Let's start at the very beginning

It's hard to identify the actual beginning of this process. Thus, I am picking today since the RVC Board of Trustees officially approved my sabbatical leave at today's meeting.

The meeting was a two-parter. The first part was a riveting reorganizational meeting, culminating in the election of new board officers for the next year. I was hoping to get appointed College Architect, but they picked somebody else instead.

The second part started about 20 minutes after the first part started and contained the more traditional college business items. I have to hand it to the Board - the first part of the meeting had agenda items A through W, and they did it all in less than 20 minutes. That's pretty impressive. I wish the Faculty Association meetings were equally efficient.

After routine tasks like the approval of previous meeting minutes, the first order of business was the reading and approval of board resolutions honoring soon-to-be retirees. There were no surprise layoffs at the last minute, so everybody seemed happy. I know that retirement is a time to lay on the praise, but the wording of the resolutions led me to believe that I must be in the lowest quartile of college employees with respect to my effort to be "outstanding," "dedicated," and/or "superb." Everybody retiring had those qualities in abundance.

I exaggerate, of course. The resolutions were in reality quite touching. Those honored had spent many years at the college and put in a lot of time and effort trying to help those we serve. Each made a statement to the board after the reading of his/her resolution, and most indicated that they were thankful for the years spent at the college.

After everybody got done fawning over the old folks, it was time for the important business! The Vice President of Learning Services, Cindy Luxton, introduced Cheri Rittenhouse and me to the board. Cindy gave a very abbreviated version of my sabbatical, making me wonder if (1) she really knew what I was doing at all, or (2) at least had no idea she would be introducing me. Her introduction of Cheri was also somehow brief yet wandering at the same time.

I told the board my three main goals: (1) to investigate leading college math, (2) to research effective developmental math programs, and (3) to establish partnerships with local elementary and secondary schools for mathematics education.

Cheri, in contrast, is taking the year to find herself by traveling through Europe and Latin America. (Well, I assume it is really more than that. As a mathematician, I really didn't connect with her "artspeak" that much.)

Dr. Becherer smiled a lot, and told the board that although he really didn't have to ask them to approve our leaves, he would like them to do it anyway. And they did. But not before the outgoing chair asked if they would be getting a report after our leaves were finished. Dr. Becherer assured him that they would, sometime in Fall 2007.

So I guess I have over a year to make up some garbage that sounds more impressive than "I wasted the whole semester leveling 20 characters to level 60 in World of Warcraft."