New Semester begins Monday

Time flies. Winter break is almost over and our "spring" semester begins on Monday. It might be spring by the end of the semester. I call it winter semester.

My courses didn't seem too popular, so I have a grand total of 11 students. I hope to pick up one or two more...or, at least not lose the ones I have. But, my plate is piled high with other forms of work, so this may be a blessing.

The courses are:

Theories and International Relations. This one is a readings course and directly tied to my teaching about IR theories at Malta. I'm revising a book on the topic, also a result of Malta. I will torture myself and my students with drafts of the new chapters. They get the old book, however, for free!

Environmental Diplomacy and Law. Last year I got a perfect "5" on my course evaluation "overall I would rate this course..." I'll be interested to see what happens this time around. I am changing a few things in light of what the students suggested last year. My husband points out that this is a pretty crazy strategy on my part. This one has 6 undergrads and 1 grad student. I think I may have to put the course on the "distribution" in order to make our normal minimum class size of 10 in the future. On the other hand, it is now on a number of our majors and has been added to the grad certificate in sustainability. I won't be teaching this one again until Spring 2013. The "distribution", in case anyone from Malta is reading, relates to the general education all students must take. At Tech, they take a core 4 courses [plus maths and sciences] and then take 15 hours (5 courses) of other courses in the social sciences, humanities, some business, some fine arts.

In any event, I'm looking forward to both of them. I'm only a little nervous about the small size. 8-12 in each would be better.

Election day 2010

This was the first time in my life when I walked out of the voting booth and didn't feel great. Normally, win or lose, I like to vote (and in the US voting happens for something or another virtually every year). But this has been the ugliest and the stupidest campaign year ever. It can and will get worse in 2012. Then, I pray, our collective insanity will take a rest.

Michigan Tech Husky Pep Band

Malta has its band clubs. The U.S. has marching bands in the high schools and in universities (and various community bands). Usually the marching bands have colorful but semi-military uniforms. They march in orderly lines. At school sporting events, they play songs and march into different formations. Ohio State University marching band is famous for its "script Ohio" where they spell out Ohio in cursive writing. A Sousaphone player is the dot over the "i." Well, Michigan Tech has a different concept (maybe it's because once upon a time nearly 100% of the students were studying engineering and they needed a break from all that rigor). Anyway, here they are at the Parade of Nations. Tech also has a Wind Symphony, Jazz groups and other musical options for our students. In fact, about 80% of all Michigan Tech students participate in the Fine and Performing Arts.

Parade of Nations 2010

There was a 100% increase in the Malta representatives at the 2010 Parade of Nations at Michigan Tech. Marc Sanko, a major in my department and a Maltese-American, joined me. We had a beautiful, if windy, day.

Classes start next week

Orientation week has begun at Tech. I've met most of our new Social Science majors and some of the transfer students. The "old" ones are filtering back into town for the start of classes on Monday.

This semester I've got public international law, a first year seminar on Great Trials in History, Orientation to the Social Sciences (mostly for advising and getting them to plan out their four years to a degree), and Senior Assessment (to make sure the paper work is done for the graduating students and to help them with grad school/job letters). Busy, especially since I'm working on revising a book and will have a few students to advise on competitive scholarships (at least two for Fulbright!).

So, it begins again. It's my 19th Fall semester at Michigan Tech.

Flower Island, Mainau 2

More photos from that wonderful island.

The flower island, Mainau, in Germany 1

Don and I spent time in Meersburg Germany, on the Bodensee (Lake Constance). I took the ferry to Mainau, which was just a lovely garden. Some photos, more later.