Mad About Midd Profs take time to bond

Author: Dave Barker

I was seasoning my panini the other day at Proctor when a man in a suit approached to add some spice to his lunch-time meal. Since suits are about as rare as lacrosse players at Proctor, I asked the man, who turned out to be President Liebowitz, what brought him away from catered lunches and into the realm of red trays and soda machines. Turns out he makes the rounds at the dining halls once a week to find out about issues affecting students. The next 40 minutes were spent with two other students and the President, discussing everything from alcohol policy to the need for more professor-student interaction - over lunch.

The meal confirmed a simple truth: the best way to get to know the faculty and administrators at this school is to get away from academic buildings. Don't give me office hours. I've always despised that moment on the first day of classes when professors announce the three-hour time slot when students can approach them. They then follow-up with the "or by appointment" line. Appointments are for getting your teeth cleaned, not for what should be an informal discussion between teacher and student.

A typical visit during office hours feels about as informal and relaxed as oral comps. There's the professor, sitting down, and flanked by what seems to be an entire stack from the library. A line of students outside means the conversation will have to be to the point. The student enters confused and with questions: "Hi Professor____, I was wondering if you could help me understand the idea of the cave in Plato?"

Office hours wouldn't be so awkward if they accommodated time for shooting the breeze. We're not talking, "so, you staying dry out there?" but a sincere attempt by the professor to make the student feel comfortable. Some of my best visits to a professor's lair have started with conversations of baseball and fishing before segueing into questions about class.

But nothing works like a good meal. Academic departments should devote a part of their budgets to lunches and dinners that bring the faculty and the students majoring in the subject together. Professors used to be able to enter the dining hall before the College limited its access last year to once a week, citing financial reasons. The need for meals like this are even more important for inter-disciplinary programs like international and environmental studies that lack a distinct home. If not food, how about free coffee at The Grille for student-professor meetings?

The commons system, while causing hell at room draw, should be applauded for using the culinary approach. Last Friday, Atwater invited 175 students to a reception and dinner with the trustees, faculty and more importantly, an open bar. There, I learned that a certain professor, when not teaching math, prefers merlot. If I take statistics with him, I'll know where to begin the conversation come office hours.