Audits, Leaves, and Degrees… no, I won’t dignify it with an “oh my!” :P

Audit Update

Yeah, no course highlight this week. Rather, I wanted to give everyone an update on the Shadow Academy audit. Better described as a course audit, I’ve got volunteers combing through the SA courses, looking for factual errors, spelling and grammar, and anything that we can link to other Brotherhood sources.

The audit is progressing, a bit slower than I’d like, but things are getting done. I actually have over half of the auditors’ work in, but I assigned two auditors per course, and I’m waiting to make changes until I have both of them. Some courses have already gotten a work over, though. Some courses may be getting dropped (see below for more details, after you read about something more important). Auditors, please get me your work by the end of next week. This would actually make it two weeks past the original preference date, which is fairly generous, but next week I’m on a semi-leave of absence. If you don’t get me your work by then, I’ll tell your clan leaders that you wimped out, or something like that…

Semi-Leave of Absence

Good news: next week, I start my new job. The company is paying for a hotel room for a week, which means I don’t have to drive 60 miles round trip through some of the worst traffic in the world. The hotel has free wireless internet. Bad news: I’ll be working, and I won’t have all my DB files on my laptop. In other words, I’ll be able to answer e-mail and the like next week, but I won’t be at a computer all day. Actually, from Monday forward, my time as Headmaster is going to change, depending on my work schedule. I’ll keep everyone up to date as needed, since as Headmaster, I do have an obligation to the Brotherhood.

Dropping Courses and Reorganization

Ok, before people start wailing or anything, I’d like to say that absolutely no decisions have been made as of this writing, with one exception due to an unrelated issue. Here’s the deal. Part of the audit process is to determine if any current SA courses should be dropped from the course offerings. Look at it this way: colleges and universities don’t keep offering classes that don’t draw students. Retail stores don’t keep items on the shelf that don’t sell. Before a course is dropped, here is what I’m taking into consideration:

1.My own opinion

2.The opinion of the auditors

3.The opinion of the EP

4.The opinion of Dranik, Muz, and Sarin

5.How frequently the course is taken

Most dropped courses will be turned into reference files, and deposited into the Dark Vault. If demand ever goes up for a particular subject to become a course, then the Headmaster (whether me or someone else) can make that call.

After the audit, and after the fate of courses is determined, I will be reorganizing the expandable menu a bit. Courses will still remain in the current campuses, but if there is a sufficient amount, I will create a subsection. The history section in Deneba is a good example. The goal behind this is to help make the SA seem a bit more like a real school would be. Colleges have “schools” within them (Sciences, Humanities, etc.) which are further divided into small, subject specific areas (Biology, Physics, History, Literature, etc.)

Great Jedi War

It is coming. Get ready for it. There, that’s my plug :P

Trivia Reminder

Just a quick note to remind you that Kalak is running SA trivia events. I just post reminders on the main page and do award recommendations.

Dark Side Degrees

As noted in my last report, the Dark Maven degree has been opened to the general membership, though it requires the nomination from one’s Clan Summit to be awarded the degree, after certain other requirements are met. I asked Clans for nominations and I have accepted at least two of the nominations from those who responded (if they nominated more than two). Therefore, I bestow the degree of Dark Maven upon the following members of the Brotherhood:

•** For service to the Shadow Academy**:

1. Vodo Biask

2. Welshman Corsair Tarentae (something that is long overdue)

3. Daniel Stephens

• For taking first place in “Summer School 2007:” PRT Balnazaar

• *From the clans: *

1. Joshman-Dyas

2. Vladet Xavier

3. Rasilvenaira StormRaven

4. Adam Anderson

5. Dismal Visutor

6. Manesh Sadow

<p>Dark Maven is not the only degree. For those Shadow Academy staff members who show above average dedication for a good period of time, the degree of Dark Savant may be awarded. This includes grading multiple exams or assisting the Headmaster with various projects. Therefore, I bestow the degree of Dark Savant upon the following members of the Brotherhood:

1. Korras

2. Welshman Corsair Tarentae

3. Ood Bnar Sythe'rae

4. al`Lan Mandragoran

5. Ricco Vao

6. Halcyon Rokir

Conclusion/Summary

<p>I would like to thank you for reading this far, assuming you did. Or maybe, you skipped to this point to read the summary, rather than what else I wrote. So, onto the summary:</p>

• Auditors: get you’re work in if you haven’t done so already.

• I’m on semi-LoA next week. Expect delays.

• Participate in the GJW when it comes out

• Congrats to the Degree recipients

And, as always, read the other posts below this one.

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