Well my first day at work was mostly laid back for me at least. It was a very relaxing "set up" day as compared to the whirlwind trip here. It is not that they do not have anything for me to jump head first into but the campus is abuzz with the opening their new library. The upper echelon of administration, including the President, my direct supervisor, are in route back from Dubai with a number of the Board of Trustees. Therefore there is no one here to meet with or discuss the state of affairs at UAUF. I suppose much of that will come with day two when the BOT members, many of whom have never visited the campus, will no longer be here.
In looking at the job description and prioritizing a make shift to do list, I would say, as a former conduct educational administrator, that a code of conduct/student handbook will be very early on in my tasks. I am already getting ideas from faculty and staff of the need of such on campus.
Another area I want to look at closely and soon, being an engagement theory buff, the degree of student engagement on campus and possible programming both in and out of the dorms. Yes, as a former Resident Assistant and a Residence Hall Director, being trained otherwise, it is hard to say the d word d-o-r-m-s. Many of you former res hall folks will understand. We even cringe with that word. Dorm are the four letter D-Word for those trained in residence halls. For the lay folk, I will put it simply that a dorm is not the terminology that is used. Dorms were the mostly old tall high rise living facilities built in the Vietnam War area boom of the 60’s. A dorm is designed as a place to sleep and that is it. In a dorm there is little or no community among the residents. They sleep, sometimes study there, but it is not the place to hang out with friends. It is a “Dull Old Room of Mine.” A residence hall is much much more. It is a place to live, to learn, and to grow. Where staff builds community among the residents of their own individual hallway and as a residence hall altogether. The notion of dorms quickly is dying if it is not already dead in the U.S. I hope I can instill that here as well.
The library dedication was a fairly big event. Not only did we have a large portion of the Board of Trustees here, but the major donor of the library, Ann Marlow, as well as the U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan, William Wood, the highest ranking U.S. figure in Afghanistan as well. Many faculty, staff, and students came out for the event. The comments of those giving speeches went right to the heart of why I am here today. I came to work excited this morning and am leaving work even more inspired. How often does that happen on a Monday? I think the most rousing and inspiring of speeches came from a student. Ali Babur Ghulam, the President of the Student Council, I should say the second President of the Student Council, spoke about what the library meant to him as a fellow student. Most importantly, however, what higher education meant to him. I am sure I will be getting to know Ali very well and I will share more about him later. He was very well spoken and his English was perfect. In his speech he said that he had been educated in primary and secondary school in the U.S. and returned to Afghanistan 3 years ago. I will find out more and share it later on I am sure. Well the day draws to an end literally.
The sun is setting and it is time to leave work. Thanks for reading. More later.
Posts
