Lesson Plan for Week 1: General Thoughts and Notes

Patrick Mooney, TA
Department of English, UC Santa Barbara
Eng 133SO, Prof. Waid
2 April 2014  

Major topics:

  1. Today's fun facts:
    1. From fiscal year 2001-2 to fiscal year 2008-9, UC per-student funding dropped 50%. (source: http://is.gd/kimilo)
    2. Q: What would it cost the median tax return to restore fiscal year 2001-2002-level funding?
      A: Approximately $50 per return per year. (source: http://is.gd/rulida).
  2. Administrative Issues:
    1. Section issues? Crashing?
    2. Go over section guidelines handout.
    3. Other registration/administrative issues?
    4. Due to the UAW 2865 strike tomorrow , I will not be in lecture, in my office, or responding to emails. But if you would like to come talk about non-course-related issues, I'll be on the picket lines, and you can come talk to me. Information about the planned schedule of events for the strikers is available in this tweet from the section Twitter stream.
      • These are issues that affect you directly, even if it may sometimes be hard to see how. I am genuinely happy to talk to you about them if you want to talk. However, I want to reiterate something that I said earlier: you are not obligated to agree with me, and disagreeing with me will not hurt your grade in any way. Come out to the picket lines and talk if you want to. If you don't, then do what you need and/or what to do tomorrow.
      • If you want more information about why the union representing TAs is striking tomorrow, you might want to take a look at the union's blog or their Facebook page.
      • My own overall motivation for participating in the strike is my belief that you deserve better than what the University of California is currently offering you. Again, we can talk about this if you'd like — at the picket lines, in my office, or elsewhere.
  3. Introductions!