Close but not that close

I ran into a colleague as I was wrapping up loose ends to complete my day. Since many faculty take summers off for research – this was always my practice before I became an administrator – I expressed surprise that he was teaching summer session. “I like to stay close to students” he responded.

Seeing a possible faculty in residence recruit, I said that if he liked to stay close to students, there would be an excellent opportunity for even greater closeness opening up – the new faculty resident’s apartment in McDowell Hall. His face fell as he responded, “I do like to stay close to students, but not that close.”

I can understand how faculty might feel that away. Despite the encouragement of my children, I approached my move to Anderson Hall with a degree of trepidation. But living on campus has been among the most rewarding experiences of my 30 year career, for which I have Anderson Hall students and RA’s to thank.