The First Year Doctoral Student

I am very fortunate to take a breath! I'm sitting in the middle of Red Square, the center of the University of Washington. I only get to do so because my first class was cancelled. I hope everything is alright.

At any rate, I believe it would be appropriate to take this "free" time to reflect on the near completion of my first year of doctoral studies. (Can you read the excitement in that last sentence? If not, I'm REALLY excited about it!!!) To say the least this first year has been way more than I expected in every positive way possible. I have been fortunate to be in the company of forward thinkers. That is not something you get to say very often, is it? I've been impressed and learned so much in each of the two courses I've taken for the past 3 quarters. It has only fueled my thirst for more knowledge, more wisdom. I really do feel like I am in the right place at the right time. I'm ready to move forward and explore things that I've never even thought about. In fact, that is exactly what I said to Nate Panelo, recent Ethnic Student Center graduate who came up to tell me he's going to graduate school in Vermont, "I'm so glad to be studying things that I never knew people even thought about. I mean, they thought about that? And now, I'm like... I'm really glad they thought about that. Now I'm thinking about it. Now you'll be thinking about it."

Well, the year went by quickly. I didn't even get a chance to talk about meeting Cornel West (who my son knows as "The guy from Matrix II & III." Nor did I get a chance to talk about meeting His Holiness, the Dalai Lama. That will be another day, hopefully soon. My short term plans are to take summer classes and bring the family to Hawaii! Yes, THAT Hawaii! It will be nice, not so much because we'll be flossin' in warm weather, but because I learned so much more about love and family this year and my Dad's family is all there. It will be nice to apply what I learned while we're there.

The Paper Writing Game

Basically, I have to step my game up in the research paper writing game. And, I don't really feel this way due to responses from professors on my papers. Although, of course, they are influential, I really feel a commitment to reseach appropriately issues relevant to the community. It is a feeling of urgency. A need to address issues in the moment, whether in the historical context or current affairs. One of the hardest issues I dealt with this past quarter was selecting topics to research. The topics seem endless and in dire need of research. I am very grateful for the opportunities to write and learn new methods of looking at issues.

For example, in my educational policy class I actually had the opportunity to write a policy proposal. I'd never seen a policy proposal before so to say I was unfamiliar is an understatement. The class created an interest for me in policy making and what better purpose is there for education than to stimulate more inquiry?

Further, in my Education for Liberation class I was able to further understand the purpose of primary sources. And, did you know that education has a history? I'm being sarcastic but it is only to point out my ignorance. True ignorance. I am a strong proponent of ignorance as a matter of choice rather than opportunity. So, it is difficult for me to swallow the idea of my own ignorance because I like to think of myself as a person who is open to new ideas. Low and behold, all the new ideas lay in the past!

Thank you to my professors winter quarter. They were both gentle and challenging which is a great combination for learning.

The Check Plus

I never thought a check plus would mean so much to me... But it does! Here's mine.

• From Geiger and Creso, what were the extenuating factors existing around 1980 that stimulated Federal and State policies to subsidize university-industry research relationships? Was there a “man on the moon” type of quest as in earlier times to gain a technological edge? If there was not a monumental event that stimulated the early 1980s (and subsequent late 1990s) spike, in general, what factors stimulate the relationships and who are the main instigators?

• From Geiger and Creso, what are the “crude performance measures” that have “shackled” Washington state universities according to the authors? And, how does this compare and contrast with the renewed policy since the writing of the article?

• From Geiger and Cerso, the authors speak briefly on the idea of universities being major actors in the creation of “knowledge intensive industries”. Although the U.S. has doubled its expansion of high technology manufacturing since 1995, how much faith can universities put into knowledge intensive industries when other countries like China have increased their industry expansion by as much as 8 times? If federal, state, and universities have this faith, what type of policy would best stimulate the quality the authors suggest is necessary to compete in the economy?

• Quoted from Rimer:

“Parents want the same thing parents in the past wanted,” Professor Roderick said. “They want their kids to be middle class. The problem is that the economy has changed, so doing better now means going to college. And someone has to help them figure out how to do this because the parents don’t know themselves.”

• How beneficial would it be for institutions of higher education to implement programs that educate parents, 1st generation students’ greatest advocates, on how to help prepare their children for their post-K-12 experience? If the goal is to create greater inclusion, would programs focused on educating parents about accessing higher education break some of the cycle of exclusion? (I believe this speaks to the second bullet in the summary of the NEA report that speaks to “Work[ing] to increase the level of public commitment to higher education”.)

• While more and more K-12 educators are jumping on the “everyone can and should be prepared to go to college” bandwagon, can we honestly expect similar ambition and reception from higher education institutions & educators? (Simultaneous goals of access and quality were identified as having “detrimental consequences” to higher education in the NEA report. Can this be overcome in the coming years of increasing demand for higher education?)
• The NEA report states that, “legislators continue to identify broad support for the development of a system that combines K–12 and higher education.” Why hasn’t this happened sooner? Is this the sentiment of all constituents involved?


• Lastly, I would like to second Francesca’s questions regarding how higher education juggles ethics, innovation and commercialization (economic development). As I was reading the Geiger and Creso article I thought of about the issue of ethics with regard to so many commercial industries calling upon higher education for support. I do not want to be repetitive but I do think it is a great topic for discussion. How does higher education maintain a sense of ethics in the face of major corporate influence? Does higher education ever ask itself whether it should be doing all types of innovations? And, does it ever question whether it is in the best interests of the greater good for the whole of society?

Fall 2007 and now... Winter 2008!

I can't remember if I stated this already, but I did pass my courses last quarter! You know how we do... So, to reward myself I decided to sign up for more classes this quarter. So, now I am taking EDLPS 549-Education for Liberation with Professor Joy Williamson (you might remember her from last quarter) and EDLPS 591-Higher Education and Public Policy with Professor William Zumeta.

For the Liberation class my overall thoughts, like last quarters' class with Professor Williamson, are that it is so refreshing to have the readings that we have! Basically, we're reading authors that we don't generally get in higher education. This means that we're getting perspectives that we don't generally get in higher education. And, often times, the perspectives we are getting are ones that I can personally relate to. What does that tell you? Well, I happen to think it is nice when you have some part of your perspective reflected and represented in the educational process. That way you might actually feel a part of it. Hmm... Does this have implications for the greater educational system? I think so. How do young people relate to the educational system?

For the Policy Analysis class my overall thoughts are... Well, it is hard to explain. Have you ever heard of the analogy, "A deer caught with headlights in its eyes"? That was me at the beginning of this class. Let me help you understand it this way. Can you honestly say that you know someone who is a 'policy analyst'? Have you ever embarked on analyzing a public policy? And, answer honestly, if you had to jump up right now to find a public policy, where would you find it? (Please don't say Google.) So, imagine my surprise when I learned that our research project was to find a public policy topic, analyze it, and figure out 2 alternative possible solutions to it and defend an additional 1 main solution to it. Let me know if you want to help. I'll need it.

I've probably said enough. In other news, on the 5th of February I turn 40. Since I can't afford a motorcycle yet, I am planning to take my bike around for a few spins.

A lot of People Have Thought About Education

Even though I am doing more reading than I've done in a while, I am reading some quality stuff. My professors have chosen some excellent perspectives. From Plato to Toni Morrison, it is all interesting. And then, to be in class and analyze the content amongst my fellow classmates is also exciting. Well, I guess I should be honest, it is both exciting and nerve wracking... Not to go too far down the negative talk road, I sometimes doubt my relevancy to the discussion. I feel like I have a good idea but sometimes I get the sense that I am off track. I get this feeling, for exampe, if I make a comment and no one expands on it. And, I am especially in the hallows of Hell's doubt when I make a comment and there is that nervous dead silence immediately following.

Okay, I put that out there. I'm done with it. So a real positive about these classes is the applicability of the content. I feel like everything I am studying is relevant to my current engagement of community learning. It is exciting to pass it forward to the community. That, in itself, is fulfilling a dream for me. Someone said it is a humbling experience because you realize how much you don't know. I agree and I appreciate and respect it too. I look forward to the future. I have to admit, though, with all these great people who have thought about the process of education over the last few thousand years, I wonder why do we still have a screwed up educational system? I mean, really, how is that possible?

Class is in Session!

Hey, I went to my first class sessions on Monday. It was all to the good. I'm going to enjoy the readings (as long as I keep up). In some ways I feel like I'm in a cave staring at shadows on the wall thinking it is reality. I will also enjoy the company. It looks like a fun group of people who are interested in learning.

The most exciting part is that I get to be in class with Alberto Mejia (aka Praxis). Former ESC leader. I was overwhelmed with emotion during class introductions when I talked about the ESC being a center concerned with academic and leadership development for underrepresented students and here I am in class with one of my former students. All I could say was, "This is a big deal. I can't believe how big a deal this is."

Student Orientation

Okay, so I didn't go to the student orientation that was set up for students like me. I went a day early and orientated myself. I was so pleased to see that they put these signs up for me...



It was a good time down there. I got to time myself. How long it took me to walk from wherever I was at WWU to my car. How long it took me to drive from the parking lot at WWU to the parking lot at UW (Figuring out where to park was an obvious side venture). How long it took me to walk from the parking lot to my classroom (as well as, WHERE the classroom was). How long it took me to walk to the HUB to get food and drink and then get back for my next class.

To say the least I feel organized. I also got my UW ID card. The whole experience was inspiring. I'll write more on that later.