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Now that we're back from break and diving into a brand new year, preparations kick into high gear on the TLT Symposium. I can't believe that there's only 72 days until this year's event. There's still a lot to do, but I enjoy watching the event take shape as pieces begin to fall into place. Symposium is incredibly well organized, and I'm always amazed at how smooth operations and logistics are every year. It's really a pleasure to work on this event. I lead Rogue team (shocker!) whose job it is to engage the community and help get people excited. There's quite a lot to get excited about: our amazing keynote speaker Jane McGonigal, for one. Author, gamer, researcher, TED speaker, and Violet Blue's #1 Sexy Geek of 2011 (this is how I envision her when she heard that news), Jane is one formidable force. In addition to this incredible keynote speaker, we've got innovative examples of new ways to involve technology and engage students by our incredible faculty members (think gamification, flipping the classroom, digital scholarship and informal learning spaces--to name just a few). We've even got a couple of surprises, all wrapped up in this year's theme: Embracing change and the culture of teaching and learning.

Yesterday was a prime example of social media having social value. Election Day 2010 and the social networks had many offerings to create voter awareness, connect voters to the candidates who care about the issues they care about, and even offer an easy way to locate your voting location.

I was in line at Irving's earlier in the week waiting for my coffee and bagel when I read the newspaper headline that blasted the news of the latest Penn State tuition increase. As a parent with one child here at Penn State and another as an incoming college freshman, I have a confession to make: I was a bit relieved when the second child decided to go to Lock Haven University instead. I'm not questioning the quality of a Penn State education as much as I question the wisdom of incurring such debt for a Penn State education. I have three kids, so this number gets tripled in it's relevance. Add to this the fact I'm no longer classified as a full time employee, and this means my kids who choose a Penn State education must suffer the same price hits as every other student here. Let me show you how this works out in my household.