Name Changes on Campus

New name for college of business more accurately reflects its role at MSU

Murray State University’s college of business and public affairs is now the college of business. Approved by the MSU board of regents at its last meeting, the change was made to reflect the units in the college.

Currently, the college houses six departments that deal with business: accounting; computer science and information systems; economics and finance; journalism and mass communications; management, marketing and business administration; and organizational communication.

Names should be a description of what they identify. The College of Business and Public Affairs did just that. The quote above, from here, is incorrect. The college houses 6 departments, 3 deal with business, and 3 deal with public affairs.

Goodbye Public Ivy

I'm in a pretty foul mood today (but not about this), so I?ll speak plainly. MSU got ripped off by our ?national marketing firm?. (Original blog post here)

Now, they did a pretty good job on the new logo. It's very modern, yet retains the shield (though I heard people had to threaten bodily harm to others to get them to keep that much).
I don't even have much problem with the new tag line, 'your world to explore'. While "Public Ivy" was always striving to sound convincing time and "There's no (cent) in quitting" was just dumb, "your world to explore" sounds like something from EPCOT, and everyone loves Disney World, right? It's hopeful and all-encompassing, not as egotistical as "Public Ivy" but still a grand idea.
The problem I have is with the new tag line logo, destined to be slapped on every bulletin board, cocktail napkin and pencil on campus.


When I first saw it I thought of this elementary education software. Maybe as a grad student I?m too old for this message. It?s my last year in the 18-24 age demographic, so maybe the kids love the star theme. Maybe it will look better on the napkins in real life than it does in my head. Maybe I?m just too hung up on the stars. Maybe I?m just getting too old for this.
I wonder if we'll ever get our rowing team back.

Also;

My boss is burning incense. Getting ready for the Floyd show tonight? Who knows?

since twitter is down

This is a great blog post about John Hughes. Just really awesome.
Here at the lake we are starting up Laser Light Shows, and the first Pink Floyd show is already sold out and reservations are filling up the rest of the nights fast. So if you want to come call 270-924-2020.
I'm actually really happy they are selling out. the planetarium is a pretty awesome place, and hopefully the music lovers will come back for more traditional shows later this year.

Laser light show poster

Laser-Poster, originally uploaded by morndry.

A poster I designed for the upcoming laser shows at the planetarium. 18x24, it doesn't look bad shrunk to 8.5x11. I hope to get a few full size ones once they get back from the printer Friday.

HDR of Rainy

WellsStatue_07277_HDR_b, originally uploaded by Stephen Kerstiens - BNA-Photo.

Found this on Flickr, I really want this shot as my background.
Stephen Kerstiens, I don't know who you are, but good job.

Playing dentist with a gift horse

It's Monday night, and I have just scheduled my first job interview of 2009.
Of course you wont be reading this before Thursday afternoon, and there is a reason for that, but I don't want to spoil the ending.
The job is a year long contract with the Paducah Area Red Cross, paid through Americorps. From what I can tell it's a position designed to set up and streamline their disaster plans. As far as I can tell. The official job description is a bit lacking in specifics, and when I talked to the head of the search committee she seemed to redirect my questions into a catch-all “you'll find out in your training in Louisville” answer.
It seems to be a noble pursuit, as I found out first hand during the January ice storm. Some counties, and I know of Lyon county from first hand experience, had neither updated their disaster plan for many years, run any sort of drills, or in fact had a competent disaster manager.
The job also pays only$ 950 a month, and even if you include the free health and dental still comes out to about $6.5/hour for a 40 hour work week.
Gas, if it stays at todays price, will rack me up $275 a month. That, with my current budget, will mean I will lose around $20 a month. I'm already living on a tight budget, and for my next job I would like to start making some money.
So, even if they offer it to me, I'm not taking this job.
It seems like a fun job, but it just does not work out. So I'm continuing to apply for other positions, and as you read this two more are working their way through the postal system.
And I, while you are reading this, am sitting on a beach on Kentucky lake, with a cooler full of drinks, waiting for my friends to show up and grill out. My time here may be coming to an end, and I may not know where I will be going after this, but right now this is what I need.