Am I lacking civility?

My message to Dr. Montoya:

Dr. Montoya,
I think there is a problem with Test 2. The test does not present in order. The questions are jumbled up, which makes deciphering your question groups nearly impossible.
Curtis M. Kularski
PSYC 443 D1

His reply:

Hi Curtis; Thank you for writing. I just checked the test and I’m not sure what do you mean by "jumbled up". The test seems in order. Please, try gain.

In addition, I would appreciate some civility in your communications. Your tone is not very professional. I want to refer you to our netiquette guidelines which you can find here: http://www.albion.com/netiquette/corerules.html.  Further communications with inappropriate tone will be referred to our Department Chairman.

Take care

Daniel Montoya Ph.D.

 

Where did I go wrong? Am I missing something obvious?

NCCCS Descriptions for Elective Options

I’m still seeking that perfect course for my final 3 credit hours for Spring 2011 (and likely my final 3 credit hours earned as an undergraduate). This course does not have to count toward any program, or even be transferable back to another school. The course just has to be interesting and fun to me. I am trying to stay at least a little out of the humanities as I will be taking 12 hours of Sociology at Fayetteville. I have selected several courses that are offered during the semester is forms that are accessible to me at all of the colleges across the state and retrieved the appropriate course descriptions for the courses. Here are the finalists:

ART 114 Art History 1
  This course covers the development of art forms from ancient times to the Renaissance. Emphasis is placed on content, terminology, design, and style. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate an historical understanding of art as a product reflective of human social development.
ART 171 Computer Art 1
  This course introduces the use of the computer as a tool for solving visual problems. Emphasis is placed on fundamentals of computer literacy and design through bit-mapped image manipulation. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate an understanding of paint programs, printers, and scanners to capture, manipulate, and output images.
ART 260 Photography Appreciation
  This course introduces the origins and historical development of photography. Emphasis is placed on the study of composition and history of photography as an art form. Upon completion, students should be able to recognize and produce, using color transparencies, properly exposed, well-composed photographs.
ART 265 Digital Photography II
  This course provides exploration of the concepts and processes of photo manipulation through complex composite images, special effects, color balancing and image/text integration. Emphasis is placed on creating a personal vision and style. Upon completion, students should be able to produce well-executed images using a variety of photographic and photo manipulative approaches.
BIO 168 Anatomy and Physiology I
  This course provides a comprehensive study of the anatomy and physiology of the human body. Topics include body organization, homeostasis, cytology, histology, and the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems and special senses. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate an in-depth understanding of principles of anatomy and physiology and their interrelationships.
CHM 131 Introduction to Chemistry
  This course introduces the fundamental concepts of inorganic chemistry. Topics include measurement, matter and energy, atomic and molecular structure, nuclear chemistry, stoichiometry, chemical formulas and reactions, chemical bonding, gas laws, solutions, and acids and bases. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate a basic understanding of chemistry as it applies to other fields.
CIS 245 Operating System – Multi-User (Linux)
  This course includes operating systems concepts for multi-user systems. Topics include hardware management, file and memory management, system configuration/optimization, and utilities. Upon completion, students should be able to perform operating system functions in a multi-user environment. Operating system utilized: Linux, adaptable to Unix
CSC 234 Advanced C++ Programming
  This course is a continuation of CSC 134 using the C++ programming language with standard programming principles. Emphasis is placed on advanced arrays/tables, file management/processing techniques, data structures, sub-programs, interactive processing, sort/merge routines, and libraries. Upon completion, students should be able to design, code, test, debug and document programming solutions.
GEL 120 Physical Geology
  This course provides a study of the structure and composition of the earth’s crust. Emphasis is placed on weathering, erosional and depositional processes, mountain building forces, rocks and minerals, and structural changes. Upon completion, students should be able to explain the structure, composition, and formation of the earth’s crust.
MAT 263 Calculus II
  This course provides a rigorous treatment of integration and is the second calculus course in a three-course sequence. Topics include applications of definite integrals, techniques of integration, indeterminate forms, improper integrals, infinite series, conic sections, parametric equations, polar coordinates, and differential equations. Upon completion, students should be able to use integration and approximation techniques to solve application problems.
NOS 120 Linux/UNIX Single User
 

This course develops the necessary skills for students to develop both GUI and command line skills for using and customizing a Linux workstation. Topics include Linux file system and access permissions, GNOME Interface, VI editor, X Window System expression pattern matching, I/O redirection, network and printing utilities. Upon completion, students should be able to customize and use Linux systems for command line requirements and desktop productivity roles.

Planned Spring 2011 Semester

This is what the Spring 2011 semester for me looks like so far from my planning. Things may change a little if certain things don’t work out, but this looks to be pretty stable.  ART 114 is currently standing in for my elective course for the semester.

Introduction to SPSS [SOCI333]
An introduction to the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, a computer program for data processing and statistical analysis, enabling students without knowledge of programming or without programming aspirations to utilize the computer for scientific research. Prerequisite: SOCI 210 And SOCI 331 — 3 hours

Planned

Crime and Delinquency [SOCI340]
Druann M. Heckert
A study of the nature of crime and delinquency as forms of deviant behavior, including theories of causation relating to both, with considerations of the justice system for each. — 3 hours

Planned

History of Sociological Thought [SOCI350]
Jilly M. Ngwainmb
A selective and systematic study of major writings in the development of modern sociological thought, with critical examination of the sociological theories of selected writers. — 3 hours

Planned

Race and Ethnic Relation [SOCI412]
Suzanne Y. Strulowitz
A study of the theories and principles of majority minority relations, with emphasis on the status and problems of selected racial, ethnic, and religious minority groups in the United States and elsewhere — 3 hours

Planned

Art History Survey 1 [ART114]
Richard L. Gilbert
This course covers the development of art forms from ancient times to the Renaissance. Emphasis is placed on content, terminology, design, and style. Upon completion, students should be able to demonstrate an historical understanding of art as a product reflective of human social development. This course has been approved to satisfy the Comprehensive Articulation Agreement general education core requirement in humanities/fine arts. — 3 hours

Planned

Resolution to SOCI 210 Problem

  • Instructor for one of the required courses, SOCI 350, has granted a permit
  • Dr. Miller and the registrar at Gaston have worked out the issue and the grade will post early
  • Dr. Ankrah (Sociology chair at FSU) has revised his position. A permit may be granted as soon as evidence of a grade of C or better is presented for the SOCI 210 course. No official evaluation will be required before I can register
  • Dr. Ankrah guarantees me a closed-section override for any course that is full by the time I register (once SOCI 210 posts)
  • Dr. Ankrah has assured me that I will have no problem getting into SOCI 333 🙂

Insomnia, Again

I am starting to feel like I will never sleep again. I am awake working on a paper that I don’t really have to finish right now, but yet I know if I lay down, I will not sleep. I am not tired and have no desire to sleep. It is much too warm to sleep and I just do not have the calm required. I know I am not very functional, but yet sleep does not come. This whole thing is really starting to piss me off.

An Update on SOCI 210

  • The registrar at Gaston (Dellinger) responded to my e-mail about what Dr. Miller said (“The instructor says you won’t let him post my grade early”), asking for who the instructor is (you know, cause looking me up in the system to find the course and instructor would be hard cause of my common last name)
  • It is my suspicion that because of the nature of things there might be a loophole to the condition that Dr. Miller believes exists for posting a course grade (I smell a paper form and lots of ink from a dean’s pen).
  • My advocate in the Distance Ed office, Ms. Wells, seems to have bumped my email up to the Director of Distance Education, who replied. I was asked for the name of who denied me a pre-requisite override, what was specifically said and what courses I need. I was also assured that she would do whatever is in per power to resolve this.

It still feels like there are some balls up in the air, but at least people aren’t replying and telling me “you can’t do that”. I suspect that if I can’t get approval from the chair of Sociology for an override, then someone above the department chair may be able to help, assuming that the director of distance education cannot unilaterally grant the permit.

If all of that falls through, Dr. Miller is willing to grade me early (seems almost eager on the idea), but believes the registrar won’t let him. The registrar on the other hand seems to believe that there is no reason that he can’t grade me now. I think on that front, I’m going to quietly work on my paper and let this adventure work out between the registrar and instructor.

I guess if all of the people currently working for me manage to drop the ball I might be able to get favor with my potential instructors for Spring and maybe get a tiny touch of sympathy for what I’ve gone through just to take their courses.

Just as a little reminder, this all started because I wanted to take SOCI 333 (Intro to SPSS) and didn’t have the pre-requisite for it. Speaking of which, once I jump through the rest of the hoops in my sociology minor, I STILL have to get a pre-requisite override for the sociological statistics course to take SOCI 333. On that front I at least have the assurance of the instructor that it will be handled.

Chaos of my Academic Life

The situation:

  • Registration opens on November 1. I have no courses left in my major that I need to take, but I have several to complete in my minor (sociology).
  • I must have the pre-requisite course SOCI 210 to register for courses in the sociology minor.
  • SOCI 210 is not offered in a form that is accessible to me from FSU.
  • I planned to take SOCI 210 during the summer, but no seats were available, so I registered for SOCI 210 for Fall at Gaston.
  • The Sociology department at FSU will not allow a pre-requisite override on the basis of the course-in-progress.
  • Note: if I were taking the SOCI 210 course at FSU, it wouldn’t matter that the course is still open, I would be allowed to register. They are discriminating because it is not a local course.
  • Because the course is self-paced and I am almost finished I am attempting to get the grade posted early and the course transferred ASAP.
  • The registrar at Gaston told me to contact my instructor about the possibility of posting the grade early.
  • Instructor says he is fine with posting the grade early, but that the registrar will not let him.
  • Instructor volunteers willingness to write a letter to my department to set things into motion.

 

I have taken the following measures to try to ensure me being able to register:

  • Pleaded with Sociology chair – he seems unmoved and unwilling to override.
  • Sent e-mail to College of A&S counselor – she seems optimistic, but generally unhelpful.
  • E-mailed the individual course instructors – no reply yet.
  • E-mailed the Director of Distance Programs. Her role in life is to ensure equality between distance and normal students and to fight for distance students where possible – No reply from her yet. She seems like a good alley to have.
  • Attempted to get permission for the grade to be posted and transferred early.

Ultimately there are only two things that can resolve this:

  1. Someone manage to get me an override permit
  2. Somehow get the course transferred early

Options don’t seem to good at the moment, but I’m trying to get all of my colleges and all of my departments working for me. 

RT: Social Networking Hinders Social Development

Facebook, Twitter and RSS are not replacements for having actual conversations or for spending time with people. Attempting to communicate to many people at once looses the individuality and places a strain on attempts at conversation. Do not expect people to have read your blog or checked your latest Tweets. Talk to people, treat them as human.

GRE Pain

I have recently begun preparing for the GRE, Graduate Records Examination, and I am starting to feel pained by the stuff I have to learn. I thought an undergraduate education was supposed to prepare me for this, but apparently not. The vocabulary words themselves are very difficult and I am not sure how well I will be able to handle this test. I used to have a better vocabulary than most people around me, but I am starting to wonder about that, since a lot of the words popping up in my test prep are not things that I know. I am trying to develop a strategy for learning this stuff without it becoming a situation where I simply cram for the exam itself. I want the words to actually mean something and be a part of my knowledge, not just something I pick up for the test and forget about. There are thousands of words that go into the GRE, and I know I can’t learn every single one of them, so my best bet will be trying to revive all of my vocabulary intuitions that I had when I went into the SAT and try to learn a few more rules to help round things out.

If I’m stressing this much over the verbal section, the quantitative section is going to kill me.

Security Concerns

I have never been one for much security when it comes to my technology. I like to keep my network secure, but I’m not one to necessarily have a lot of different passwords or use things like virus scanners or firewalls (outside of a firewall router). This makes me a not very good person for doing things like figuring out how the access rights side of GITI will operate when considering external uses of data via the SecretKey system. At this time there is exactly one SecretKey application, and it isn’t even really part of GITI, it is an adjacent application under the pcfire.net domain that just happens to have the same users as GITI, and therefore can use the SecretKey system without using the whole GITI login routine. In addition, I wanted the application to be something that could be accessed without having to be greeted with a credentials prompt every time it is accessed. I’m told that allowing a page to be accessed with a plain text password is bad, as it compromises everything, so I’m using the keys.

My concern now turns to the aspect of key security. Is one key good enough? Basically the way things work now is that each user is issued a key and with that key they can theoretically access limited GITI resources. The key is supposed to be used in a condition where the data is not sensitive and where things are read-only. For the current implantation there is a non-sensitive use where the data is pretty much one-way. There is only an input, not a modify, and thus no records to corrupt. Of course I log the IP addresses used for access so in the event of a problem it is possible to drop rows from the database made from any IP address not owned by the owner of the account. This being said, if the key is compromised, it is easy enough to have GITI to reset (“roll”) the key, but then all other services that use the key must be updated. I find myself wondering if each service should be able to be assigned a GITI key independently. Currently Google assigns a unique API key to each service that it “authorizes”, but it is a standard OpenID implementation, so I’m not sure how much stock I put in that process. It does seem rational though, to be able to use multiple keys and cancel them at will. I have considered using a different key for each service, allowing the user to issue however many keys they want or just leaving it as is, with each user having one key.  Oh so much to consider.