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[ega110]

I have been reading a book by Barrett Seaman called Binge: What your college student won't tell you. It is basically about how college life has changed since the sixties.

One of the major points he makes is that colleges were better back when the professors had a stronger relationship with students outside of the classroom. He says that professors used to live in the dorms with the students, serving not only as tutors but as trusted confidants. For example, he says that it was not uncommon for professors to meet groups of students to discuss class topics over a beer and to invite grops of students home for dinner. He blames the loss of such an out of class connection for the decline in the focus on academics at many colleges.

On the plus side, he says that some colleges are trying to reinstate this system. However, he says many professors are reluctant to give up some of their privacy by letting the students into their off campus lives.

I really appreciated any out of class time I could spend with my professors as an undergraduate. For example, one professor had me help carry her books to her car after class every earning. This was a great chance to ask questions about the material and to discuss current events in a less formal setting. I think it would be great to give that same opportunity to my own future students. Since this seems to be a valued and rare commodity, it might be a good idea to suggest that I would be willing and eager to do this when applying for positions.

Does anyone have any insight as to how actively colleges are seeking this kind of commitment?

[mended_drum]

Not very.  Mostly because it would be difficult to know whether or not faculty would really be willing to engage in such activities before hiring them, and because the research requirements for faculty at all levels make it difficult at many schools to carve out the time to just hang out and talk with students, particularly undergraduates.  Moreover, the days of having a beer with a student while talking about poetry are pretty much gone due to potential lawsuits given the 21-year old drinking age.  And, of course, a full-time faculty member can no longer be assumed to have a stay at home wife to keep the house neat and do the entertaining.

Nevertheless, such things do happen at some schools, especially SLACs.  I usually have my advisees over for pizza and a movie during the fall semester, and my department rotates hosting a party for our majors once a year.  But even at an SLAC like mine, plenty of faculty are appalled at the idea of letting students into their homes, let alone living on campus.

[theblondeassassin]

In some places, this system is still in place.

However,

1. The number of students per faculty member is very small (think less than a score per faculty member) and class sizes average three or fewer;

2. The system is very, very expensive;

3. Many faculty members are either uninterested or incapable of taking on these roles;

4. It is not particularly conducive to research.

[On edit] What mended_drum says.

[ega110]

You are right about the drinking age law. In fact, he wrote an entire chapter on why the drinking age should be lowered to 18. One of the reasons was that the underclassmen could have an adult example to follow when it came to the responsible consumption of alcohol.

Your idea of inviting students over for pizza is a terrific one that I am definately putting away for later use.

It actually accured to me that the on campus living situation might be perfect for adjunct professors. Think about it, from these boards, I have gathered that two of the biggest problems with adjuncting is the low salary and the terrible amount of time spent commuting from one campus to another. The most logical solution to me seems to be to provide an adjunct with a moderate course load, say three or four courses a semester, and to provide free or subsidized meal plans at the dining halls as well as student housing. Think about it, this solves the stability problem for the instructor without much cost to the schools. After all, the dining commons are already there. The student housing is already there. If these needs were provided, the schools would not have to pay as much money for each class. It could be like a more in depth version of a teaching assistantship. It's a win for all involved.

I think I remember hearing that one objection some colleges have to giving too many courses to one person would be that they would have to provide benefits after a certain work hour mark. One way to get around this would be to allow applicants to opt out of some of the benefits so that there would not be the hiring disincentive.

[mended_drum]

Of course, you also haven't mentioned the fact that sexual relationships between faculty and undergraduates are now either heavily discouraged or forbidden on almost all campuses.  Living among the undergrads or encouraging faculty to socialize too closely with them may strike some administrators as inviting inappropriate behavior.

[zharkov]

High end prep schools, like Exeter and Andover, have residential faculty.  Yale has as well, at least to some extent, as I recall William Zinsser mentioning he had a gig like that. (He wrote On Writing Well.)  

But in almost all case, the role you are asking about has been taken over by student support professionals, assisted  by students working as RAs and such.

I worked at one place where the dean suggested it might be nice for faculty to have students over for dinner, attend sporting events, and the like.  Nobody in my department ever did that, most noting that they did not live in the town, typically living a half hour to an hour away, had kids and such, and not much time for such extras.    

  

[ega110]

You make a good point about the risk of concern about student/professor relationships. This concern is oddly greater on the pre college level. I was advised while earning my Master's in education to never be alone with any of my students (especially boys) and to avoid physical contact whenever possible. I feel it would be very easy to avoid these problems with older students such as college students because in my experience they seem to be very hands off like me. The complication comes with the sixth and seventh graders. Oftentimes while subbing, one or more of the younger students will want to hug me. I don't encourage it but I feel bad to say no. I have to wonder how schools dealt with these issues before.

[palla]

The most logical solution to me seems to be to provide an adjunct with a moderate course load, say three or four courses a semester, and to provide free or subsidized meal plans at the dining halls as well as student housing.

Three to four courses per semester is a full-time load at most colleges except community colleges, and community colleges often don't have dorms.

I think I remember hearing that one objection some colleges have to giving too many courses to one person would be that they would have to provide benefits after a certain work hour mark. One way to get around this would be to allow applicants to opt out of some of the benefits so that there would not be the hiring disincentive.

I don't know how you would offer someone a FT job that qualifies for benefits but require the person not to accept the benefits.  You can always opt out of the benefits, but I can't imagine requiring someone to opt out.

[ega110]

About the benefit thing, the beauty of it is that you do not have to opt out of benefits. However, if you do opt out of benefits, let's say you have benefits from a spouse's job, then you have a competitive advantage over people who do not opt out.

My idea is based on a program my mother told me about. She works as a reporter covering city council meetings. One of the topics she covers is the negotiation of state employee contracts. The opt out program allows employees to opt out of certain benefits for slightly higher pay. Of course the increase in pay would be less than the cost of the benefits so it still would be a win for the employer.

[mended_drum]

About the benefit thing, the beauty of it is that you do not have to opt out of benefits. However, if you do opt out of benefits, let's say you have benefits from a spouse's job, then you have a competitive advantage over people who do not opt out.

Not officially, you don't.  If anyone ever suggested hiring someone because they were married to a spouse with a full-time job, the rest of the faculty would go ballistic.  You don't hire someone based on family circumstances.

As to your original question, however, I doubt that expressing a willingness to bond with students in the ways you suggest would be a competitive advantage in seeking employment as faculty.  It's just not one of the important elements search committees are looking for when they hire.

[_touchedbyanoodle_]

You have weird expectations about securing adjunct work, ega. An adjunct is not likely to be allowed to participate in such a risky and costly program, even if it were in place at the college. Also, adjuncts rarely get work through applications; they get work through contacts and phone calls.

[bibliothecula]

You have weird expectations about securing adjunct work, ega. An adjunct is not likely to be allowed to participate in such a risky and costly program, even if it were in place at the college. Also, adjuncts rarely get work through applications; they get work through contacts and phone calls.

This. Also, as someone who has been an adjunct, there is no way in hell I'd live on campus or eat in the dining hall. I'm an adult, and I like my adult life.

[educator1]

It can be a competitive advantage on retaining a position, but not obtaining a position.
At my uni, we have a Faculty Master and one or two Associate Masters living in each dorm. Their whole family moves in and they are given very nice two or three bedroom apartments in the dorm and meal privileges. The position is open to non-TT as well as TT faculty. The appointments are for a three year period and are renewable. We have had a number of non-TT faculty apply for and receive the position (two have been from my dept.). The competition is intense whenever positions open up. The faculty are expected to interact with the students and work with the RA's and students to plan academic as well as social events. The program has been highly successful.

[ahsonek]

And, the majority of adjuncts are professionals who teach a course for other than monetary needs.  I serioiusly doubt that the spouse and kids would want to move on campus to be friendly with the undergrads.

I think you need to spend some serious time in the adjunct threads to find out who typically adjuncts. You are making assumptions - living in a dorm, getting free food from the cafeteria, that are not realistic or doable in any college reality.  I know that if I were interviewing you and you mentioned all of this, that would be the end of your interview.

[tuxedo_cat]

And, the majority of adjuncts are professionals who teach a course for other than monetary needs.  

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