Entries by Jane Smith

william blake

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In seed time learn, in harvest teach, in winter enjoy. William Blake Blake would be right at home on campus during winter break. He’d likely get along with hibernating bears. He’d relish snowbound weekends. Admittedly, it is very tempting to pull up the covers and nap through the darker, colder, slower days of January. But […]

making a list

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Tis the season for final assignments, final exams, and final evaluations for the semester. Like the fabled Santa Claus, many in higher education are making lists of academic accomplishments and checking them twice before issuing final term grades. This concept of list-making is an important one. In fact, in his bestselling book, The Checklist Manifesto: […]

intro to 2017

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17 days and counting down until we ring in the new year, 2017. 17 more days of holiday tunes on the airwaves, at retail and dining locations seemingly without exception, and woven into any and all commercials and advertising. And for those of us who write checks, 17 more days of getting the date right, […]

harvest time

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The concept of giving thanks resonates world-wide, and throughout almost every level of society. In the United States, November is known for Thanksgiving celebrations. In other parts of the world, Thanksgiving celebrations are equally important, no matter when they are celebrated, but interestingly enough, most thanksgivings are celebrated after the traditional harvest time. The link […]

beyond costuming

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It was reported that Americans spent $2.52 billion dollars on Halloween costumes in 2015 (http://www.statista.com/). Apparently we costumed our children, ourselves, and even our pets. (And that number is just for the costumes. Imagine the total when you include the candy and the decorations.) So, what are you going to be this year? This is […]

ready for gameday

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Kirk Herbstreit and Lee Corso are hitting the road again. It’s time for College GameDay and campuses across the US are hoping to be picked to host the broadcast on their campus. And who knows where they’ll wind up next. Apparently not even the producers! While one would think that ESPN has a pretty good […]

the most wonderful time

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I can’t help it. Whenever I think of back to school time, my mind immediately remembers the Staples commercial from the 1990s. You know the one. It’s the most wonderful time of the year. The euphoric, skipping dad. And then there are the kids. Not happy. Not shopping. Not skipping. Grim. Fast forward several decades […]

need a break

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Did you know that being too hot can have a negative impact on your intellect? It’s true! So what better time to take a break in air conditioned comfort, challenge your intellect, and just think about the great (and hot!) outdoors. Last month, we addressed some common areas in need of attention on higher education […]

an eternal now

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Summer time and the living’s easy. Unless you’re in charge of facilities on a higher education campus. If that is the case, you may be caught up in a cycle of perpetual improvement. Many of the best campuses are. Looking back to April, remember how we discussed dotting i’s and crossing t’s? Well, we all […]

be prepared

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Presenting a graduation card and enclosed check to my young great-nephew, I was met with a blank stare. In the age of gift cards and pharmacy online shopping, I thought perhaps he wasn’t familiar with what a check was. Which, sadly, was true. But worse, my heart-felt and hand-written message inside the card was undecipherable […]