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The Importance of Day One
Ron Pitt
We are fortunate at Bryant to be welcoming yet another group of
new faculty this Fall who are highly accomplished, wonderfully qualified,
and suitably experienced. This is the third year of the college's
large-scale recruitment agenda, and it has changed the nature and
culture of Bryant University. New faculty bring a fresh perspective
and a new set of experiences that enrich our curriculum, our research
expertise, and our culture.
Of equal importance is the fact that 25% of our undergraduate student
population is new every year, and the experiences, qualifications,
proficiencies, and expectations of incoming students are also changing.
Some of you have seen the national compilation of comments by faculty
regarding the changing nature of students. While it may be unfair,
the perception among faculty across the country is that many students
arrive at college viewing themselves as consumers of an educational
"product," and viewing professors as therefore obligated
to provide a stimulating, useful, career-relevant, and even entertaining
experience.
Many people at Bryant have observed this kind of collision course
between the expectations of faculty and those of students. The topic
of this newsletter is the methods by which some of our faculty shape
the way students view not only their individual classes, but their
overall education. Shirley Wilson provides us with three broad rules
that help clarify the roles and responsibilities of students and
faculty, starting on the first day of class. Bob DiSario takes the
metaphor of a cup being filled and transforms it to reflect the
real purpose of an education. Julia Gladstone emphasizes her attitudes
throughout her courses, while Laurie MacDonald raises the all-important
idea of consistency between what we expect from students and how
we conduct ourselves as faculty in the classroom. Mary Lyons focuses
on a key but often-overlooked aspect of managing students' expectations:
the syllabus.
As always, I wish to express my gratitude to the faculty who took
the time to write down for us their expertise, experiences, and
wisdom. Willingness to share ideas is a hallmark of Bryant University,
and the faculty in this issue exemplify that tradition of generosity.
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