Early Registration

Once again we are being visited at DSU by high school students registering for classes. I love meeting these students as they start getting a glimpse at what college life will be like for them when they show up on campus next fall. It must be a little overwhelming, but exciting, as they return home and look at that printed schedule of fall courses they have signed up for. I remember the questions I had for myself way back when it was all new to me. I wonder what is covered in this class? I wonder if the teacher is nice? I wonder if I am as well prepared as the other freshmen when I get there? I wonder if it is easy to make friends? I wonder what it is like to have a roommate? I wonder if I can change classes, or times, or instructors? At DSU all of our incoming freshmen are required to register for GS100. This course will be taught most likely by the student's adviser and be made up of other freshmen in the same major. Once a week over the fall semester, they will meet and discuss many of the topics that give rise to the questions listed above. We will even answer many of the questions they don't even know they have yet. :)

We will have new freshmen coming to campus throughout the summer to register and I know I speak for all the faculty when I say how much we enjoy having them here.

Stephen

Rediscover Computer Science

Although there are more jobs available for Computer Scientists than there were at anytime during the height of the dot.com explosion, a myth has persisted that computer scientists are no longer in demand or will become unneeded in the future because of such things as "off-shoring".

Nothing could be further from the truth!

Unfortunately, this myth will have a profound negative impact on this nation if something is not done to increase the number of students graduating with degrees in Computer Science.

I have a page up at DSU with comments and links on this important topic.

http://www.homepages.dsu.edu/krebsbas/page_images_dsu/CSC_page.htm

(note: you may have to paste the link into your browser)


At DSU we have degree programs that offer the student a broad range of options in terms of their Computer interests.

Computer Science (BS)
Computer and Network Security (BS, MS)
Computer Information Systems (BS,MIS,DS)
Computer Networking (BS - being proposed 2007-08 time frame)
Computer Gaming (BS - being proposed 2007-08 time frame)

And of course computer and technology is infused in all the programs offered at DSU.

Birthday time again

Ah, once again my birthday is here and I get to pause to think about were I am on my life-time line. Of course we never know how long that line is but I choose to think that at now 49 I am a little over half way (but not much). This year I sit back with a nice smile on my face.

• A wife that loves me. (Judy)
• A school and a job that I love. (DSU)
• Two cats who need me (at least at dinner time). (Bandit and Samantha)
• Good long-time friends
• Great sisters and brother and in-laws
• much much more

I have it pretty good.

I just had one of my students stop by who is graduating this spring. He has a job waiting at just over $50,000 right out of school. We talked about his choices and it turns out he turned down another offer for $53,000. The job market is great for Computer Scientists at the moment with most of the kids I know getting offers from 47 to 53 thousand. Wow, to have that much financial security right out of school is nothing like when I graduated. The thing that really makes me feel old however is that a couple of my students are forgoing the money to go with smaller startup companies. Not the salaries nor benefits of the bigger places. I know I could not see myself taking that risk. "I could not see myself taking that risk" I think that says it all. Oh to be young and daring again. Oh well, I did that once, quit school, lived and skied in western Colorado, totally enjoyed having the rest of my life to settle down.

Yes, it was fun being young but I sure enjoy where I am now.

I really do have it pretty damn good.

(at least for one more year!)

Global Warming - a failure

Carbon fireflies floating upward into the clear night sky. Stacks of empty aged aerosol cans at my feet . Finger numb from the press of plastic valves. With hopeful anticipation a glance at the thermometer on the garage wall.

[13 BELOW ]

The mocking squeak of snow underfoot as I retreat indoors.

Damn!!

Failure at Global Warming again.

Who is a 'JERK" ?

Sometimes we get so busy with all the many many little things in life that over time we forget some of the lessons we have learned and applied in our dealings with others. One of mine that I had lost track of is one I called the “who is really a Jerk?” approach to others. It is a variation of the old “Do onto others …” and goes like this:

“Assume that when someone acts like a Jerk that they are having a very bad day and cut them some slack”

For much of my adult life I was very good at applying this attitude but in the last couple of years as I went through a period of OVERLOAD at both the personal and professional level I kind of lost track of it. Now don’t get me wrong, there are “Jerks” in the world and I would guess we all have met one. However, I believe that only about 1 in a million is really a “Jerk”, instead they are people who, at that moment in time, are acting in a Jerk-like way.

So why, if they are not really “Jerks” are they acting like one? I choose to believe that they are just having a very bad day. I know that I sure have had a life full of times that I have acted in a Jerk-like way and I would guess you have too. Why, because we are human. End of story, no deep analysis needed, period !!!! We are human!! OK you say; then what about those people who act in a jerk-like way for more than a day, maybe a week, or a month, etc? Most people are fortunate enough to live in an environment that is stable and bad days come and go, but for some, whole periods of life are bad days. Now that is not an excuse for acting like a jerk for a long period of time or even for just a day but it does allow me to respond to them in a more understanding way.

Have I acted like a Jerk sometimes? You bet!! More than I would ever like to admit. I bet you have too,  Now it is possible that you are one of those special people who doesn’t think that they have ever acted like a Jerk and I guess all I can say to you is “Good for you, your truly 1 in a million!”

Stephen

Between Semesters

Seattle, Was: My wife is attending a Physics & Astronomy conference for a week in Seattle. I have decided to tag along to keep her company and to maybe do a little PR for DSU and use the quiet time to work on my lesson plans for the spring. Hopefully there will be some interesting presentations that I, a lowly computer scientist can even understand. I am hoping that the weather will clear a little during the week so that we can take in the (I am told) wonderful views of the mountains and the bay. For now the forecast is for a whole week of "self shoveling snow". This is a term my father used to use to reference any rain that would fall during the winter months. I loved self-shoveling-snow growing up in North Dakota as the other type would require shoveling by said shoveler who, in our family, was me. :) However; I think after 7 days out here I may actually be happy to see that old fashioned white version floating down when I return home. (of course I have a big old snow blower attached to my big old lawn tracker; my price for allowing my wife to buy our country house).

I am enjoying getting ready for the spring semester at DSU. It is as if the campus is reborn when the students return. We have so many exciting things going on in the college it makes it fun to come to work. Our last semester was a tough one as we all worked towards curriculum modifications. It turned out that when you get a strong faculty that all work so hard to make our programs from Accounting to Computer Science the best they can be, conflicts arise and feeling are hurt. Thank goodness we are blessed with so many good people on all sides with the same goals. It makes it easier to let things go and move on to making the BIS college a great place for our students to excel.

I think I will go outside now and play in the this umm SS-snow. Got an umbrella?

Stephen

Finals Week (A Free Day)

Christmas music filling the office. My little desk Christmas tree a glow. Emails all answered. Coffee cup empty, not full and cold. One final freshmen in to register. No meetings or graduate projects scheduled for the day. Slowly working on a couple of student's letters of recommendation. Finals ready to give on Thursday. Looking at the clock. 10:56 Still morning! Quiet empty halls.
PEACE ON EARTH. (EAST HALL GARDEN LEVEL)

Anticipating a nice afternoon of grading. GRADING!!!

Actual time to do grading in my office. What simple joys we have in our lives. :)

Stephen