If the Mother's Day dining characteristics of the message board viewers conform to the national picture, four out of ten will be going out to lunch today. If you are among those dining out, take a close look at the lapel of those sitting at the adjacent table. If you spot a NO QUARTER button, you may be dining next to #1 Groupie, Delta Dawn, 80's Lady, or me (aka Mr. Wonderful).

The Mr. Wonderful organization wishes everyone a wonderful Mother's Day.

The selection committee would like to thank foot soldier for nominating this week's Citation de la Citation recipient . . . .

THE WINNER - Anne Wallace: "Yes, I'm off to one of those Tier 3 schools (if I read the legend correctly), and am pretty thrilled to be going there. I was there Friday, talking with the Dean and Department, and attended an English faculty symposium where I heard two very fine papers by the most senior and newest members of the faculty. At 2 pm on a Friday afternoon at the end of term, almost 3/4 the department showed up to listen, ask excellent questions, share a glass of wine, and (in many cases) head back to their offices to finish work. Despite impending budget cuts, morale and energy are high; the faculty trust their administrative leaders (their trust being well-leavened with skepticism!); they look to the future with worries, often disagreeing about what's to be done, but maintaining their belief in the mutual good faith of the full university community. It was a rainy day, but to me the campus seemed full of light.

The difference was not in the Department--an English Department characterized by hard-working, appropriately ambitious, well-regarded scholars is no change for me--but in the context that enabled them all to get on with their work, to have joy in their everyday labors. What the Thames administration has never understood is that there are lots of universities and colleges that just go about their business, doing what they need and want to do, carrying on with their work and succeeding marvelously well, without pretension or bluster. These universities may be Tier 1 or Teir 3, but what matters to their faculty (the ones who have any sense, at least) is the everyday atmosphere of teaching and learning supported by a collegiality that extends all the way up into the Chancellor's Office. Sure, it's great to have the finest support, and there's no crime in aspiring to a truly national or international distinction. But you don't start there. You start with the everyday, and you do it well, and the distinction comes. (Well, an endowment doesn't hurt! but you know what I mean.)
:
USM was like that once. I hope and believe it will be again. In the meantime, come on up and visit me. We can go sit by the statue of Minerva and talk about the future.

NO QUARTER.
Anne Wallace"

SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: The Mr. Wonderful organization bids message board posters and viewers a productive post- semester break. We are also taking a brief break, but we have arranged for the message board to be monitored round the clock during that period. The next Citation de la Semaine presentation will occur on Sunday, June 5 which is one week following the start of the summer term.