2008 Woodie Awards
FSSEC report recommends URI improve faculty-student relations
Tyler Will
Issue date: 4/11/08 Section: News
04/11/08 - In a report released earlier this month, the Faculty-Staff-Student Engagement Committee recommended that students and staff at the University of Rhode Island pursue activities beyond classroom education to enhance faculty-student relationships.
The FSSEC report included the results of the National Survey of Student Engagement, which showed that faculty-student relationships are lower than average at the university.
The FSSEC was appointed by URI's Joint Strategic Planning Committee, a committee that establishes goals for the university. Dean of Student Affairs Fran Cohen was head of the FSSEC, which also included deans from various colleges in the university and one student representative.
The committee recommended changes on three levels: programmatic, systematic and individual. While the FSSEC report said that URI students rank "well ahead" of survey respondents in areas like internships and study abroad experiences, students didn't do so well in areas like after-class discussion and faculty-student relations.
FSSEC Student Representative Cristin Langworthy said the reason the committee wants to improve faculty-student relations is because it's part of the college experience.
"The student experience isn't just about what we're being taught," Langworthy said. "It's also about our relationship with the faculty and staff of our university."
The FSSEC suggested a range of solutions to the faculty-student relation problem, from simply a greeting on the sidewalk to financial support for faculty-student gatherings. Another suggestion was to get subsidized passes for faculty to go to football games or concerts, which also encourages attendance.
The report says that faculty-student relationships are "largely determined by the quality of daily encounters" students have with faculty. The words "daily encounters" are the only words underlined in the report besides subject headings.
Langworthy said daily encounters and extra-classroom activities may require a change in the role of professors.
The FSSEC report included the results of the National Survey of Student Engagement, which showed that faculty-student relationships are lower than average at the university.
The FSSEC was appointed by URI's Joint Strategic Planning Committee, a committee that establishes goals for the university. Dean of Student Affairs Fran Cohen was head of the FSSEC, which also included deans from various colleges in the university and one student representative.
The committee recommended changes on three levels: programmatic, systematic and individual. While the FSSEC report said that URI students rank "well ahead" of survey respondents in areas like internships and study abroad experiences, students didn't do so well in areas like after-class discussion and faculty-student relations.
FSSEC Student Representative Cristin Langworthy said the reason the committee wants to improve faculty-student relations is because it's part of the college experience.
"The student experience isn't just about what we're being taught," Langworthy said. "It's also about our relationship with the faculty and staff of our university."
The FSSEC suggested a range of solutions to the faculty-student relation problem, from simply a greeting on the sidewalk to financial support for faculty-student gatherings. Another suggestion was to get subsidized passes for faculty to go to football games or concerts, which also encourages attendance.
The report says that faculty-student relationships are "largely determined by the quality of daily encounters" students have with faculty. The words "daily encounters" are the only words underlined in the report besides subject headings.
Langworthy said daily encounters and extra-classroom activities may require a change in the role of professors.