Dan Mitchell's De Anza College Site

Man Walking, Rain - Getty Center

Dan Mitchell — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:19:01 GMT

No More Adds

Dan Mitchell — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 17:26:00 GMT

Since we are now well into the second week of the term and most of my classes are full (and then some!) I am not adding any more students to my Music 1A or Music 51 classes. I may consider a few additional students in Music 8, but only in very limited circumstances where the student is already enrolled in one of my Music 51 classes.

Let me know if you would like any advice about course alternatives. If you didn't get the class you wanted this term, I urge you to plan to take it next quarter.

Visit the Website for Your Class

Dan Mitchell — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 18:28:30 GMT

If you are in my Music 1A: Introduction to Music class, please go to http://faculty.deanza.edu/mitchell/music1/

If you are in my Music 51: Intro to Electronic Music or Music 8: Intermediate Electronic Music class, please go to http://faculty.deanza.edu/mitchell/electronicmusic/

Welcome to the Winter 2010 Term

Dan Mitchell — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 17:08:19 GMT

Welcome back if you are returning, and just plain welcome if this is your first term at De Anza!

You can find out more about my classes by clicking the links in the note below the header on this page. At the moment it looks like all of my classes except for the TTh Music 8: Intermediate Electronic Music class are full. However, if you come to one of the first class meetings I may be able to add a few more students in some sections.

Big Sur Coastline at the Granite Creek Bridge

Dan Mitchell — Mon, 04 Jan 2010 05:36:55 GMT

Winter 2010 Quarter Information

Dan Mitchell — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 22:01:02 GMT

The winter terms starts near the beginning of January... but registration is now underway! Don't delay taking care of admissions and registration this term. My class schedule and current enrollment figures are as of 1/2/10:

Music 1A: Introduction to Music

9:30-10:20 on MTWTh in room A11. Current enrollment is 50/50 (FULL - attend first class to try to add).*
10:30-11:20 on MTWTh in room A11. Current enrollment is 50/50 (FULL - attend first class to try to add).*

Music 51: Introduction to Electronic Music

12:30-2:15 on MW in room A91. Current enrollment is 30/30 (FULL - attend first class to try to add)*
10:30-2:15 on Friday-only in room A91. Current enrollment is 29/30 (FULL - attend first class to try to add)*

Music 8: Intermediate Electronic Music

12:30-2:15 on TTh in A91. Current enrollment is 28/30 (only 2 spaces remain).

* Try to get on the class waiting list and attend the first class meeting if you would like to try to add full section. Note that spaces occasionally open in "full" classes during the registration period. If you are not on the waiting list you may still come to the first class meeting and try to add. When one section of a class fills, other sections of the same class often begin to fill more quickly. There are still spaces in the 8:30-9:20 MTWTh Music 1A taught by Hicks.

Winter Quarter Registration

Dan Mitchell — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 16:58:09 GMT

De Anza College, like all colleges in California, is contending with very difficult and challenging budget reductions this year. Those of you who signed up for fall classes already know about over-crowded and full classes, canceled classes, and overall reductions in course sections. Registration in my classes seems to be well ahead of past trends already - and we have nearly five weeks until winter quarter classes begin! With this in mind, there are some strategies you might consider:

Sign up for all of your classes as soon as possible. This will help protect you from two risks: the class you want may be full if you wait too long or, ironically, the class could be canceled if you and other students don't sign up. (The college will begin canceling some low-enrolled courses as early as mid-December.)
Consider signing up for at least one more course than the minimum you need if you must have a 12-unit schedule to maintain your full-time status. That way you won't fall below 12 units if the college cancels one of your classes late in the registration cycle. (If this doesn't happen you could choose to stay in all of the classes or you could drop one later.)
If you think you "might decide to take a class" don't wait to sign up. If you wait too long the class may well be full or canceled. Better to sign up for the "maybe" class to avoid losing that option completely.
Stay on top of your registration status and fees. If you don't pay fees you might find that you are removed from classes that you registered for. By the time you discover this and fix the problem the class may have no room left. Moral of the story: Take care of fees by or before deadlines.

Half Dome Sunset from Big Oak Flat Road

Dan Mitchell — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 14:22:23 GMT

Edge of the Light

Dan Mitchell — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:11:21 GMT

Treasure Island Harbor and Bay Bridge, Dawn

Dan Mitchell — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 05:32:35 GMT

H1N1 Flu? Stay Home. Get Better. Don't Spread the Bug!

Dan Mitchell — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 04:30:42 GMT

Last week several students who were not feeling well at all showed up for school and came to my classes. I more than one case they told me that their doctors said that they probably had H1N1 flu ("swine flu")!

If you believe that you have the flu, please stay home and get better! Contact your doctor for advice, especially if you are suffering serious symptoms. While I appreciate your dedication and your desire to avoid missing class... it is best for all concerned that you avoid exposing others and concentrate on taking care of yourself.

Do send me email, phone my office, or send word with a friend to let me know that you are home sick.

Update on De Anza Power Outage - Tuesday, 10/13

Dan Mitchell — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 19:04:36 GMT

From the De Anza College web site:

At 11 AM, power has been restored to the De Anza College Campus.

Classes will resume at 1:30 PM. Classes prior to 1:30 PM have been canceled.

What does this mean for the 12:30 p.m. Intermediate Electronic Music class? Officially the class has been canceled for today. However, if more than a small number of students show up I will open the room for an open lab session. I will not introduce any new material in class today.

CLASSES BEGINNING AT 1:30 PM AND LATER WILL MEET TODAY AS SCHEDULED.