Minutes to Madness, #5
Jun. 1st, 2017 10:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
jesse_dylan"He says that, often, he hears a student say something like, 'I can’t wait to get out of here,' meaning they can’t wait to leave college (and/or that they’re locked in the bathroom in the Student Union that smells of lavender and old women; you know the one, with the Advil machine you keep trying to buy condoms from)."
_________________________________
MSU Honors Society
March 2003, Minutes
Secretary
Jesse Dylan Watson
Does GPA equal ADD? (an editorial)
I have a friend, yes, a friend, it’s surely not me, who has been on academic probation for the last three semesters in a row with around a 3.0 (and as you know, honors students must maintain a 3.25). He’s a good lad, really he is, trying his best to bring it up as soon as he can so as not to be removed from the program. He likes it here.
This, for me, registers an important point. Is GPA a true measure of a student? How many interesting, creative people are we missing out on because they get more B’s than A’s? It could also be that, were these people allowed in honors classes, their GPA would go up. I myself tend to get many more As in honors classes than I do in my general classes.
Anyway, this child, a good sort, who is trying to bring his GPA up, would rather be known, I think, by his defining qualities. He’d like to be known as a writer, a thinker, a singer and songwriter, a student of Japanese language and culture, a student of world religion, a friend to the Earth and the Universe, and maybe someday as a good English teacher or guidance counselor. He does not want to be known or classified as a “something-point-something”.
I understand we don’t want “just anyone” in the program. That’s got nothing to do with what I’m saying. And I know we need some sort of basis and criteria rather than simple arbitration and essays. But I keep coming back to what Dr. Shaar said, that his definition of honors is still “creativity.” That’s a beautiful definition and a strong concept: a community of constructive intellectuals and scholars. Believe it or not, folks, there are intellectuals and scholars in the world who don’t have, and don’t want, a 4.0, a 3.5 or even a 3.3. They don’t worry about it; they are too busy creating and scholing (yes, sound it out, like this: SKAH-ling).
The true measure of a man is not in his GPA, but in his thoughts, words, deeds and love, and how much distance he keeps between himself and the Universe (a true intellectual strives to keep no distance, to be at one with the Tao, with the Word, with Love, with the Lotus Wisdom, with God, with YHWH, with whatever you want to call “it”).
If you are a woman, substitute feminine pronouns in the above sentence.
We are a community of scholars and thinkers, and I would that we were measured as such. Alas. JDW
Introductions
This was a special and eventful meeting, and while the attendance was ironically low, we still thought it would be nice if we all introduced ourselves to our important guests, Doctors Shaar and Hall, who were gracious enough to attend one of our meetings (and it was our pleasure to have them). We did so, stating our names and majors, zodiac sign and favorite color.
Officer Reports
The majority of the meeting takes place under this funny little heading, making all the other headings jealously mutter under their breath.
Director
He wanted it to be known, as before, that he’s still here, doesn’t know how long he’ll be here, and is trying not to worry about it (a general statement of human existence, isn’t it?). Other comments he made during the meeting suggested that he was hurt about the fact that, rather than having his job open for review, it was terminated and he was forced to reapply for it like everyone else.
According to Dr. Hall, this is a system that was set up in the past based on the familiar system of department chairs. A department chair, however, is not an honors director; they don’t have the same kind of interaction with students, and students don’t depend on them for advisement and encouragement in the same way. Thus, this is something that most of us feel needs to go. We spent time talking about term limits and such, coming to no real conclusions (except that the term should be longer), but in retrospect, maybe what we should have been talking about is the above: that the director shouldn’t be booted every set amount of years.
What Dr. Shaar said was that it’s difficult to put a term limit on the job at all, really. His opinion (and be aware I may be injecting my own opinion into Dr. Shaar’s inadvertently) seemed to be that a director should be on as long as he or she is viable, creative, intuitive, and useful. I think (Dr. Shaar pretty much stopped there; the rest is me) that if he or she burns out, he or she could (and should) step down. If the students are unsatisfied, it should be made known and looked at. Of course this leaves room for strange student coups and such, as Aaron pointed out, but I’m not sure I see that as being a problem. Jurisdiction, caution and common sense would need always to be in place, as with anything.
Mr. Watson also mentioned again the idea of an honors buffet meal, plans for a possible convocation party (we’ve got more graduates than ever) and that the classes for next fall are listed. Spring classes are also looking good and even numerous, and please, of course, also see my petitions in the honors room to add still more classes. We’re always interested in getting more options available for honors students as far as classes to take. As our enrollment increases, it only makes sense that our number of classes also increase.
El Presidente de las Panqueque
I’m not even entirely sure which language I’ve misused above.
Regardless, the president mentioned that there are a few more theses (which are not to be mistaken for feces) in the honors room, most notably Krista’s business plan which she’s worked long and hard on (it really has nothing in common with feces).
The scholarship was awarded to Amanda B.O. (I can’t call her just “Amanda B,” as we have two of them) with only marginally hard feelings (JUST kidding!), who may not be our most physically stable member (i.e. she falls down a lot), but she’s almost definitely our nicest (and I do mean it). Congrats on that; you deserve it.
Our shirt orders are in, which is good, because we’re cold and we want them now.
Is anyone going to regional honors? The people there are nice and generally smell fine. Please talk to Jen about going. Carrie is going to get us very cheap rooms, if that helps (I think all the people who are actually going would need to pay for is… well, I’m not sure if they have to pay for anything, but they have to get themselves there somehow but would presumably get reimbursed for gas).
My tabs are all screwed up. I hate computers. Just be glad I’m not having to handwrite these things, or you’d really feel the pain.
Saturday Scholars was talked about. Chrystal (I hope I’m spelling her name right!) and Kayla sound like they’re going to take control, which would be great. Will it still be at Dakota Square? Will it, instead, but in Model Hall, room 206, so the kids can stomp around and bother Dr. Moen who is below us (yeah, like we don’t already)? The only thing that is certain: Tim’s child is not allowed because of his (Tim’s kid’s) frightening karate ability. Trust me; he will put the smack down on you.
Anyway, I think Saturday Scholars is especially important for our elementary ed. folks to get in on. They’re the ones who need to get used to dealing with partially causing the sorrow and self-loathing that develops during childhood.
…
What?
Der Schpiel: Der Ville zur Macht
Veronica told us that we need to enrich not just the Honors Society in general with our time and effort but the entire campus. She had a few ideas on how to do this. How about we try to get speakers on campus? I’m actually keeping a list, so if you have any ideas for anyone, let me know. It can be anyone from someone we already have on campus, like students and faculty, or we could get, say, Bill Cosby (yes, I’m serious—he talks at colleges all over America, so why not here?). Byron Dorgan would come (for free, even). Larry Woiwode is someone I also thought of. Entertainers would be fine, too. Chuck Suche (he’s a singer/songwriter) would be a blast to have, for instance. Our own honors director could even do a little set for us, perhaps. The options are limitless, even without much funding.
Veronica also thinks we should enrich the community around us, too, namely Minot. We could volunteer at the Humane Society, at nursing homes, even at Legends (Aaron knows the work well, I hear; shake yo thang).
Veronica is also our student representative in the council that will select our new director. Thus, it is very important and imperative that we talk to her about what we want in a director (but I think she has a good grasp already) and what kinds of things we want to ask the candidates. At the meeting she got a lot of input from us, but I’m sure she would appreciate more.
Addenda
That’s another language, but it’s common enough that I won’t mess it up. And anyway, I’m getting too sleepy to work very hard at this. I’m just not in the minutes mood tonight.
During the meeting, it was, as always, announced that we have $24.87 in checking and $359.02 in savings. (Maybe we should be considering employment rather than volunteer work, like true little capitalists).
The rest of the meeting was chit-chat between all of us. Dr. Shaar had a lot of interesting things to say about us and about honors in general. He made references to Revenge of the Nerds (yes, I’m serious), which is actually quite apt. If you’ve seen the movie, you know how close-knit the “nerds” were, and how they felt they could accomplish anything if they worked together. Now Dr. Shaar wasn’t comparing us to nerds in any way. What he was saying was that that, really, is his ideal for this kind of a group; a community that works hard together. His definition of honors is “creativity.” That means working in tandem to construct, supply, enrich and build up in general. The Honors Program has grown over the years from a very elitist sort of thing into a kind, gentle, accepting (if you have a good GPA) group. Remember, even that Booger guy was let into the nerd-clan. Ha. And we’ll take anyone, too, really we will. We aren’t stuffy book people (except for me). What we are, really, is a learning community, and it’s great to be a part of something like this on campus rather than just going about on our own way from class to class.
Dr. Hall talked a little about something they tried to start a few years back called “co-enrollment.” What this was, was a system in which new students were enrolled in classes with other new students, to make sure everyone knew someone. The reason Dr. Hall mentioned this is because the Honors Program is like that in a way. The upper-classmen are here to help foster the freshmen; we all get to know each other, and we share many classes in common. People forget how terrifying it can be to come to college. A community like this makes it so much easier.
Finally, while Doctors Hall and Shaar said far too many important, interesting things for me to write down here (besides, I forgot them all, ha), something else Dr. Shaar said really struck me. He says that, often, he hears a student say something like, “I can’t wait to get out of here,” meaning they can’t wait to leave college (and/or that they’re locked in the bathroom in the Student Union that smells of lavender and old women; you know the one, with the Advil machine you keep trying to buy condoms from). This is not how Dr. Shaar wants it to be. He wants college to be a happy, friendly place where people want always to remain. I, personally, wouldn’t mind being a student the rest of my life, and I think the Honors Program is mostly responsible for that warm, fuzzy feeling I have for MSU, the liberal arts, and the university system in general. That’s what Dr. Shaar wants to hear, “I want to stay!”, so let’s do our best to make more people say it, all right?
The meeting ended at about 7:03 pm.
~fin~
_________________________________
MSU Honors Society
March 2003, Minutes
Secretary
Jesse Dylan Watson
Does GPA equal ADD? (an editorial)
I have a friend, yes, a friend, it’s surely not me, who has been on academic probation for the last three semesters in a row with around a 3.0 (and as you know, honors students must maintain a 3.25). He’s a good lad, really he is, trying his best to bring it up as soon as he can so as not to be removed from the program. He likes it here.
This, for me, registers an important point. Is GPA a true measure of a student? How many interesting, creative people are we missing out on because they get more B’s than A’s? It could also be that, were these people allowed in honors classes, their GPA would go up. I myself tend to get many more As in honors classes than I do in my general classes.
Anyway, this child, a good sort, who is trying to bring his GPA up, would rather be known, I think, by his defining qualities. He’d like to be known as a writer, a thinker, a singer and songwriter, a student of Japanese language and culture, a student of world religion, a friend to the Earth and the Universe, and maybe someday as a good English teacher or guidance counselor. He does not want to be known or classified as a “something-point-something”.
I understand we don’t want “just anyone” in the program. That’s got nothing to do with what I’m saying. And I know we need some sort of basis and criteria rather than simple arbitration and essays. But I keep coming back to what Dr. Shaar said, that his definition of honors is still “creativity.” That’s a beautiful definition and a strong concept: a community of constructive intellectuals and scholars. Believe it or not, folks, there are intellectuals and scholars in the world who don’t have, and don’t want, a 4.0, a 3.5 or even a 3.3. They don’t worry about it; they are too busy creating and scholing (yes, sound it out, like this: SKAH-ling).
The true measure of a man is not in his GPA, but in his thoughts, words, deeds and love, and how much distance he keeps between himself and the Universe (a true intellectual strives to keep no distance, to be at one with the Tao, with the Word, with Love, with the Lotus Wisdom, with God, with YHWH, with whatever you want to call “it”).
If you are a woman, substitute feminine pronouns in the above sentence.
We are a community of scholars and thinkers, and I would that we were measured as such. Alas. JDW
Introductions
This was a special and eventful meeting, and while the attendance was ironically low, we still thought it would be nice if we all introduced ourselves to our important guests, Doctors Shaar and Hall, who were gracious enough to attend one of our meetings (and it was our pleasure to have them). We did so, stating our names and majors, zodiac sign and favorite color.
Officer Reports
The majority of the meeting takes place under this funny little heading, making all the other headings jealously mutter under their breath.
Director
He wanted it to be known, as before, that he’s still here, doesn’t know how long he’ll be here, and is trying not to worry about it (a general statement of human existence, isn’t it?). Other comments he made during the meeting suggested that he was hurt about the fact that, rather than having his job open for review, it was terminated and he was forced to reapply for it like everyone else.
According to Dr. Hall, this is a system that was set up in the past based on the familiar system of department chairs. A department chair, however, is not an honors director; they don’t have the same kind of interaction with students, and students don’t depend on them for advisement and encouragement in the same way. Thus, this is something that most of us feel needs to go. We spent time talking about term limits and such, coming to no real conclusions (except that the term should be longer), but in retrospect, maybe what we should have been talking about is the above: that the director shouldn’t be booted every set amount of years.
What Dr. Shaar said was that it’s difficult to put a term limit on the job at all, really. His opinion (and be aware I may be injecting my own opinion into Dr. Shaar’s inadvertently) seemed to be that a director should be on as long as he or she is viable, creative, intuitive, and useful. I think (Dr. Shaar pretty much stopped there; the rest is me) that if he or she burns out, he or she could (and should) step down. If the students are unsatisfied, it should be made known and looked at. Of course this leaves room for strange student coups and such, as Aaron pointed out, but I’m not sure I see that as being a problem. Jurisdiction, caution and common sense would need always to be in place, as with anything.
Mr. Watson also mentioned again the idea of an honors buffet meal, plans for a possible convocation party (we’ve got more graduates than ever) and that the classes for next fall are listed. Spring classes are also looking good and even numerous, and please, of course, also see my petitions in the honors room to add still more classes. We’re always interested in getting more options available for honors students as far as classes to take. As our enrollment increases, it only makes sense that our number of classes also increase.
El Presidente de las Panqueque
I’m not even entirely sure which language I’ve misused above.
Regardless, the president mentioned that there are a few more theses (which are not to be mistaken for feces) in the honors room, most notably Krista’s business plan which she’s worked long and hard on (it really has nothing in common with feces).
The scholarship was awarded to Amanda B.O. (I can’t call her just “Amanda B,” as we have two of them) with only marginally hard feelings (JUST kidding!), who may not be our most physically stable member (i.e. she falls down a lot), but she’s almost definitely our nicest (and I do mean it). Congrats on that; you deserve it.
Our shirt orders are in, which is good, because we’re cold and we want them now.
Is anyone going to regional honors? The people there are nice and generally smell fine. Please talk to Jen about going. Carrie is going to get us very cheap rooms, if that helps (I think all the people who are actually going would need to pay for is… well, I’m not sure if they have to pay for anything, but they have to get themselves there somehow but would presumably get reimbursed for gas).
My tabs are all screwed up. I hate computers. Just be glad I’m not having to handwrite these things, or you’d really feel the pain.
Saturday Scholars was talked about. Chrystal (I hope I’m spelling her name right!) and Kayla sound like they’re going to take control, which would be great. Will it still be at Dakota Square? Will it, instead, but in Model Hall, room 206, so the kids can stomp around and bother Dr. Moen who is below us (yeah, like we don’t already)? The only thing that is certain: Tim’s child is not allowed because of his (Tim’s kid’s) frightening karate ability. Trust me; he will put the smack down on you.
Anyway, I think Saturday Scholars is especially important for our elementary ed. folks to get in on. They’re the ones who need to get used to dealing with partially causing the sorrow and self-loathing that develops during childhood.
…
What?
Der Schpiel: Der Ville zur Macht
Veronica told us that we need to enrich not just the Honors Society in general with our time and effort but the entire campus. She had a few ideas on how to do this. How about we try to get speakers on campus? I’m actually keeping a list, so if you have any ideas for anyone, let me know. It can be anyone from someone we already have on campus, like students and faculty, or we could get, say, Bill Cosby (yes, I’m serious—he talks at colleges all over America, so why not here?). Byron Dorgan would come (for free, even). Larry Woiwode is someone I also thought of. Entertainers would be fine, too. Chuck Suche (he’s a singer/songwriter) would be a blast to have, for instance. Our own honors director could even do a little set for us, perhaps. The options are limitless, even without much funding.
Veronica also thinks we should enrich the community around us, too, namely Minot. We could volunteer at the Humane Society, at nursing homes, even at Legends (Aaron knows the work well, I hear; shake yo thang).
Veronica is also our student representative in the council that will select our new director. Thus, it is very important and imperative that we talk to her about what we want in a director (but I think she has a good grasp already) and what kinds of things we want to ask the candidates. At the meeting she got a lot of input from us, but I’m sure she would appreciate more.
Addenda
That’s another language, but it’s common enough that I won’t mess it up. And anyway, I’m getting too sleepy to work very hard at this. I’m just not in the minutes mood tonight.
During the meeting, it was, as always, announced that we have $24.87 in checking and $359.02 in savings. (Maybe we should be considering employment rather than volunteer work, like true little capitalists).
The rest of the meeting was chit-chat between all of us. Dr. Shaar had a lot of interesting things to say about us and about honors in general. He made references to Revenge of the Nerds (yes, I’m serious), which is actually quite apt. If you’ve seen the movie, you know how close-knit the “nerds” were, and how they felt they could accomplish anything if they worked together. Now Dr. Shaar wasn’t comparing us to nerds in any way. What he was saying was that that, really, is his ideal for this kind of a group; a community that works hard together. His definition of honors is “creativity.” That means working in tandem to construct, supply, enrich and build up in general. The Honors Program has grown over the years from a very elitist sort of thing into a kind, gentle, accepting (if you have a good GPA) group. Remember, even that Booger guy was let into the nerd-clan. Ha. And we’ll take anyone, too, really we will. We aren’t stuffy book people (except for me). What we are, really, is a learning community, and it’s great to be a part of something like this on campus rather than just going about on our own way from class to class.
Dr. Hall talked a little about something they tried to start a few years back called “co-enrollment.” What this was, was a system in which new students were enrolled in classes with other new students, to make sure everyone knew someone. The reason Dr. Hall mentioned this is because the Honors Program is like that in a way. The upper-classmen are here to help foster the freshmen; we all get to know each other, and we share many classes in common. People forget how terrifying it can be to come to college. A community like this makes it so much easier.
Finally, while Doctors Hall and Shaar said far too many important, interesting things for me to write down here (besides, I forgot them all, ha), something else Dr. Shaar said really struck me. He says that, often, he hears a student say something like, “I can’t wait to get out of here,” meaning they can’t wait to leave college (and/or that they’re locked in the bathroom in the Student Union that smells of lavender and old women; you know the one, with the Advil machine you keep trying to buy condoms from). This is not how Dr. Shaar wants it to be. He wants college to be a happy, friendly place where people want always to remain. I, personally, wouldn’t mind being a student the rest of my life, and I think the Honors Program is mostly responsible for that warm, fuzzy feeling I have for MSU, the liberal arts, and the university system in general. That’s what Dr. Shaar wants to hear, “I want to stay!”, so let’s do our best to make more people say it, all right?
The meeting ended at about 7:03 pm.
~fin~
(no subject)
Date: 2017-06-22 07:33 pm (UTC)