Dear Class of 2012,

 

We know you are well in the swing of things, especially classes – and that some of you are experiencing or about to experience midterms, projects, etc.  We both enjoyed dinner with some of you last week and look forward to keeping the conversation going via those and other events about Trinity, your experiences, and what you are learning.  So with that in mind, Dave (your alumni sponsor) and I have a few thoughts for you… I’ve written first about things to think about in terms of your courses, academics, upcoming dates you should know and  Dave has some ideas for you about Fall Break (October 17) (below in black ink), which is coming up next week and represents a chance to stop, catch your breath, assess how things are going, get re-organized, refresh, and energize!

 

THOUGHTS ON ACADEMICS, LEARNING, THE MIDSEMESTER, AND UPCOMING DATES:

 

We have an important phase of the term coming up with some associated deadlines.  On October 21^st, after the long weekend that is Fall Break (no classes Friday, October 17^th), faculty will turn in mid-semester grade reports.  Those reports will be sent you to as well as to your advisor.  The reports are only issued to indicate areas of concern – D or F.  At that point, you will evaluate whether you will continue in the course or withdraw from the course.  The last day to withdraw from a class with a W is October 30  (after that, one could withdraw with a WF -withdraw failing- but that is rarely ever an exercised option).  In my opinion, the evaluation of whether to continue in the course or withdraw should happen WITH your course instructor and WITH your advisor.  It is not a decision made lightly or impulsively, and we discourage a pattern of frequent withdrawals.   We want you to practice discernment, thoughtful decision-making, and in some cases some perseverance (informed perseverance).  I would like to suggest that you be in communication with your course instructors – always, not just at midterm -- about how you are doing and how you feel about your learning.  Use office hours, talk with your professor, look at data available to you such as grades and feedback, and then do some honest self-assessment as to whether you are doing your best – are you learning as well and much as you could be?  What would you say about your study habits? Note-taking? Review processes?  Reading and preparation?  Participation in study groups?  Use of resources – peer tutors, Writing Center, counseling services, resident mentor, reference desk in the library?   If you don’t know where these resources are or how to access them – ask me, ask your RM, ask a faculty member, ask anyone. 

 

If you are my advisee - I will ask you (not only this semester but always) if you’ve talked to the professor and how you are doing in terms of preparation for and engagement in the learning before we talk about a possible withdrawal from the course.  I generally will try not to let you withdraw from a course without talking to the professor first.   Talking with him or her can help to you assess your current performance and understanding, your potential for future learning and growth, and how to learn and think in that course and discipline/content area.  The important time to talk to a professor, though, is as soon as you sense there might be a problem.  Building a relationship with a faculty member is important – you did it in high school and should continue to do so in college.  Of course it’s harder because you see faculty less frequently in college – but that’s why they have office hours and other ways to communicate with you, including email and Blackboard/T-LEARN/discussion boards, etc.

 

Most of you will continue with all of your courses and use the mid-semester point to assess how things are going.  You’ll use data like grades to this point, artifacts of learning (i.e. notes, projects, discussion boards), conversations with faculty during office hours, conversations with faculty before/after class, and self-assessment to determine if you are learning and performing at a level that represents your best effort and best learning.  That’s all we can ask of you – give your best effort.  And ask for help when you need it.

 

So, the other component of this email and these musings is about Fall Break. Some of you have already starting thinking about how to spend the day and take full advantage of the opportunity to RE – recharge, recommit, reorganize, read (catch up on reading), reflect. 

 

THOUGHTS ON FALL BREAK (FROM DAVE):

 

It was great to meet some of you for dinner at our first monthly, first of the month gathering for first year students. We talked about lots of things going on in your first couple of months here. I hope all of you are enjoying yourself and becoming successful Trinity team members. One of the things we discussed is what you might do during the fall break that is coming up in a couple of weeks. Here are some one day outings or events that might be fun and then some 2-3 day things if you are able to take the whole weekend. Take Care.

 

Day things around the 16^th.

Fall Festival of Arts & Music in Boerne

Terrific Treehouses and the Fall Garden Fair at the San Antonio Botanical Gardens

Austin music scene, film festival  or bat watching

Outlaw Trail 100 Cycling Tour in Round Rock

Brenham for Blue Bell Ice Cream and the Archeology History Festival

The San Antonio mission trail

Canyon Lake

 

Weekend things from the 16^th to the 19th.

State Fair of Texas in Dallas

Camping at Big Bend,  Corpus Christie, Padre Island or the Highland Lakes

Fort Worth Art Museums

Czech Feszt in Temple

Horseback riding at Bandera dude ranches

Help folks clean up Galveston

 

(one thing we’d add is that it’s always helpful to tell people if you are going somewhere and when/where/etc – and maybe invite along those without transportation… and maybe think if you’re going home about taking along a friend from out of state or out of the country J)

 

 

Write or contact us with questions, ideas, insights, thoughts for future communication.  And put November 1 on your calendar for the next “first of the month” gathering!

 

Yours truly,

Dr. Breidenstein and Dave Mansen