Hi, I (Cathy) am the new T&LC in CTL, working in FD at SC.  Today I will be exploring ULD in the TLA.  Yesterday I had a meeting with the BBAs from PSOB.   I am now a member of OPSEU and CAAT.  I look forward to working with FAST, FAAD, FAHCS, FHASS, and FCAPS.

Lost?  Welcome to my world.  Last month I started  a new position in HE.  I love the people, the work and the institution.  What I am struggling with are the acronyms.  OMG.  If you think texting is bad, try starting a new position in a new institution.  Everyone talks in code.  During my first week as a new hire, I was given a cheat sheet of common internal and external acronyms to learn.  I had my husband drill me on these so I could learn them right away and feel comfortable in meetings.  Ah, no.  I leave every meeting with a list I have composed that were not on my original list.  Everyday I experience new discourses, practices and social norms.  Enculturation is tiring.  I feel as though I am living my research on new literacy practices.  Yesterday an employee asked me what faculty I was in and I answered ” TLC” instead of  “CTL” and he never even blinked.  Was he just being polite or do we have a faculty called TLC?  I wonder.

If you would like to know what my new position is and where I work now, just check the cheat sheet below.   I’ll let you know in a month how I’m doing with my acronyms.

T&LC – Teaching and Learning Consultant                                                                                                       CTL- Centre for Teaching and Learning                                                                                                           FD- Faculty Development                                                                                                                                      SC- Sheridan College                                                                                                                                              ULD-Universal Learning Design                                                                                                                            TLA – Teaching and Learning Academy                                                                                                .  BBA-Bachelor of Business Administration                                                                                                      PSOB- Pilon School of Business                                                                                                                       OPSEU- Ontario Public Service Employees Union                                                                                       CAAT-Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology                                                                                             FAST – Faculty of Applied Science and Technology                                                                                   FAAD- Faculty of Animation, Arts and Design                                                                                           FAHCS- Faculty of Health and Community Services                                                                                 FHASS – Faculty of Humanities and Sciences                                                                                               FCAPS- Faculty of Continuing and Part Time Studies