VIPs - Very Important Ponies 

Some of our VIPs this month are:

Academic Records Team - Wow, we keep doing better and better.  The Fall grading period was the best ever -- more grades in earlier than ever before.  Except for planned exceptions and a few independent studies grades, we are at 100%.  Many thanks to everyone. Sylvia, thanks for leading this effort.  The ARC's thanks for keeping on top of this.  Peggy, thanks for running the posting process during the holidays.  Thanks to the development team for making everything work well.  Thanks to the Enrollment Team for resolving enrollment issues so smoothly.  Super team effort!

Barbara Waters - For your oversight and direction for our students needing financial assistance, we are deeply appreciative.  It is a rare individual who would go the extra mile to attend a Saturday orientation.  For this equally, we cannot thank you enough.  Rie Watts, Executive Masters Program, School of Engineering.

Cindy Ruiz - I find myself once again sending an e-mail to commend one of your employees.  Cindy Ruiz has helped me with various issues over the last couple months, I want you to know that her performance has been exceptional.  Not only is she prompt, but she's also very professional and quick to resolve any questions.  Above that, she's refreshingly friendly!  It's apparent that she cares to help people and that she takes great pride in what she does.  I wish I could say such characteristics were typical but they're certainly not.  Please pass my gratitude along to her.  Coincidently, this is only the second e-mail I've sent in my 2-year MBA experience at SMU, and the other one was about a year ago, to you (Deveron Ellison), regarding another of your employees.  Indeed, your leadership is very effective.  Thank you so much for assembling and developing such a great team. 

Kelly McMillan and Epi Ramirez - Thank you so much.  I am currently on the phone having an unpleasant conversation with the courier's manager.  I put Fed Ex on hold while I confirmed with my apartment office that the package arrived.  It has.  HOORAY!  Thank you so much for all of your help with this.  You and Kelly have been wonderfully patient and helpful.

Greg Pulte - Great!  Thanks so much for your help and efficiency [with transfer credit problem for a DPR].  You rock!

The DES Newsletter is beginning a series of articles by etiquette and protocol consultant Linda Tyler Rollins.  Ms. Rollins is a graduate of The Protocol School of Washington and founder of Rollins Rules Etiquette and Protocol Consulting.  Ms. Rollins was associated with the University of North Texas Athletic Department for twenty years before moving into consulting full time.  Ms. Rollins presented her workshop on Business Etiquette at the 2004 TxBUC$ conference and also for Enrollment Services. 

Ms. Rollins presents important information for success in the business world but in a light-hearted and understandable manner.  We hope that you find this series useful.  Ms. Rollins is available to present workshops and can be contacted through her website at www.rollinsrules.com. 

Pony Protocol
by Linda Tyler Rollins

Whoa! “What have we here?” We have a corner of your DES Newsletter to dispense handy tips to hone your etiquette savvy. You will learn that “Pony Protocol” suits my alliterative purposes because the first order of business is to establish a vocabulary.

Let’s travel to Webster’s II to apply the first definition concerning manners.

Manners – a way of doing something. So you already have manners, even if you’re behaving incorrectly.

Etiquette – the forms and practices prescribed by social convention or by authority. Now, we’re getting somewhere. The rules. But wait. Rules of social practices change with the evolution of society. A critical point.

Protocol – the strict adherence to etiquette and precedence. If you consider military and diplomatic protocol, you will understand that these rules change as rapidly as glacial movement. (But, doesn’t Pony Protocol sound ever so much better than Equine Etiquette?)

Keep this in mind until next month: You can’t play the game if you don’t know the rules. Barbara Jordan said, “If you’re going to play the game, you’d better learn the rules.” Do you really have the option?

  
DON'T FORGET
February 2 Division Meeting
8:30am Blanton Meeting Rooms