Orientation (or, how do I get keys?)

Today was the last day of my GSU teaching and new student orientation.

Wow.

Whirlwind does even begin to explain it. I feel vaguely oriented--I am at least on so many lists and listservs that I'm not even sure what's coming into my inbox anymore. I can walk from the MARTA (GSU station) to the General Classroom Building (where the English Dept. is) without looking at a map now. And I'm becoming pretty good at finding the University Police Station and waiting for 45 minutes for keys that I'm not going to get. At least, not for my classrooms, I don't think.

The key situation is pretty impressive. In order to control incidents of theft, GSU now requires that classrooms be locked before and after classes. This means that us teachers and professors need keys to the classrooms. And since we teach in multiple rooms, we need multiple keys. Some buildings seem not to require keys, or haven't had locks installed yet--these are the buildings I seem to be teaching in. I have no idea where they are, but at least I won't get locked out accidentally. Hopefully.

I have also not managed to get my department key or office key yet, although I have been told that the Police Station will call me when they're ready. I have acquired an office, but I don't know where it is. Somewhere on the ninth floor of the GCB. I'll worry about finding it when I can open it.

I'm really impressed with the English Department, however. Orientation was quite helpful, if not a little overwhelming. They have the coolest packet of Teacher Resources that includes all kinds of information on their comp courses and pedagogy. GSU is definitely hip to Peter Elbow, and I really like the amount of control they let us have over our classes. I've got this crazy idea of implementing a class blog as an experiment with form, public writing, and technology. We'll see how that goes.

My new friend Priya and I are meeting tomorrow to copy our syllabi, and to explore a little more of Atlanta. Since I haven't yet finished my syllabus, I'm not sure how much copying will be completed on my part. I really dig my new text (Motives for Writing), so now it's just a matter of deciding when I'm going to what in class.