Monday, November 8, 2010
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Health
Human Ecology units are often combined or somehow reorganized with Education or Health. Either combination has the potential to work, depending on the cultures of the units involved and the leadership's commitment to making the new configuration work. Often it makes no practical difference at all. Different dean, same programs, life goes on.
As we talk about how we fit into health focused colleges, which I am not in principle opposed to (and which I think is consistent with the overall philosophy of our discipline), we need to be actively engaged in the process. If we are to fit into some new transdisciplinary concept of health, it helps to have a good definition of health to guide our leadership as they determine what fits with what. I suggest WHO's definition:
WHO definition of Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
The correct bibliographic citation for the definition is:
Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
The Definition has not been amended since 1948.
http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html.
As we talk about how we fit into health focused colleges, which I am not in principle opposed to (and which I think is consistent with the overall philosophy of our discipline), we need to be actively engaged in the process. If we are to fit into some new transdisciplinary concept of health, it helps to have a good definition of health to guide our leadership as they determine what fits with what. I suggest WHO's definition:
WHO definition of Health
Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
The correct bibliographic citation for the definition is:
Preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946; signed on 22 July 1946 by the representatives of 61 States (Official Records of the World Health Organization, no. 2, p. 100) and entered into force on 7 April 1948.
The Definition has not been amended since 1948.
http://www.who.int/about/definition/en/print.html.
Friday, November 5, 2010
Thursday, November 4, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
La Vita Loca
I'm not sure how I continue to get pulled into the middle of political situations in the workplace. When a colleague seems to be taking some kind of retributive action against a student, I feel an obligation to step in. But should I? Or am I meddling? Getting involved in a situation that's none of my business? Do I have a responsibility to protect students? I think I should help to promote an atmosphere conducive to learning that's free of harassment. But it's hard when some are so good at it--they find ways to cast the student as the villain, weakling, or liar again and again. After a while, I don't know how others don't ask themselves how this individual is so unlucky as to be continually afflicted with students of such low moral calibre. These students are interviewed and scrutinized within an inch of their lives prior to admission, after all.
I feel a responsibility, but I know what I'm getting into. It'll be unpleasant, and some will think my actions have to do with the instructor in question. But I've been on the other side of this. I should help, even if it means some inconvenience for me. I just hope I can help. I have to hope that objective individuals will see reason.
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Monday, November 1, 2010
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