Perhaps the happiest person at Faculty Senate meetings couldn't care less about curriculum or the University System of Ohio. He's more interested in dragons.
I spend most of my time reading books about dragons and watching movies about dragons
said seven-year-old Fisher McDiarmid, the youngest Faculty Senate attendee.
Fisher goes to senate meetings with his father, Duane McDiarmid, a representative for the College of Fine Arts.
Duane said Fisher originally would stay at Alden Library with a babysitter during senate meetings. Then one night, they could not find a babysitter, so Fisher went to the meeting.
He really liked it Duane said. We sort of made a night of it.
The two get dinner before the meeting and Fisher gets to stay up until the meeting ends G Fisher said, admitting that though he sometimes listens to the meeting, he'd rather just watch a movie on his dad's computer. His favorite to watch, he said, is Planet Earth.
Duane said sometimes he'd rather be watching with Fisher, who sits next to him with headphones plugged into a laptop, than dealing with the administrative details of the senate, but that having Fisher there is not usually distracting.
Planet Earth is a pretty good movie compared to what's going on the senate floor at moments
he said, explaining that he prefers to focus on the big picture.
What I feel like I really have to add G? is taking sort of a broader common sense approach to get out of the minutiae. It's harder to get distracted from the broader view
Duane said.
Fisher pointed out that his dad cannot get too distracted, telling Duane, You can still listen [to the meeting] because you don't have headphones.
This was Duane's second year on the senate, but his first as an elected representative. He served as an alternate his first year.
He said senators have expressed empathy with Fisher for having to sit through the meetings.
People have said he's the person who seems happiest there. They'll usually say
'I wish I could watch the movie
'
Duane said, adding that his colleagues have also been impressed with Fisher's behavior. He's a really good kid. I just lucked out.
Faculty Senate Chairman Sergio L+
L+
Duane said, asking Fisher to demonstrate his knowledge of the Earth's eras. The first-grader obliged, listing them all in order. He teaches himself. He gets books out of Alden Library
Duane
added.
On Fisher's movie list is one about what evolution is likely to produce next.
It has some amazing creatures
he said, as he climbed on and over his dad and some furniture at the community center.
After the library, Fisher said art is his favorite part of school. Duane said Fisher sometimes goes to the studio with him and does his own work.
Sometimes he collaborates with the students who are doing things
