James Jones - General Information

Title:

Professor of Mathematics

Office:

C223 - located with the Business and Technology Division. In case you've been here for a while and don't recognize the name, the division was previously known as the Occupational and Technical Division, before that known as the Occupational & Technical Career Programs West (OTCPW), and prior to that as the Industrial Technology & Mathematics Division. It is at the north end of the upstairs center hallway.

Phone:

217 875-7211, ext 490 (automated system)

217 875-7200, ext 490 (operator assisted)

217 875-6965, fax

Web Address:

http://people.richland.edu/james/

Email Address:

james@richland.edu

Teaching Schedule and Office Hours:

I am in class or my office during these times. You might try to catch me before, after, or between classes if you can't find me in my office. I generally do not come back to my office between consecutive classes. All of my courses are in room S137.

Education / Experience:

I graduated Richland Community College with an A.S. degree with a Mathematics concentration. I then went to Eastern Illinois University where I received a B.A. in Mathematics with the Teacher Certification option. I joined the R.C.C. staff immediately after receiving my B.A. as the Study Assistance Center Coordinator and Adjunct Mathematics Faculty. I held both jobs for three years and continued my education at Sangamon State University. I became a conditional full-time Mathematics Instructor in August 1992 pending the completion of my Master's degree. I received my M.A. in Mathematical Sciences from Sangamon State University in May 1993. I received tenure at Richland in 1995. I received a promotion to Assistant Professor of Mathematics in the Spring 1996 semester. I was promoted to Associate Professor of Mathematics in the Spring 2000 semester. I became a full Professor of Mathematics in the Spring 2003 semester.

I have taken additional classes in Statistical Computing at the University of Illinois, Springfield, in 1999 and attended an ICTCM short course on using the web in mathematics on the campus of Texas A&M University in May 2001. I attended an ICTCM short course on using multimedia in mathematics in May 2002.

Professional:

I am a member of the Illinois Mathematics Association of Community Colleges (IMACC) where I serve on the webpage committee. I am a member of the International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics (ICTCM). I have the extra duty assignment as the Internet Systems Specialist for the College. Among other things, this means I am responsible for keeping the Internet up and going at Richland.

Personal:

Height is 186.69 cm if I stand up straight, but call myself 185.42 cm since I never stand up straight. In August 1999, I went to the doctor's office for a physical. Rather than measuring my height, the nurse simply asked how tall I was (as a statistics instructor, this method of data collection really bothered me). Soon after that, I had a body composition test performed recently where our fitness instructor was kind enough to guesstimate my height. He said it was the height I've been claiming (even down to the 1/2" I throw in), so I feel better knowing that I haven't been misrepresenting my height for all these years.

I used to say that my mass was about 83.01 kg, but I didn't have any scales to verify that. But, I finally broke down and bought scales so that I could weigh my garage door. Feeling that buying scales just to weigh the garage door was a waste of money (how often does the weight of the garage door fluctuate?), I decided to weigh myself. When I first stepped on them, it came in at 240 lbs. I yelled "No Way!" (literally) as I had never been above 200 lbs in my life^1.. Then I took the scales off the plush carpet and into the bathroom where the floor is tiled and was much more comfortable with the reading. Still not entirely happy, as it now read 86.36 kg, but much happier than when it read 240 lbs.

Eye color is blue, when not red from lack of sleep. Weight has gone up considerably from the picture, but it's starting to come back down.

As for general health, I had a complete physical including lab work and a body composition test performed during the fall of 1999. I came in at 18% body fat. For males my age and height, 13-19% is normal, so I guess that's a good thing. Actually, all of the results from all of the tests came back without any problems, so I'm in better shape than I thought I was.

My temperament used to be melancholy with about equal parts of phlegmatic and choleric, but very little sanguine. Over the last several years, the choleric has diminished and the phlegmatic become more dominant. So, at this time, I would have to say I'm a mel-phleg borderline phleg-mel. Generally, that means that I am analytical, self-sacrificing, gifted, calm, easy going, and rarely angered (that last one is not a challenge).

I like to think that I have a sense of humor. I do know that you need to be able to laugh at yourself so that when other people laugh with you, they really are. I try to convey this attitude in class and keep things light. Hey, people have enough anxiety about mathematics anyway without making it boring and stressful to boot.

My Myers-Briggs Type Indicator is ISTP - Introversion, Sensing, Thinking, Perception. Internally, I tend to be ISTJ. I scored a 0 on the feeling aspect of the indicator. That doesn't mean I don't have feelings, just that I prefer to think, rather than feel.

I've taken a couple of spiritual gifts inventories. In 1997, I scored highest in exhortation, helps, and leadership, followed closely by administration, hospitality, prophecy, and service. In 2000, I scored highest in leadership, helps, teaching, wisdom, exhortation, giving, and knowledge. We won't go into what I scored lowest on ... suffice it to say that one can't be gifted at all things.

I like to play the piano. Actually, I would like to be able to play the piano correctly - as opposed to as hard and as fast as I can. The picture to the right is of me playing "Give the World a Smile", my mom's favorite song. There's no audio, but it sounds better that way.

If you want to know anything else about me, feel free to ask. I may not answer, but that shouldn't stop you from asking.

^1. I finally weighed more than 200 lbs during the 2001-2002 winter and continued to gain until reaching about 215 lbs during the summer 2003. The one exception was in May 2003 in a Pilot Travel Center in Oak Grove, KY, where you put a quarter in and you get your weight and horoscope. After getting a weight reading of 183 lbs, I laughed so hard that I left before getting my horoscope. I finally switched to a digital scale after getting tired of getting about three different readings each morning on the old scale. The scale read under 200 lbs (even if it was 199.5) for the first time on Nov 20, 2003.

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Last updated November 20, 2003 8:32 AM