AIM concerns

Hal writes:

Before I go into my rant du jour, I do want to say that I was excited about the summer RD assignments that I have been given. I want really find out what is entailed until I meet with my supervisors tomorrow, but the topics sound fun. :) My assignments include assisting with New Student Registration, helping write the Year End Report, and assist with Senior Assistant training in the fall, among other areas. I also realized that I was paired with a colleague on two summer assignments who I have not had the chance to work with much this past year, but I am excited to do so.

My colleagues and I had another lunch picnic, this time at a park near the UWP football stadium. It was a little windy out, but nice to be outside with friends and laughing lots. Settings like this is where private jokes get their start. So when I come into a room and say that I was just "spoon-eyed", some close friends will know what I mean. I don't mean for this to be an exclusive thing, but more of a connection between myself and friends. I think the difference is whether or not you are trying to exclude someone is the basis for how hurtful a private joke can be. If you want to know what "spoon-eyed" means, feel free to ask, but there is a deeper meaning for those who shared the moment of it's inception.

So here's the problem. Our computer tech services wants to remove AIM from the RD computers. The RDs don't want that to happen. The argument on one side is the security risk involved to university property (the computers) whereas the RDs use AIM to communicate with each other, staff, colleagues at other institutions, etc. A couple of us have tried the web based client, but it is not functional and does not meet our needs. But I am not going to just whine about it here, I sent a letter to my colleagues (it was four pages in length on Word) sharing my thoughts and hopefully there will be an opportunity to do so with both my supervisors and computer tech at the same time.

Exciting news. I got a call from my mentor, Royce. I was out of the office and missed the call but, in typical fashion, left a five minute voice message. I have not seen him since he moved to Nebraska a few years ago. He is the equivalent of a chancellor at a small college, and is raising four teenage boys with his wife that are not their own, so he has been very busy. Royce has been an inspiration in faith and career and I hope that this phone call will begin more of an effort for the two of us to keep in touch.