When I taught the first half of the U.S. history survey on a regular basis, I tried to incorporate Abraham Lincoln’s Thanksgiving Proclamation (1863) into the class because the document fit well with the chronological course of our study.  If we had not strayed too far from the path when discussing Manifest Destiny or the Trail of Tears, I knew we would be in the midst of the Civil War during the week of Thanksgiving.  Lincoln’s words gave us an opportunity to reflect on the state of the Union at the height of the most terrible conflict the nation has ever know.  Victories at Gettysburg and Vicksburg in early July seemed to shift the advantage to the Union — perhaps for the first time.   Although President Lincoln could not have known it, the war would drag on for another eighteen months after his proclamation, claiming tens of thousands more lives.

Although not as poetic as the Gettysburg Address or as powerful as his Second Inaugural Address, the Thanksgiving Proclamation did afford us an opportunity to examine Lincoln’s persuasive use of the English language.  Throughout the document, he counters the horror of the continuing conflict with evidence of and belief in the increase and prosperity of the country.  Finally, the document allowed us to examine briefly the troubled and chaotic times in which we live.  Its plea to the “Almighty Hand” to heal and restore the nation and invitation to all Americans to observe a day of Thanksgiving resonated with us all.  The practice of “thanksgiving” today is far different than in the days of Lincoln, but I do hope you will find the time later this week for healing, restoration, thanksgiving — and maybe a small piece of pumpkin pie.

If you’ve tried to email me over the course of the last two weeks, more likely than not you’ve received an out-of-office reply.   I spent most of last week at Wallace Community College in Selma, Alabama as part of an on-site SACS review team composed of administrators, faculty and staff from peer institutions.  A similar team will be visiting us in just about two years, primarily to engage us in conversations about our Quality Enhancement Plan.  I found the experience a valuable one in that it allowed me to learn a great deal about a particular community college, to discuss key issues with colleagues from a wide variety of institutions throughout the region, and to start thinking about our on-site visit.  Our reaffirmation work will continue in the coming weeks and months with QEP discussions, the SACS-COC annual meeting in December, and an orientation session in January.

I spent Wednesday and Thursday of this week in Nashville.  One of my obligations as Chief Academic Officer is to serve on the Tennessee Board of Regents’ Academic Subcouncil.   Those meetings take place quarterly and are often preceded by a gathering of the academic vice presidents from the system’s community colleges.  The Wednesday afternoon session included a presentation by Wendy Tabor and Kathleen Tone of THEC about the potential for a Gear-Up grant that would provide support on community college campuses for at-risk student populations.  The idea for the project is in its infancy, but it includes elements similar to KnoxAchieves and our own Student Success Mentoring program.

The formal Academic Subcouncil meetings follow a fairly standard format.  After the meeting is called to order, there are comments from Chancellor Charles Manning and Vice Chancellor Paula Short.  Lately, the system’s financial officer, Dale Sims, has provided regular updates, and yesterday was no exception.   Chancellor Manning spoke about a growing emphasis on retention and graduation rates at community colleges that will likely be reflected in THEC performance funding in the future.  He also spoke about the ongoing work on the system’s 2010-2015 strategic plan; one of the basic planning assumptions is that there will be no new state dollars for higher education in the new cycle.  The remarks of Vice Chancellor Sims reinforced Manning’s comments and showed a $180 million decline in state funding for TBR from 2007-2008 to 2011-2012.  All community colleges in the system face the kind of problems we have been discussing and working through for last year in terms of trying to serve significantly more students with fewer resources.  Additional items for discussion at the meeting include: a draft of the new A-100 guidelines, extra-institutional credit, academic freedom, ideas for improving efficiency at the board level, and assessment of general education.

Finally, I am planning a trip of a different sort next May.  I am scheduled to teach a course on the history of World Wars I and II as part of the TnCIS program in France.  I hope teaching is like riding a bike and that I will fall easily back into it next spring — if only a for few weeks.  If you are willing to let me visit one of your classes to talk about all of the great TnCIS programs, please let me know.  If you have sources, materials or ideas for the course, please pass them along.  The conversation would be welcome indeed.

Second session fast-track classes begin on Tuesday October 6.  At that point, we will be one-third of the way through the fall semester and a mere eight work days from mid-term (and more importantly fall break).  We are at a time in the semester when it might be helpful if we spoke to our students about where they stand and what they need to do in order to be successful academically.  If it is obvious they need additional academic or student support, please refer them to the appropriate office.  If it is apparent they need to become more engaged, please encourage them to be more proactive in the their educational pursuits.

Here are a few items of some importance that passed through my inbox this week:

• A review of NBC’s new show Community.
• An article from Boston Globe about a new college with a history-only curriculum.  Nirvana College?
• A more important article about the fiscal and enrollment pressures facing community college systems across the country; another about the problems facing the California system;  and finally, the perspective of the Community College Dean on scaling up fast.
• A case study on sustainable hybrids — courses, not cars — at South Texas College.

I am conducting an archaeaological dig of sorts in and around my desk today.  Uncovered items include:

• The proposed timeline for establishment of the nursing program.  I am amazed that we are exactly where we wanted to be on the path towards our first class of nursing students.
• A copy of The CAO Census: A National Profile of Chief Academic Officers.   You are more than welcome to borrow my copy if you are interested in the topic.
• A list of papers and texts to review from the 2008 meeting of the National Alliance of Community and Technical Colleges.
• Seven to-do lists; each on a different pad of paper.  All at various stages of completion.
• Multiple copies of The Departmental Guide and Record Book for Student Outcomes Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness.  If you are a program coordinator, there may be one headed your way soon.
• One MoonPie leftover from Convocation.  It will not be around for the next office dig.