User:Jwrosenzweig/AC candidacy

Replies to UninvitedCompany's points
I liked UC's comments on the talk page very much, and want to respond to the points here -- I don't know if my replies will prove how fitting or unfitting I am for this responsibility, but either way, I think people have a right to know.


 * I am afraid I have no experience as a moderator in sites besides Wikipedia online -- I participate semi-frequently on a few bulletin boards online, but I generally try to keep a lower profile, as I devote my limited Internet time almost entirely to Wikipedia. Communities I have been a part of include www.tolkien-movies.com www.theonering.net and www.narniaweb.com -- if anyone wants more details, they are free to ask me on my talk page.


 * I do better in real-world group decision-making. In my university work, I have served as Vice-President of the University of Washington chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, a honor society for history majors, as Chair of the History Graduate Caucus at Simon Fraser University, and as Treasurer for the Students for Philosophy of Education at Western Washington University.  In addition, I served as my department's representative to the Graduate Issues Council at SFU, a council that focused on bringing departments together for dialogue about how to better serve graduate students.  I sat as voting student representative on a hiring committee for a tenure-track position at SFU, and was invited as a participating member to a summit on public education sponsored by the Dean of the Woodring College of Education at WWU.  I also have extensive experience serving on board and committees with such varied organizations as the Puget Sound Beekeepers Association, the Washington State YMCA Youth and Government program, and the Washington Homeschool Organization.  In virtually all of the above cases, I was working with a group of decision-makers in a generally non-hierarchical format -- in general, I have been praised for my ability to communicate clearly, to listen carefully, and to build consensus.


 * Dealing with behavior problems has been the hallmark of my experience working with high-school students, both as a volunteer for the YMCA and as a high school teacher. In both scenarios, I have often been called to deal with students who are causing trouble or generally unproductive -- of course, expulsion is always an option, but I've found numerous creative ways to deal with the recalcitrant, and have seen some amazing successes with young people who turned themselves around.  I hope that my experience in this regard will be of some use to the AC.


 * Wikipedia is one of the few commitments that has not suffered in the last year from the demands of university work, job hunts, and planning a wedding. I hope that's indication of the strength of my commitment.  I intend to participate long-term (especially as I plan on integrating Wikipedia somehow into numerous of my lesson plans), as in a number of years, which I hope is commitment enough for the AC, and I promise to be communicative about Wikiholidays.  I have taken one for stress and one for my honeymoon, and I hope not to have to take too many more for stress. :-)  I anticipate perhaps two absences per year of roughly 7-10 days apiece, let's say, generally planned for in advance?  If this causes anyone concern, please inform me on my talk page, and I'll consider what you have to say carefully.

Jwrosenzweig 22:32, 29 Jul 2004 (UTC)