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December 2004, Vol. 1, No. 1| Back to index
Message from the Equal Employment Opportunity Coordinator
'Tis the Season"
If you wanted to scientifically define the word community, a good place to start might be at the Cognitive Science Laboratory at Princeton University. Here eminent professors and linguists have developed and maintain an electronic lexical database, called WordNet, which connects over 200,000 nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. A search of WordNet defines community as "a group of interdependent organisms inhabiting the same region and interacting with each other."
As members of the MBL Scientific Community, we each play an important part in being one of those interdependent organisms interacting with each other. We share the same goals (the commitment to our professions, the desire to live useful lives, the need to provide for ourselves and our families) which are far more important than any differences we may have (our races, cultures, and personalities). At this time of year, more than at any other, we are encouraged to focus on peace and harmony within our communities and within our world. While we might not be able to affect political decisions regarding global peace, we can create harmony when interacting within our community. So choose to use words that encourage rather than criticize. Refuse to spread or listen to gossip. Be willing to resolve your conflicts so that you don’t have to carry around deep resentments. And, in the spirit of the season, enjoy the wonderful community that we have been given the gift to participate in.
P.S. If you like words, you might enjoy the movie “Spellbound” available in DVD from your local video store. It is the story of eight of the 249 teenagers who entered the 1999 National Spelling Bee, and it is as exciting as any Olympic game demanding incredible fortitude and skill. The teens previewed are themselves a diverse group: they come from all over the U.S., some from big cities, others from suburbs and small towns; there are three boys and five girls; they are Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Caucasian; two come from single-parent homes and three are children of immigrants. The movie shows them at home before the Bee with their families, studying and practicing for long hours every day, and then at the competition itself in Washington, D.C. A fascinating look at equal—and unequal—opportunities in America and what hard work can do if you set your mind to it.
-Jane MacNeil, eeo@mbl.edu
In the rare case that the MBL has to delay or cancel work before 8 AM due to weather conditions, the following radio stations will be notified by the MBL at approximately 5:30 AM: WCIB 101.9 FM and WMVY 92.7 FM.
We have no control over the actual announcement schedule, but expect the first announcements to be made at approximately 6 AM. Lab closings or delays in openings will usually be based on the anticipated weather conditions for 8 AM in Woods Hole and the condition of the MBL parking lots specifically. For information about MBL Operations Status, call (508) 289-7MBL.
Weather in your area may differ considerably. Therefore, on days when the MBL is open, but weather conditions are questionable, you must |
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gauge your own safety risk based on these conditions. but weather conditions are questionable, you must gauge your own safety risk based on these conditions. If you believe that conditions warrant no travel, you may exercise the MBL's Attendance Policy Section 6.0. All employees are required to notify their supervisor or the Human Resources Office if they are unable to report for work on a storm day.
Under the MBL Attendance Policy, employees unable to get to work safely may take leave without pay or a vacation day (if the employee has sufficient accrued vacation time). MBL personnel are expected to report to work if conditions allow. All “Essential Personnel Category 1: Winter Storm Conditions” are expected to report for snow removal and clean-up. |
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