My New Job-let

I'm excited to be starting a new job-let, as an adjunct faculty member of Mountain State University. In a couple of weeks, I'll start teaching my first class in MSU's Spectrum Health Program. I'll be teaching the second semester of a four-semester program, including chemistry, math, and statistics. Here's an excerpt from their blurbs:

Mountain State University offers selected traditional and distance learning programs through extended learning locations. Cohorts are formed in various locations with groups of students who meet together once a week, to complete a sequence of courses leading to a degree. This type of learning is especially attractive to working adults, because of the accelerated nature of the programs and classes designed to accommodate work schedules....

The Spectrum Health orientation allows you to complete the general education requirements for many of the programs offered by MSU' School of Health Sciences. The LPN to BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) program is an option for LPN's....

Yesterday I drove to Beckley for a Faculty Development Day, where I signed a contract and met about 20 other Spectrum faculty members. It was reassuring to talk to other people who have been teaching this way for a while. I've been anxious lately: What will happen if my substitute special ed gig continues indefinitely? Where can I get the Spectrum texts and materials? Will I have to buy a bunch of expensive Windows software? After yesterday, I'm excited and optimistic. I don't have to buy any nasty Microsoft stuff, and many of my fellow faculty are full-time teachers in public school. I can't deny that some of this warm glow is due to the nice Spectrum Director who provided yummy snacks every two hours during the meetings.

One nice discovery that will outlive yesterday's sugar high is that I will soon have access to the MSU library resources. Online journal subscriptions, an MSU library card, interlibrary loan--what a treat! I'll be getting a password in the next few days, I hope.