Each month, Cougar News will present faculty, staff and students with a singular question. From the silly to the serious, the answers will be all over the map.

This month’s question:

What do you have too much of?

My answer to that question is e-mail. I have a love/hate relationship with this system. On any given day, the messages multiply exponentially, while I feel a responsibility to respond promptly.  The time and effort it takes to deal with the volume in turn detract from other important teaching tasks. I often ask myself, "What did I do before the onset of e-mail?"  My daily schedule must have filled with many other important things--talking to students face to face; visiting with colleagues in the flesh; feeling the texture of paper in my hand.  At the same time, my mindset is such that it is difficult for me to imagine not having it, since I love it for its efficiency in communicating and in disseminating information. By the way, how did I receive the request to reply to the Cougar News question?  E-mail, of course! 

Joan Kennedy

Professor of English

****
You need to ask that question to my husband. According to me I do not have too much of anything, but according to him, it is a different story. Anyway, I would say that I have too much jewelry (particularly rings).  Why? Because I love to match rings, earrings, necklaces, etc, with my clothing.

Ana Giron

Professor of Spanish

****
Personally, I wish I had less weight. I am Texan, born and bred, so I enjoy everything "chicken fried" with potatoes and gravy. My wife keeps telling me it is OK to have green food on your plate, but I am not sure.

Professionally, I wish I had less of a tendency to feel the need to "fix" every problem I become aware of. I have been at Collin College more than 21 years, and I care deeply about the students and faculty I work with. I often feel the need to advocate in areas that I just need to leave to others. I am a work in progress on this, but improving.

Gary Hodge

Dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences

****
I wish I had less paper. There are tests, homework, quizzes, handouts, scientific articles and journals, mail-personal, professional and junk among other pieces of paper that continue to pile up on my desk, files and kitchen counters. E-mail/computers were supposed to eradicate paper, but I think they made it worse because of course you have to print all those e-mails!

Bridgette Kirkpatrick

Professor of Biotechnology

Less frustration moving from the analog TV world to digital using a rabbit-ear antenna. 

Stephanie Hanson

Coordinator of Transfer Programs