Notes

Academy Report on Starfleet Academy

jdipper — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 12:49:17 -0500

ACADEMY REPORT
1 Jan 09

FOREWORD
So that everyone knows where the Academy is heading over the next few months, I've outlined the areas that have been discussed and where they stand now. I also have included a couple of items that will be discussed. The next planned report will be 1 Feb 09.

1. Q&A SHIP
The Q&A ship has been removed from public view. A Q&A link has been placed at the top of the site pages.

2. CADET DEVELOPMENT
This has been met with a positive response in the Academy HQ, providing it is handled in an informal manner for the cadets. A feedback report format is currently being discussed and implementation looks set for before 01 Feb 09.

3. RETENTION
A discussion in retention brought up a couple of ideas:
- 1.To get an updated PHB online, and this is in the process of being done by the librarian.
- 2.Improve the visibility of the links at the bottom of the MOTD; this has been done.
- 3.Include information on how to make a first post in a welcome email.
- 4.Create a survey for cadets.

A suggested welcome email will be provided for Command Staff and DHs to use which will include instructions on how to make a first post.

Further to that, job descriptions for each position in the Academy fleet will be compiled including a list of responsibilities.

4. NEWSLETTER
The idea of a newsletter was well received, although little input was given for the content that could go in it. I am, however, keen to get this off the ground and will be looking for volunteers to run it.

5. HELP PAGE
At the moment, there are different locations to find information or advice; the library, the Academy HQ, IRC and by email. That said, I do not think these are well advertised as places to go if you need help, so I believe a single page should be set up pointing to each location. An example of such a page can be found here – http://www.winehq.org/help/. This will be discussed in the Academy HQ in the near future.

6. CONCLUSION
There is still a large amount of work to be done, both in the fleet and the department itself. Our main focus will be on retention; hopefully the feedback from the discussion and the cadet development plan will both work to improve this. Please do leave any comments or questions you have concerning this report.

Commodore Jack Dipper
Academy Commandant

Starfleet Academy

Discussion: Cadet Development on Starfleet Academy

jdipper — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 15:11:47 -0500

: Posted by Jen Herr in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : Posted by Commodore Jack Dipper (Academy Commandant) in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : Morning folks,
: :
: : I hope you are all having a good New Year.
: :
: : Last month we discussed taking a structured approach to feedback given to cadets by providing monthly feedback from the CO/XO/CNS to which the cadet would reply to (in an informal way which the CO/XO/CNS would enter into the feedback form). These feedback forms can then be used to focus both the cadet and the Command Staff on the areas that the cadet needs to work on.
: :
: : To that end, I've come up with a draft guide to writing the report (http://docs.google.com/View?docid=drzrwnp_22gzmqg5cm). The three pieces of the report will be compiled by the CO/XO/CNS who will then submit the whole thing in a report form at the end of it. This will allow them to get the feedback from the cadet in whichever medium the cadet wishes to submit it in (email, IM, PM) - it also means that it appears less formal to the cadet.
: :
: : Comments, questions or flying tomatoes? :-)
: :
: : Jack
:
: If it goes as smoothly as your example, I think you deserve more than tomatoes...
:
: My only comment is that by putting CO/XO/CNS on there, it seems to suggest ALL three need to write the report or whatnot. A sentence explaining only one of the three needs to do it would be nice. Though I am sleepy and this is the first thing I read when waking up, so I could have missed it if it's there. If that's the case, I guess I'll take those tomatoes. ;)
:
: Jen

Fortunately you dodge those tomatoes, as I haven't mentioned that - I'll add that in!

Jack

Starfleet Academy

Discussion: Cadet Development on Starfleet Academy

ggibbs — Fri, 02 Jan 2009 23:48:06 -0500

: Posted by Commodore Jack Dipper (Academy Commandant) in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : Posted by Jen Herr in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : : Posted by Commodore Jack Dipper (Academy Commandant) in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : : Morning folks,
: : :
: : : I hope you are all having a good New Year.
: : :
: : : Last month we discussed taking a structured approach to feedback given to cadets by providing monthly feedback from the CO/XO/CNS to which the cadet would reply to (in an informal way which the CO/XO/CNS would enter into the feedback form). These feedback forms can then be used to focus both the cadet and the Command Staff on the areas that the cadet needs to work on.
: : :
: : : To that end, I've come up with a draft guide to writing the report (http://docs.google.com/View?docid=drzrwnp_22gzmqg5cm). The three pieces of the report will be compiled by the CO/XO/CNS who will then submit the whole thing in a report form at the end of it. This will allow them to get the feedback from the cadet in whichever medium the cadet wishes to submit it in (email, IM, PM) - it also means that it appears less formal to the cadet.
: : :
: : : Comments, questions or flying tomatoes? :-)
: : :
: : : Jack
: :
: : If it goes as smoothly as your example, I think you deserve more than tomatoes...
: :
: : My only comment is that by putting CO/XO/CNS on there, it seems to suggest ALL three need to write the report or whatnot. A sentence explaining only one of the three needs to do it would be nice. Though I am sleepy and this is the first thing I read when waking up, so I could have missed it if it's there. If that's the case, I guess I'll take those tomatoes. ;)
: :
: : Jen
:
: Fortunately you dodge those tomatoes, as I haven't mentioned that - I'll add that in!
:
: Jack

So on the off chance that I have a half dozen cadets I have to do this each month on this assessment? On top of what would be, for me, 7 fleet reports I'd need to critically assess the Cadets on the ship? The questions seem straightforward, Jack, and they aren't difficult to understand or answer. They are well thought out for questions.

That seems like a lot of extra tedium monthly there. Now I'm writing this after a holiday stretch where I've worked far too many hours and have passed the year mark where I've not taken a day off (planned) so I might be feeling a tad punchy. I guess I'd need to try it to see.

No tomatoes .. I rather like them and think I'll slice them and add a good bit of salt and pepper.

Gene, who has actually peeked in here and lo and behold, there was something :)

Starfleet Academy

Discussion: Cadet Development on Starfleet Academy

kbromilow — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 12:49:46 -0500

: Posted by Gene Gibbs in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : Posted by Commodore Jack Dipper (Academy Commandant) in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : : Posted by Jen Herr in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : : : Posted by Commodore Jack Dipper (Academy Commandant) in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : : : Morning folks,
: : : :
: : : : I hope you are all having a good New Year.
: : : :
: : : : Last month we discussed taking a structured approach to feedback given to cadets by providing monthly feedback from the CO/XO/CNS to which the cadet would reply to (in an informal way which the CO/XO/CNS would enter into the feedback form). These feedback forms can then be used to focus both the cadet and the Command Staff on the areas that the cadet needs to work on.
: : : :
: : : : To that end, I've come up with a draft guide to writing the report (http://docs.google.com/View?docid=drzrwnp_22gzmqg5cm). The three pieces of the report will be compiled by the CO/XO/CNS who will then submit the whole thing in a report form at the end of it. This will allow them to get the feedback from the cadet in whichever medium the cadet wishes to submit it in (email, IM, PM) - it also means that it appears less formal to the cadet.
: : : :
: : : : Comments, questions or flying tomatoes? :-)
: : : :
: : : : Jack
: : :
: : : If it goes as smoothly as your example, I think you deserve more than tomatoes...
: : :
: : : My only comment is that by putting CO/XO/CNS on there, it seems to suggest ALL three need to write the report or whatnot. A sentence explaining only one of the three needs to do it would be nice. Though I am sleepy and this is the first thing I read when waking up, so I could have missed it if it's there. If that's the case, I guess I'll take those tomatoes. ;)
: : :
: : : Jen
: :
: : Fortunately you dodge those tomatoes, as I haven't mentioned that - I'll add that in!
: :
: : Jack
:
: So on the off chance that I have a half dozen cadets I have to do this each month on this assessment? On top of what would be, for me, 7 fleet reports I'd need to critically assess the Cadets on the ship? The questions seem straightforward, Jack, and they aren't difficult to understand or answer. They are well thought out for questions.
:
: That seems like a lot of extra tedium monthly there. Now I'm writing this after a holiday stretch where I've worked far too many hours and have passed the year mark where I've not taken a day off (planned) so I might be feeling a tad punchy. I guess I'd need to try it to see.
:
: No tomatoes .. I rather like them and think I'll slice them and add a good bit of salt and pepper.
:
: Gene, who has actually peeked in here and lo and behold, there was something :)

I understand your feeling overworked, Gene<BG> Tis my thought that the CNS doesn't have a whole lot to do with the Cadets really other then to psych assess them so I am going to ask my CNS if he would be willing to do these assessments. That would allow the CNS to have more contact and input into the Cadets training.

Krys:)

Starfleet Academy

Discussion: Cadet Development on Starfleet Academy

jdipper — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 17:36:51 -0500

: Posted by Gene Gibbs in Discussion: Cadet Development
<SNIP>

: So on the off chance that I have a half dozen cadets I have to do this each month on this assessment? On top of what would be, for me, 7 fleet reports I'd need to critically assess the Cadets on the ship? The questions seem straightforward, Jack, and they aren't difficult to understand or answer. They are well thought out for questions.
:
: That seems like a lot of extra tedium monthly there. Now I'm writing this after a holiday stretch where I've worked far too many hours and have passed the year mark where I've not taken a day off (planned) so I might be feeling a tad punchy. I guess I'd need to try it to see.
:
: No tomatoes .. I rather like them and think I'll slice them and add a good bit of salt and pepper.
:
: Gene, who has actually peeked in here and lo and behold, there was something :)

As Krys pointed out, this can be distributed between the CO/XO/CNS - it's not all down to the CO. Also, the reports won't be happening for a whole ship at one time. If a cadet had joined on the 15th Feb, the report would ideally written around the same time the following month, etc.

Critical assessment of cadets is something the Command staff should be doing already. This is simply something to provide the cadets with a written record of what they need to work on (which they have actually contributed towards) and also for the Academy Staff to pick any common areas that people are tripping up on.

Jack

Starfleet Academy

Discussion: Cadet Development on Starfleet Academy

pstonness — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:51:41 -0500

: Posted by Commodore Jack Dipper (Academy Commandant) in Discussion: Cadet Development
: : Posted by Gene Gibbs in Discussion: Cadet Development
: <SNIP>
:
: : So on the off chance that I have a half dozen cadets I have to do this each month on this assessment? On top of what would be, for me, 7 fleet reports I'd need to critically assess the Cadets on the ship? The questions seem straightforward, Jack, and they aren't difficult to understand or answer. They are well thought out for questions.
: :
: : That seems like a lot of extra tedium monthly there. Now I'm writing this after a holiday stretch where I've worked far too many hours and have passed the year mark where I've not taken a day off (planned) so I might be feeling a tad punchy. I guess I'd need to try it to see.
: :
: : No tomatoes .. I rather like them and think I'll slice them and add a good bit of salt and pepper.
: :
: : Gene, who has actually peeked in here and lo and behold, there was something :)
:
: As Krys pointed out, this can be distributed between the CO/XO/CNS - it's not all down to the CO. Also, the reports won't be happening for a whole ship at one time. If a cadet had joined on the 15th Feb, the report would ideally written around the same time the following month, etc.
:
: Critical assessment of cadets is something the Command staff should be doing already. This is simply something to provide the cadets with a written record of what they need to work on (which they have actually contributed towards) and also for the Academy Staff to pick any common areas that people are tripping up on.
:
: Jack

And does this happen every month of the cadet's stay, or is it just after the one-month mark? I'm sorry if I'm asking something that's already been answered, I missed a few weeks of Academy reading over December and such =(

- Phillip

Starfleet Academy