Category Archives: Uncategorized

Semicolon: The Past, Present, and Future of a Misunderstood Mark by Cecelia Watson I am a stickler for grammatical rules (ask anyone who has written for me) and a lover of the semicolon. Cecelia Watson’s book bolstered my comfort with semicolonic usage; she shattered my belief in grammatical edicts. Her takedown of David Foster Wallace’sContinue reading “Semicolon”

Teach the Teachers: This is the best way to teach kids about money http://money.us/1Zc3hKe via @MONEY @ChamplainEdu @ChampFinLit

Teach the Teachers: This is the best way to teach kids about money http://money.us/1Zc3hKe via @MONEY @ChamplainEdu @ChampFinLit

The blog will be moving to a new address – donsdesk.champlain.edu. Same great WordPress engine powering it, but with a Champlain College wrapper around it. For those who type in the old address, we will set up an automatic re-direct. Until then, readers can find all new posts at the new address until the transitionContinue reading “Moving Day”

Professor Molly Turner, adviser to The Herald, let me know about the honors our students won at the Illinois Community College Association’s Spring Awards conference held April 4th and 5th at Moraine Valley Community College. The Herald has taken awards each year I have been here, and I commend the staff on continuing their traditionContinue reading “Herald Scores Awards”

Loop Players’ Kathy Nash directs another powerful drama, this time August Wilson’s “Fences.” The play tells the story of Troy Maxson and his relationships with friends and family. As a father, I was hit by Troy’s confused efforts to provide for his family and the conflicts these cause. All of the players give fine performances.Continue reading “Fences”

I want to get the word out to the college community on our space planning efforts. Harold Washington College, with the support of the Board of Trustees, has engaged Urban Works, an architectural firm, to assist us in the development of a master plan for our campus. The goal of this project is to comeContinue reading “Space Planning”

The tone of our College is in large part set by the quality of our student leaders. I am thrilled to share a write-up from Associate Dean Rosie Banks on the successful weekend our Phi Theta Kappa, Mu Pi chapter leadership enjoyed this past weekend. Nine officers of the Mu Pi chapter (the HWC chapter)Continue reading “Mu Pi Achievements”

It seems our trademarked “College to Careers” brand is at risk of appropriation by Wake Forest and other colleges. In Sunday’s NY Time article, “How to Get a Job with a Philosophy Degree,” Wake Forest University is singled out for their efforts to offer career guidance to students, including their orientation session, “From College to Career.”Continue reading “Get a Job”

I have been kicking around (that is, thinking about) a post on leadership for some time now. I believe leadership matters and that leadership occurs throughout the college. At Faculty Development Week, I made a point to thank faculty leaders who have stepped up in many ways to drive student success and enhance our community.Continue reading “Leadership Matters”