Category Archives: Swarthmore

Pictures From an Institution 6 (Course Design)

Posted on August 23, 2011 by Timothy Burke

I usually spend time in the last half of the summer, somewhere around the end of July onward, working on the design of upcoming courses. I think I’m probably at one end of a spectrum as far as making more … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Books, Pictures from an Institution, Swarthmore | 3 Comments

Polenta Soup and the Terrible Awful No-Good Cost of Higher Education

Posted on August 18, 2011 by Timothy Burke

While I don’t think there’s much I could say that could satisfy a recent commenter hereabouts, the question of the cost of higher education is an old theme at this blog, and longtime readers know that I worry about it … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 22 Comments

Environmental Studies Capstone: An Early Sketch

Posted on July 28, 2011 by Timothy Burke

Next spring, I’m going to be the faculty coordinator for the Environmental Studies capstone course for seniors completing a minor in the program. The field as a whole is not an area where I’m deeply knowledgeable or do a great … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 5 Comments

Pictures From an Institution 5 (Training)

Posted on July 12, 2011 by Timothy Burke

Another thing that happens in the summer in most colleges and universities is training with new technologies, pedagogies and subjects. Some faculty and staff go elsewhere for one or two week programs, and some programs happen at home. Today I’m … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Digital Humanities, Pictures from an Institution, Swarthmore | Comments Off

Pictures from an Institution 4 (Alumni)

Posted on June 15, 2011 by Timothy Burke

Meeting with alumni doesn’t feel like work: sometimes it’s about seeing old friends, sometimes it’s more like meeting distant relatives that you’ve never seen before but with whom you share all sorts of surprising and subtle connections. Alumni who were … Continue reading →

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Pictures from an Institution 3 (Committees)

Posted on June 11, 2011 by Timothy Burke

It’s not that common to have committee meetings devoted to administrative business during the summer. Departments sometimes meet informally to plan or discuss an upcoming search, as ads and preparations for an academic job search generally have to be completed … Continue reading →

Posted in Pictures from an Institution, Swarthmore | 3 Comments

Pictures from an Institution 2 (Grading)

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Timothy Burke

Grading, finishing today after having eaten up most of Memorial Day. Just as well, I wasn’t about to try serious gardening in the heat. I’ve been slowly shifting over to paperless grading. I have enough of an attachment to marking … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Pictures from an Institution, Swarthmore | 2 Comments

Pictures from an Institution 1 (Graduation)

Posted on May 31, 2011 by Timothy Burke

I’m going to do an academic’s year in pictures from now until next May. Not every day, but as many as I can do. Seems a better way to communicate about what goes into faculty life. So let’s start at … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Pictures from an Institution, Swarthmore | 3 Comments

When We Think We Lead We Are Most Led

Posted on May 27, 2011 by Timothy Burke

I’ve been trying to think through why I’m bothered by the idea of cultivating “leadership” among our students as a possible area of intensified institutional focus. Partly I think this is a theme that virtually all highly selective colleges and … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Swarthmore | 11 Comments

A Generalist’s Work, Day 3

Posted on May 10, 2011 by Timothy Burke

One of the big issues on my mind lately is my ability (and that of my colleagues) to imagine the world of work as our students will experience it. Most of us at Swarthmore know something about the range of … Continue reading →

Posted in Academia, Generalist's Work, Swarthmore | 1 Comment