Bring on the spring semester

We have a 3 1/2 week winter intersession here at Scranton. I'm keeping busy teaching an online American Government class and an independent study on September 11, 2001 and Beyond. 

In addition, I am catching up on some chair work: revising our major, minor, and cognate requirements; investigating the possible addition of majors in Public Policy and Public Administration and Nonprofit Studies; developing a newsletter; scheduling some spring activities, including an alumni panel and a trip to Harrisburg; and encouraging and preparing students to present at a political science conference. 

I am also scheduling spring programming for The Ellacuria Initiative, including our April teach-in on Catholic Social Teaching and Northeastern Pennsylvania. 

I am organizing the next Jesuit Universities Humanitarian Action Network (JUHAN) conference for June 2019 to be held at Scranton.

I am working on two asylum cases involving individuals from El Salvador. 

Finally, I am still doing some committee work that doesn't stop when classes stop (Middle States, Examen, and Calendar committees).

I'm not finding much time for research this month, so instead I am reviewing some journal submissions and reading articles. I honestly have no idea how people have time to read books. I'm lucky to get through three or four books each year, in addition to whatever I am reading for class. 

Things never calm down when classes aren't in session but I can't complain.