Last week was a very interesting week all things considered. I met with some students, we had Engineer’s Week (a week early), and we had some consultants come from elsewhere to review our Honors Program. We ended with a very nice dinner Friday night with the folks from Honors and had a very good time. They seemed to think our Honors program was doing some very good things but they also had some suggestions for improvement. Of course improvement means money and money requires someone willing to give it. They claimed the University Administration is behind this program and that some funding may result. I hope so.

Unfortunately right now we are in the mode of wanting to be the biggest University in the state rather than focusing on being the best. What bothers me is the underlying premise that we can not be both. When I think of some of the best universities around I do not think of any that are having trouble recruiting students–most are turning students away. Why can we not be that way? Well, the truth is we can. But we have to be careful. If we go for the short-term gains of more students, for assess in classes, without considering the quality, then focusing on quality later will be damn near impossible. I have this feeling that we are suffering from the lack of a grand vision of what we can be.

I also lost a Sailor this week. One of my Seamen was found dead outside her of house. I understand the investigation is still on-going (but I live so far away it is hard to keep up) but foul-play is not suspected at this time. It is terrible to lose anyone you know but it is particulalrly hard to lose someone in your unit. My Chiefs and I had worked with the Sailor and had great hopes for what she could accomplish. She left behind her children which is perhaps the saddest part. Growing up in this world is tough enough but to do it without a mother is, I’m afraid, asking too much.

Mid-Term exams start next week and I really need to be working on one right now. Guess I better go and get on it.