches on Class #2's weekly schedule.

Tomorrow: Departmental lunch and meeting, finishing touches on Class #2's semester's assignments, finishing prep on first day meetings for Class #1 & 2, pack bike for Wednesday's commute, re-check all websites for semester's schedules/assignments/documents.

And.... we're off!

Pearl