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Author Topic: Flagler College  (Read 1157 times)
asymptotic
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« on: October 22, 2009, 09:59:57 PM »

Anyone have any insight into the college, tenure process, administration, or student preparedness? The town and campus look really nice!
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temporaryname
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« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2009, 11:10:05 PM »

Beautiful, beautiful, beautiful campus. I would probably give a medium-sized extremity to work there just because of how heartrendingly amazing the campus is, without caring what it's like to work there. (Any campus that can get away with charging for its campus tour must have something to boast about, right?) Also, given its campus, it's hard to believe that it was founded in (if I recall correctly) 1968.

The students have a rep for being spoiled rich kids who are just skating by in college, but the handful of Flagler grads I've known don't fit that stereotype at all--I think it's just that it's the usual stereotype that gets attached to students from small private LACs.

I've only known a couple of faculty at Flagler, but they seemed nicely down-to-earth people and liked the place.

The school has a relatively small endowment, but one of their primary uses for it is to keep tuition below that of peer institutions, which I like.

And St. Augustine has excellent beaches, is in a section of the Florida coast that's usually avoided by hurricanes (though you'll feel the effects of the edges of them now and again), and is a bit off the beaten path but is close enough to Jacksonville (a rather underrated city, in my opinion) to give you occasional big-city happiness now and again. The tourists are a bit of a drag, but such is life on the Florida coast. Oh--and for similar reasons it's a fairly expensive town to live in, but not horrendously so (and since the Florida real estate market crashed, you may be able to live there much more reasonably now).

And the Castillo de San Marcos never grows old.
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zuzu_
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« Reply #2 on: October 23, 2009, 11:28:00 AM »

My brother went to undergrad here. He says it's haunted--big time. I believe the college used to be a high-class resort in the early 20th C.

Make sure to go out to dinner at the Raintree.

Amazing 16thC ruins in town.

(Sorry--I don't really have any of the more useful insight you are seeking.)
« Last Edit: October 23, 2009, 11:29:44 AM by zuzu_ » Logged
oseph
Embracing the crazy
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« Reply #3 on: October 23, 2009, 11:40:42 AM »

My brother went to undergrad here. He says it's haunted--big time. I believe the college used to be a high-class resort in the early 20th C.

Make sure to go out to dinner at the Raintree.

Amazing 16thC ruins in town.

(Sorry--I don't really have any of the more useful insight you are seeking.)

The Raintree is delicious, the fried shrimp at Barnacle Bill's, there are some great little sandwich shops hiding here and there, also Le Pavillon, Salt Water Cowboy's, 95 Cordova, yum, yum, yum.  You might feel a little weird at first because it is so touristy, but the beaches are lovely, the weather is lovely, and, well, I can't say anything about the college either, but boy do I miss St. Augustine, St. Augustine Beach, and Crescent Beach.
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Oseph....you are right and you make sense.

For your future comments, I insult very directly.
spork
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« Reply #4 on: October 23, 2009, 12:22:05 PM »

Let's not forget Marineland, where I once asked "What does dolphin meat taste like?"

No info about how the school is managed, but the location is awesome.
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a.k.a. gum-chewing monkey in a Tufts University jacket

"Please do not force people who are exhausted to take medication for hallucinations." -- Memo from the Chair, Department of White Privilege Studies, Fiork University
reener06
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« Reply #5 on: October 23, 2009, 12:38:52 PM »

I was an adjunct there about ten years ago. Taught a class once a week, and drove over an hour to get there. I had few dealings with the administration other than by phone or via my oncampus mailbox, so my experience is not exactly what you are looking for. Admin were cordial; I was impressed they gave me a substantial gas allowance, which helped a lot. I believe I got a parking pass too, which was helpful. I never actually saw or met an administrator, as my class began around 6 or 7, and the campus was mostly empty by that time. But I always had what I needed when I needed it. Class was small, about 25 students, and once I asked them why they went there; for many, the beach was a big draw. But they were polite and did well in the class, and I rec'd good evaluations too.

St. Augustine is one of my favorite towns, despite the tourist feel. Great restaurants, and Jville is nearby. The smaller beaches are quiet and easy to get to.

Hope that helps some.
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cgfunmathguy
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« Reply #6 on: October 23, 2009, 02:09:15 PM »

While the city and the campus are beautiful, the college is trying to increase its academic standards, which is quite amazing considering its ranking by others. They just completed re-accreditation last year, and they have a QEP that they hope will improve the quality of graduates in the future. It is a SLAC/pre-professional school (business, education, and sports management).

There is no tenure at Flagler, but those who have been there awhile claim only one person has ever been fired. Of course, demanding benefits from students (of the opposite sex) in return for passing grades tends to do that. There is a provision for extended periods between reviews after a certain (probationary) period of time, but I'm unsure how it works at the moment.

The administration is generally cooperative with the faculty and is receptive to faculty input. Sometimes, it's used, and sometimes, it isn't.

Students are reasonably well-prepared; the interquartile range for SAT scores for entering freshpeeps is 1000-1250 or something like that. They are mostly polite and seem eager to learn. Of course, you always get a few dunderheads in any group.

PM me if you'd like to know more.
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Alas, greatness and meaning are rarely coterminous with popular familiarity.
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