Archive for School
Fall teaching
I’m all revved up, for two professional communications classes (a requirement for students seeking their BBA’s in business) and one forlornly named “Technical Report Writing” class (primarily for students in the social sciences, but all are welcome). Over my August break, I made a few nifty revisions to the curricula.
Apropos: To those friends whom I tried to impress, earlier this summer, by claiming that the word “nifty” derived from “magnificent” – I apologize. The evidence wasn’t as solid as I had thought!
An editor’s help
An autumn evening, 1979: I was visiting the office of my university’s student newspaper to say hello to my colleagues. Joe Simon, the managing editor, was there. He told me he liked this week’s “Phaedrus,” my regular column, scheduled to appear the next morning. “I changed one word,” he said. “You said a woman’s lips were chartreuse.” Joe had a dictionary on his desk, open to C. I looked. “I trust you meant ‘ruby red.'”
I sure did.
“don’t condescend to the adults in your life, as a rule”
Linda Tirado is why I can never quit Twitter.
Y’all. My child. Has just told me. She can’t write an apology because she doesn’t know “what to write besides fuck you.” I have never been prouder and I can’t laugh because this is Very Serious Imagine in ten years when she’s protesting tho …
Students
Yesterday and today I have been viewing short videos that students in my three summer classes made about their projects. This has been the first time I have seen their faces or, for most of them, heard their voices. It has been an emotional experience.
Some help for Kwantlen students during the pandemic
A message from my university:
The Kwantlen Student Association [KSA] has donated $100,000 in emergency funding for students at Kwantlen Polytechnic University. To match this generous gift, KPU will also donate $100,000.
“The KSA always strives to represent its students, and we hope that with this donation, we can give students financial assistance to reduce financial hardships they might face due to COVID-19,” says David Piraquive, president of the KSA.
The funds will be available from March 30 to any student registered for the Spring 2020 term. Students are eligible for up to $250.
“During these unprecedented times, many people will face financial hardships and this includes KPU students. We are deeply grateful to the KSA for this generous gift, and we are proud to partner with them in this effort by matching their donation. Our collective efforts will help our students financially as they try to navigate the current situation,” says Dr. Alan Davis, president and vice-chancellor of KPU.
For students who require more emergency funding, there are other grants and bursaries available to students who meet specific criteria. For more information about student financial aid and to apply, visit kpu.ca/awards.
Additional message tweeted me from KPU:
Students can begin applying March 30, closer to the end of day. There will be a form on http://kpu.ca/awards. For more information please contact the student aid office.
I’ve sent this out to all my current students directly – and posted the message here for my former students who follow basil.ca.
basil.CA 