1. How To Reach Me
For Fall 2009, email is the best way to reach me. Because I am on sabbatical I have no drop-in hours. In the subject line of your email, please identify yourself as a member of the team and give me a couple windows where we might schedule a telephone appointment. I have been coming into the office about once a week, so if our conversation is about longer term planning I am happy to also meet with you in person.
2. Why to Reach Me
The best answer is, any reason you want. Problem solving is my specialty. I am happy to be a person who helps you make what are often the minor adjustments that can make a semester successful for you; the person you bounce ideas off of; or the person who simply redirects you to the right person who can help you most directly.
For frosh and sophomores: For a specific academic issue, go to the professor of the class if you have not already, and then to your academic advisor first, using those encounters as opportunities to make relationships. Use me as a back-up if a) you have made a good-faith effort but cannot reach your advisor; or b) despite your efforts you do not feel that you are achieving good communication with your advisor; or c) your advisor is persistently unavailable.
Reasons any of you might wish to see me:
a) Identifying and addressing problems you may have getting your work done.
b) When you need to make a big decision: you might need someone to listen and give you objective advice or a fresh perspective.
c) Thinking about what you did last year and how to change bad habits; alternatively, you may want to think about how to build on success.
d) If you are having personal, learning or health struggles and aren’t sure how to navigate the resources available o get back on track.
e) Feeling overwhelmed and worried about whether you should continue to row.
3. When to Reach Me
Sooner rather than later, and preferably before things get bad; before you are run-down and losing sleep; before you are stressed out.
If you have fallen behind, have developed a problem that is hard to talk about, or let something slide that has had unfortunate consequences, don’t be embarrassed: get in touch. I’ve seen it all. I’ve probably done some of it.
The only thing I cannot help you with is anything internal to the functioning of the crew team or your relationship to your coach (unless it is a matter involving both academic and athletics that would be better for the three of us to work out, and then please feel free to bring it up.) Please remember that although I am a rower, I am not on the coaching staff. I also cannot, and will not, talk to your parents unless you have given me explicit permission to do so: your privacy at school is one of your federal civil rights and I am barred from violating it. If, after a discussion between us, it would be helpful to bring a parent into the conversation, we will decide that together and meet with your parent together.
3. Best General Advice for Fall Semester
October is the cruelest month: it’s race after race, and your weekends are more or less shot.
Do Not Pre-Register for Performance Classes for Spring Term: not infrequently, the final performance that you must participate in falls on the weekend of one of the regattas that end the season. Do make an appointment with your advisor for early in the pre-registration period, and come in with a set of ideas (not necessarily decisions) about what you want to take.
Upper level students need to think about major requirements: don’t put off something until your senior year that you could easily do this year.
Sophomores who are pretty sure what their major will be should begin trying to identify an advisor in that major who they would like to work with, and talking to faculty whose classes they liked about the possibilities different majors hold. Sophomores should also drop by the international studies office to check out their options if they are thinking of going abroad junior year.
Frosh and sophomores need to keep an eye on gateway courses offered in the spring for majors they are considering.
Use your syllabi to make a schedule for the term, so you know when your own crunch
times are. Schedule all of the things that are due; then schedule the time to actually do them. Be realistic about how long it takes you to do something, and then add a day. Do it now.
Use your coaches’ and assistant coaches’ expertise: they went to college and were successful varsity athletes too. Novice rowers should also identify upper level students they feel comfortable talking to; upper level students and captains have the responsibility of explicitly making themselves available to younger and less experienced teammates.
