Academically Adrift by: Richard Arum and Josipa Roska.
My colleagues are amazing, mind you. Brilliant thinkers. Insightful dreamers. Excellent student service delivery always on the mind.
So when one of them said, "We are part of the village."
I stopped. And thought. We are, you are right, we are.
Of course, that colleague was referencing the interesting relationship between faculty and students, not staff and students (which I am, staff). And the comment was prefaced with "When is it going to occur to faculty that the nature of college has changed and that mentoring students is a part of the job description. We are a part of the village."
But still, it applied to me. Faculty or not.
Who doesn't get the reference, "it takes a village?" Just raise your hand.
But the village we are using to raise you up into education should come with a contract. An agreement. Not just that the faculty and staff are going to do our thing...but you. You too. There in the back row. With your head down. Texting. Posting TSM/TFM status updates on Facebook.
Should college come with a Warning Label? A big bold one, on the front of your orientation folder?
WARNING
higher education is a privilege
paying your tuition means you have the right to have a seat in this class- it doesn't mean you get an "A"
You will have to read-a TON (not skim)
We're not just doing this for show-we're doing this for a purpose
We need to stand behind our product-and our product is you
Paying your tuition is sort of like Netflix
Just 'cause you purchase it, it doesn't mean you are taking full advantage of it if you aren't renting those movies
GPA is great, UNDERSTANDING the information is better
Cheating is not acceptable
This is what it takes. We aren't going to force you, but if you want a "A" (whatever that's worth), here's what you have to do. Listen. Take advantage of the resources. Get involved. Find a mentor. Get an internship. Take good notes. Handwritten thank you cards are underutilized-get to practicin' the cursive. Respect yourself, and your dreams. And Dream Big.
Bigger. Or as we say in Gatton, "Do Big Things."
But have a concept of what it is going to take to get to that big dream (if you don't know, ask somebody). Like the village. We are here.
We're not just doing this for show-we're doing this for a purpose
We need to stand behind our product-and our product is you
Paying your tuition is sort of like Netflix
Just 'cause you purchase it, it doesn't mean you are taking full advantage of it if you aren't renting those movies
GPA is great, UNDERSTANDING the information is better
Cheating is not acceptable
This is what it takes. We aren't going to force you, but if you want a "A" (whatever that's worth), here's what you have to do. Listen. Take advantage of the resources. Get involved. Find a mentor. Get an internship. Take good notes. Handwritten thank you cards are underutilized-get to practicin' the cursive. Respect yourself, and your dreams. And Dream Big.
Bigger. Or as we say in Gatton, "Do Big Things."
But have a concept of what it is going to take to get to that big dream (if you don't know, ask somebody). Like the village. We are here.
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