OFFICE HOUR ISSUES For the rest of the semester, I will have office hours on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11:30 - 1:00 in the Science and Math Learning Center in Roop 200. I am unable to have office hours on Monday, September 3rd.

Physics Department Seminar Schedule! The first draft of the JMU Department of Physics and Astronomy seminar schedule is available here. You are invited to attend any of them, though I don't think you have much reason to show up for the one on September 13th.

Student Organization Night Your academic life is your first priority, and it also is important to be involved in activites of interest outside the classroom. JMU has numerous clubs addressing almost every interest you could have. Student Organization Night is an opportunity to talk with representatives from most of the student organizations to find out more information. Be careful not to overcommit your time, but it is good to see what is available. Student Organization Night Tuesday, September 4, 2012 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM UREC Upper Turf

Graduation Club Leaving Orientation you probably felt a bit overwhelmed. Were you anxious about your classes and your time-management skills? You're not alone! You know what you're supposed to do to be successful, the trouble is motivating yourself to do those things! College will be filled with opportunities to get involved in lots of great activities. Sometimes those activities will seem a lot more fun than hitting the books, reviewing notes, or even going to class. We have something to help... GRADUATION CLUB! Course Instructors will help students learn how to remain motivated and get the most out of their study time. The following issues are often problem areas for new students and will be discussed: Setting Goals and Staying Motivated Learning Styles How to read those BIG, FAT textbooks! Lecture Note Taking Time and Stress Management Test-Taking Strategies Study Skills Interacting with Professors Making the Grade "I learned a lot and my GPA proves it. I did so well first semester that I was even offered a chance to be in JMU's honor program. I know I wouldn't [have] done nearly as well as I did if I hadn't attended [your] class." - Graduation Club participant Grad Club starts the third week of class Each class will meet one hour per week for five weeks. Class begins the second week of classes. You won't need to spend a lot of time on class preparation for the Graduation Club, because you'll be using what you learn to prepare for all your other classes. Pretty good deal! Graduation Club Sign-ups Come to FYI on Monday, September 3rd OR Tuesday, September 4th from 1:00pm to 9:00pm to sign up! If you want more information, please contact FYI (540-568-3598).

Here is a PowerPoint file that offers some tips on how to be better as a: note-taker, test-taker, organizer, student, etc: (ETA: some of the links in the presentation might be outdated/nonexistent)

I want to remind you that if you need to change your courses you will need to have a filled-out form that you can get from me. I will need to sign it and you will need to sign it and you will then need to take it to the Office of the Registrar on the 3rd floor of Warren Hall. Their operating hours in the immediate future are: Saturday, August 25: noon - 5:00 Sunday, August 26: noon - 5:00 Monday, August 27: 8:00 - 6:00 Tuesday, August 28: 8:00 - 5:00 After Tuesday, the hours will be the same, 8:00 - 5:00, but they will no longer be open on the weekends. You have until September 4th at 5:00 pm to make these adjustments to your schedule.

ABOUT ME: I'm an assistant professor of physics at James Madison University, having been employed here since 1999. I got my PhD at Virginia Tech in 1994 having written my dissertation on the production of strange quarks in electron-positron collisions. My current interests are developing effective pedagogy in science courses and increasing the quantity and quality of the physics teacher workforce.