Dear Students,

The provost sent around a cautionary note asking faculty to have materials ready for Blackboard just in case we are closed for the Swine flu (he actually put it more delicately).

You will be able to find all assignments not on Blackboard, but on my site at www.tulane.edu/~gcummins. You can also print out pdf files of materials from that site. Blackboard is not a very good application, in my view. For years I've been trying to figure out how to get Blackboard to allow students at home to access site-licensed video and audio materials that belong to our textbook. It hasn't been possible outside of Tulane, or the Language Learning Center. I'm not allowed to put them on my own site, as that does not have access limited to my class. So I'm stuck — I can't use commercial products. In a pinch, I can record brief segments on my ipod and put them on the site for 101.

Im hoping we will not close for the flu, nor for a hurricane. If you have flu-like symptoms, do not come to class, but email me at cummins.g@gmail.com that you are ill, so I'll know what's up.

If we do close for one or another reason, I'll but some audio files on my site for 101. 203 will be accessing postcasts.

Итак, увидимся! Завтра начинается новый учебный год. Я буду рад вас видеть. До завтра,

гмс