I thought this was supposed to be vacation time

My inner workaholic is pleased. Despite the rumors of the lazy days of summer for academics, I'm finding that my schedule is overflowing with stuff to do.

The first meeting of our newly composed Professional Advisory Committee is scheduled for later this month. Comprised of representatives from the professional community, including designers, ad agencies, marketing consultants, printing and signage vendors, and more, this committee advises the Graphic Design program at Colorado Mountain College. With the significant modifications I'm recommending for the program, their input is both valued and required. Preparations for this meeting include finishing a 5-Year Plan for the program. It's both invigorating to consider the opportunities available to us over the next five years, and sobering to think about the challenges we face in achieving our goals. While its always been exciting to experience the changes and advances in the world of professional design, rapidly emerging technologies are combining with unprecedented market shifts to create a "perfect storm" for graphic designers. Navigating successfully through the sea of new expectations for graduates will require my best leadership efforts, the sage advice of the Professional Advisory Committee, exceptional work by my staff of instructors, and motivation from our student population. Fortunately, the Colorado Mountain College administration has demonstrated strong support for the Graphic Design program.

I just returned from a visit to Fort Hays State University in western Kansas. They have a well-established Graphic Design program, offering a rigorous BFA degree. The results from their students were truly impressive. We’ve begun a dialog about an articulation agreement that would allow my graduates to receive credit towards earning a BFA from FHSU. Not only is their program strong, but they offer tuition grants to transferring students, as well as a special tuition rate for students from Colorado. Having familiarized myself with their program, I can confidently encourage my students to explore that path for their continued education.

With the release of Adobe CS5 this summer, I need to integrate the features of this major upgrade into our technology-based courses for the coming year. This involves a lot of learning on my part, as I explore the many new ways this broad set of software applications has improved and changed. I anticipate making intensive use of my lynda.com membership, as well as the soon-to-arrive (I hope) new textbooks.

In addition to all the work for CMC this summer holds, I’ll also have the great pleasure of hosting two of my sons. One has just finished his Freshman year of college in the midwest, and is spending the summer taking Biology, Pyschology, and Health & Fitness courses at CMC, and working to save money for a trip to Europe next year. He arrived in town on two days ago, and has already landed a job and made friends. He even has a date tonight for a concert in Aspen. I wish I'd had his social abilities when I was his age. After exploring Glenwood Springs for the past couple days, he told me he completely understands why I'd choose to move here. He's hoping his school and work schedule will allow ample time to spend a lot of time discovering the multitude of outdoor activities the area provides.

His younger brother is coming as soon has his high school lets out for the summer. He's an avid biker, and can’t wait to hit the trails that abound in the Roaring Fork Valley. He’s also eager to rack up the required road miles to qualify for his driver's license on his birthday at the end of the summer. I suspect I’m going to get talked into lots of non-essential road trips. I hope he won’t be too terrifying to ride with. I remind myself that I survived the learning-to-drive experiences of both his older brothers.

I’ve also ordered the building materials to construct an outdoor enclosure off the back door, so that the dogs can enjoy the summertime. Locals warned me that wolves, coyotes, birds of prey, and bears are all known to enjoy household pets, particularly small ones, like our two chihuahuas. There will be a cover and a small pass-through door into the house, so they should be able to avoid becoming dinner for a wild carnivore.

The Calm Before the Storm

Portfolio show is finished. Projects have been submitted (including the piece shown by CMC student Sergio Carrasco, an Adobe Illustrator vector graphics project that make fine use of the gradient mesh feature). Final grades have been posted. Graduation was last week.

Classes for the coming semester are all in place. Textbooks have been selected, including the new crop of Adobe CS5 learning resources. We’re switching from CS4 over the summer, “God willing, and the creek don’t rise”, as my grandmother would say. I’m keeping my fingers crossed that software ship dates will be met, and book publishing release dates will prove to be more than public relations puffery. The new software also means that I’ll be spending a lot of time on lynda.com this summer, learning the new features before classes start again in late August.

Outsiders often think that summer break is just a giant vacation for academia, but the truth is a bit busier. There’s a lot to be done over the summer, including convening the Professional Advisory Committee for the Graphic Design program, so they can review proposed changes to the program and assess the 5-year plan. This means I need to complete the 5-year plan prior to the meeting, lest the cart run completely over the horse.







Meetings must had with adjunct instructors, instructional directors, technical support staff, and many others. Rooms must be reconfigured and computer systems tested. Curriculum must be checked against emerging factors. Assessment tools must be tweaked. An endless stream of papers, and files, and . . .


I’m also visiting Fort Hayes State University in western Kansas. They’re very interested in an articulation agreement with their graphic design program that would allow our Associates Degree students to receive full transfer credit of their degree credits towards a Bachelors’s Degree in Graphic Design from FHSU.

It’s going to be a busy summer, but I’m looking forward to an exciting Fall term of new classes, new projects, and new students.