Day 1

This afternoon the 41st IEM (Institute for Educational Management of the Graduate School of Education, Harvard University) convened to begin deliberations and big thinking. An amazing cross-section of the world's higher-education population. 32 States, 7 countries, 95 people in adminstration, academics, athletics and of course Corporate/Continuing Education (woo hoo! There is just one of me). They described the selection process as a "Noah's Ark"... only they couldn't accept two of everyone. It sounds like alot more people than it is. About 80% of the people came here by recommendation from someone else in their respective institutions as in, "...you have got to go to IEM..."

By the end of the first conversation the group could not be controlled. Lots of energy and lots of conversations. Where are your from? What do you do? What challenges are you facing? Funding, Fundraising, SACS/accreditation, online education, job placement, completion rates, retention, developmental education, Katrina, the war, the oil, assessment, Division 1 basketball.... and that was in the first hour.

They really emphasized that this is a time for us to be the learners... so we sit back and contemplate how things might be, could be, should be... and then think about how we might make that happen in our respective worlds.

Am thinking this is a rare set of circumstances that put me here. As July 19th approaches I remember mom. As I was ironing my shirts I was thinking about my dad. He once told me he thought it would be great to wear a new shirt every day, straight out of the package... well for the next 5 days, I'll be doing just that. A new shirt every day for five days. I think he would enjoy that.

The schedule is roughly 8am - 6:30pm each day and I have some reading to do. Lots of smart people and I'm counting on it rubbing off.