Another semester ends...

December 17th, the last day of finals for the Fall, 2010 semester. Can't believe it's gone, or that I've taken this long to post another blog.

Had some notable successes these past few months: several faculty published oped in the Inquirer, on topics ranging from college and minorities to madam bovary to the 50th anniversary of John F. Kennedy being elected president. Last weekend KYW Newsradio interviewed Prof. John Hymers about the philosophy of food as it pertains to the holidays. This is the 19th media placement I've obtained for the department, and I take a silly pride in it because anyone can get historians, psychologists, political scientists and economics in the media, but how many can get a philosopher???

Michael Boyle, a 1998 La Salle graduate (I knew him when he was a student here) joined the poli sci faculty and was quoted in a cnn.com story about Afghanistan. He's just as brilliant and likeable as he was when he was a student! In fact, Mike gave the commencement address at the 1998 graduation exercises, my first at La Salle.

I have a few more things "in the works" for January and February. Now that the Phillies have signed Cliff Lee, maybe I can get Jack Roosi and Jack Rooney to talk about him (in the press, of course) when spring training begins in February.

I wish all of you a happy and safe holiday season.