TODAY, of course, was the first day of classes here at lovely Irvine Valley College. There were lots of fresh faces, lots of bewildered looks.
Imagine visiting the college for the first time.
Now, IVC is among those places that has no entrance. It has, rather, entry points—like, say, a Sears, which can be entered at several points, all of them lousy.
But let us suppose that some evildoer has placed a gun to our head and has insisted that we identify "IVC's entrance." In that case, without doubt, IVC's entrance is that nameless road (it has a name, but no one knows it) that sort of happens along Irvine Center Drive.
Now, if one takes that road and heads straight (nothing will direct one to do otherwise), one will soon encounter the grand and inviting Student Services Center. But it will be distant, across a vast expanse of lawn, halfway across campus.
"Surely," thinks the first-time visitor, "an information desk is closer than that!"
Inevitably, therefore, the visitor parks and then wanders into the A100 building, which is nearby and which, unlike other buildings at IVC, sports a flagpole.
"This must be the place," they'll say. "Surely, we'll get our questions answered here!"
AND THUS IT WAS THAT, until recently, a visitor who entered A100 would immediately encounter a clearly marked information desk, smack dab in the middle of the building.
* * * * *
Today, after our classes, Rebel Girl and I wandered into the A100 building as we headed to the parking lot. Once inside, we beheld the rumored empty space created by the recent removal of the Info Desk. The rumor was true.
We stared at the space. The Reb pointed at the place on the wall where the word "information" once greeted visitors:
I became peevish."I guess we don't have information anymore here at IVC," I said, loudly enough for others to hear.
Just then, three young people wandered into the building from the direction of the flagpole. They were lost. They had questions.
I looked at the Reb. Then I walked up to these kids.
"Looking for directions? Information perhaps?" I asked.
"Yes," they said. They looked at the shitty spot that once said "information." They looked around the room.
Someone attempted to give them directions to the alleged "info" booth in the Student Services Center, way across the lawn, past the coffee zone.
"Where?"
For some reason, these kids remained bewildered. They wandered in the opposite direction of the Student Services Building. We watched their progress.
I looked at Reb.
"Lunch?"
MEANWHILE...
Tomorrow, young Adam and I will race Fords, virtually.
Sarah will insist on hide an' seek.Up in Pacifica, Fannie's doing well, now that she's home with Tiger-Ann. Recently, she won some kinda prize for this great photo she took at a dance she attended a few months ago:
28 comments:
What happened to Kathy?
Where's the fax machine?
First the clocktower - now this.
Removing info stations--at the beginning of the semester?
Who makes the decisions at IVC?
You know what's going to happen is that all the people who come through the front doors of A-100 will get their information anyway - just from all the other staffers in the general area.
All those people will do is what Kathy always did - point them in the direction they want to go.
Was Kathy let go?
What happens at night? Is A-100 locked up now at 5:00? Where do evening students go with their questions?
Is the xerox machine in A-100 locked up in the evening now too?
Boy, you IVC people are really fucking lost aren't you? Any little change and your simpleton minds collapse in confusion. Makes one wonder if any of you would survive if you ever needed to make your way in the real world.
The evening hours present an interesting issue that I am sure few will pursue - what DOES go on at IVC in the evening anyway?
As someone who has taught evening classes for years, I can assure you - not much.
Sure, people hustle and bustle around at 7 or so - but by 8:30, folks are driving away and by nine many classes (scheduled to run until 10) are empty. There's no oversight, no management in sight (they all begin to leave around 4 in the afternoon) and well...
My students are surprised that I keep them until 9:45.
Well, there WERE signs posted today directing students to buildings - and info booths - all good moves.
I don't know how helpful the information desk WAS though it did get a lot of use and seemed to exist in the most natural place to look for it - in the foyer of the first building most people encounter.
About night classes, everyone knows there a scam - the people who teach them and the people who take them - the admininstration just doesn't want to notice the problem - otherwise someone might have to work late to check it out and we can't have that can we.
I miss Kathy and Pat, knowing they are easy to reach, in the most logical place, a function of the administration to dispense info to all. Now the transformation of A100 is complete. Oh, and the evening admin thing is a joke.
WHAT evening admin?
WHERE?
WHO?
I like the ghostly effect the peeled-off letters have on the wall.
Do we have a real person who picks up calls in the evening or is it still the recorded voice of Glenn bemoaning funding cuts and asking people to call back during "working" hours?
There's no oversight in the evening whatsoever. No one stays to see if anyone does anything - hence, few do. It's been like this all the time I've been here - everybody gone by nine. Long gone.
Pat is very helpful at night. Unlike the cops, she is easy to find.
Kathy and Pat are both in the Student Services building, Next to EOPS. The fax machine is still in A-100.
and evening access to the xerox machine in A-100?
oh good, now the A-100 folks won't be bothered by stduents at all! S
It isn't a dance per se but the Art Deco Festival held each year north of San Francisco.
http://www.artdecosociety.org/about/events/calendar.htm
Maybe you can take a photo of the faculty parking lot at 7 pm, then again at 8, then again at nine - then again at, say, 9:45 - see what happens.
Information desk is in the giant student services building now... immediately to your left upon entering through the "front" - right next to the financial aid door in other words.
Wow, there are some mean-spirited people on here! I have taught at night before and neither myself nor my students are a scam, well maybe some of the students. And I do not leave early either. Besides that, we need the info desk for the students and visitors and it is well used and Kathy does a great job. So just shut up!!
It's been a few years since I've taught a night class, but, for what it's worth, my night classes always stayed for the full three hours.
But it does seem that oversight for the evenings has gone into decline in recent years. One hears that sh*t happens, nowadays. Not always in the classroom!
During the days of Owen Kreza, some (not all) IVC cops reportedly engaged in some interestingly unproductive activities. Notoriously, they didn't always notice stuff, like dead students out in the parking lot.
or uninspiring faculty trying to teach brain-dead students -ROTFLMFAO
Perhaps the night scene has been overstated but there is an obvious trend toward dismissing class early...I say this as someone who teaches at night. Not everyone, no - but too many. And yes, the evening population of students will tell you so.
Hello! I am still here in the evening from 5pm-10pm on most M,T,Th evenings. I am answering phones, directing students, taking staff, faculty and student ID pictures and am now in SSC 140.I would love for you to visit!
Pat Weekes
Fannie's photo is absolutely wonderful. Sarah looks extra-wicked in this shot--and Adam looks extra-innocent in his.
Great to hear from you Pat!
You are much loved. You do a great job!
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