Finally!

On 24 March 2008, I met with my dean to discuss my proposal for the academic years 2009-2010 and 2010-2011. Last week, after a ridiculously long process of back and forth, here and there, I received a letter outlining approval of the proposal. It will enable me to teach online from here in New Brunswick, spending 3+ weeks in Saint Paul in January teaching on campus during our short winter term. Many of you can well imagine what a relief that is!

Some of you might ask, "Why not cut the cord and get a job in New Brunswick?" Well, aside from the fact that I actually like developing and offering online courses, as a tenured full professor - never mind the economic situation - it is virtually (no pun intended) impossible for me to get a full-time academic job here.

So, what happens after August 2011? It is unlikely that they will permit me to do it any longer, especially since they can hire someone new and pay them a little more than half of my regular salary. I hesitate to put this in writing, but...

I am considering, with an appropriate level of hesitation, doing what it takes to practice law here. I'm still licensed in Minnesota. I've decided to fork over the big bucks to the National Committee on Accreditation and at least find out how much additional coursework they will require of me. Probably between 30 and 45 credits, but if I could do that while working online and having an income...who knows. And, if I could position myself to be articling during the second year I'm teaching or the year immediately following, I'd have something I could do, market permitting, beginning fall 2011. As with everything, it will be interesting to look back at this in a couple of years and see what's really transpired.

Well, that's it for a quick Sunday morning update. We're having friends over for brunch early this afternoon so I'd best get back to picking things up, etc. P just made blueberry muffins - we froze lots of New Brunswick blueberries last summer! - so that was a good reason for a break!