Educators at Large: Exploring the Culture of Educators at a Large University

Exploring the Culture of Educators at a Large University

Sheerin Stafford
University of Kentucky

Abstract
In this paper, I will try to display to you the culture of educators at a large University,
such as the University of Kentucky. Mainly focusing on stereotypes, community within the
university0, outside cultures coming in and basic but common goal across the faculty. We will
see how relationships within the faculty are looked at and viewed, but also how other professors
look at the stereotypical professor/ student relationships. It is baffling the different views across a
campus, for not only that stereotype but the others as well.

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Have you ever wondered what your professors are like, where they came from, how they
started or even why they came to a University? In most cases, the answer is yes. Many have
wondered at some point, because to be honest, what student isnt curious about them? We can
look at stereotypes, rumors, how their lives are affected being an educator, and what different
cultures can bring to the university teaching methods and university policies. As freshmen in a
new school environment, we all want to know about our professors. They all ask us to visit them
and get to know them, but we want to know if they are genuine? The answer is yes: according to
Jean-Marie Rouhier-Willoughby, the professors really do care about the students. According to
Hyman and Jacobs (2010), they say it is thought that top researchers are lousy, but the statistics
prove otherwise. Top researchers keep their passion in the classroom and are actually more
inspirational and better role models. In smaller classes, it is easier for the professor to get to
know his or her students better. But here at UK, that is not always possible, as we have class
sizes that range from fifteen to three hundred plus students. Also here at UK, we have the
opportunity to work with graduate students. While this may be a good thing, many believe that it
is really bad, because of the time professors put into the graduate students instead of the
undergrads, and because they are inexperienced, (Hyman and Jacobs 2010). It could be said that
due to this lack of experience, the undergraduate students become more dependent on the
professors, and that is not time they can spare due to research, classes, and helping the graduate
teachers. Even then, not every student takes advantage of getting to know his or her professors.
Not only does this destroy their grades, because they arent getting help, but this sets them back
later in college when they need a letter of reference and the professor doesnt know who they are,
(C. Scott, personal communication, September 24, 2014). Even though some professors do seem

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really unapproachable, they really do care. Yet after so much time on their own and sort of being
taken for granted by thousands of students, its hard to not form a shell, so to say. The professors
at a university are people, too, they have feelings and genuinely want to see us, as students
succeed in our career choices. This because one day we could be taking over their positions and
they want us to have the full knowledge to do so. Most professors believe in us as students, this
could be considered a universal goal for the university faculty.

Without doubt, the goals of a faculty member can be universal. They may not all come
from the same place or start at the same time, but as educators, their beliefs and core values
become extremely similar. So if there were no values shared it would be very puzzling to think
what goes on between faculties that there is no correlation between them and what they believe
their students should possess when they finish teaching them. Unfortunately, it is hard for one to
tell if even though they work together, whether or not they have respect for each other. We all
know making the decision to come to college is a difficult one, and the professors and faculty
respect that. They all see a need for a higher education and without it, there is no need for them
to have jobs, (J.M. Rouhier-Willoughby, personal communication, September 24, 2014). Thusly,
the most important value shared among the faculty is that of the importance of higher education.

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Though there are others, because they all work so closely together it is impossible not have
shared values and interests. As educators and coworkers, they work on each others tenure
committees and research projects. Some of the other values that professors have may be about
their research, or what department they are associated with.
Though this may be hard to see, there is a way to tell if one is respected and how the
faculty earn their respect with each other and with the student body. For many, the respect with
the other professors and members of their department, its inherent. Previous sentence is unclear.
They work together so they know most of each other, but does working together really mean that
you know most of another person? (C. Scott, personal communication, September 24, 2014). So
the question is now, if respect is inherent with professors, is it inherent with the students? The
answer is probably not, but the faculty have ways of showing that they care, but they will not be
walked on and used. We often see that professors have rules and regulations that are outlined in
the syllabi, and they want us to know they care. Yet at the same time we need to uphold their
standards and expectations for the classes, and respect the time that give to us each week to help
us grow. Again with students, it is hard for the student to understand the professors if they dont
take the opportunity to get to know the faculty.
Also with respect comes initiations: the formal ones and the informal ones. As with any
job, there are always trainings and orientations, but it is obvious to see that the more seasoned
professors are more important, so to say. Make it clear which are informal and which are formal.
Its not that the newer ones matter less but they have more to learn, (J.M. Rouhier-Willoughby,
personal communication, September 24, 2014). The informal initiations though are harder to see,
but it is all noticeable with body language. According to Jean-Marie Rouhier-Willoughby, the

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professors on a tenure track dont really speak their minds for the first seven years of their
careers. It is hard to say how most earn their respect, other than watching and learning how to act
with the other more experienced professors. It could be believed that even earning and realizing
what kind of respect a person has ties into the community and how the university all interact
together.
On the other side of initiations is the community seen in a university setting. How all the
departments and majors interact together, its unclear. It is easier to see that there is strong
community within a department or major, but what about outside of it? We see many stereotypes
and classifications that one major is harder than others, which is the driving force of separation
between the departments. Jean-Marie said it best, We are unified against the world,

as the department chair of linguistics, and

she can easily recognize that those that teach and research the classical languages must stick
together. Whereas other departments might feel encroached upon and put out that their students
have to fulfill a language requirement, no matter how relevant it is or not, those majors also feel
encroached upon. On the other side of things, with a pre-major, because of its competitiveness,
the advisors and faculty see less of a community because they all are fighting for those few spots
in their majors. The students feel threatened by others because of the very few spots available in

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their majors, thusly driving any forms of community apart. Many instructors are trying to bridge
those gaps and create new programs and activities for those in selective and competitive majors.
This way they have a chance to bond with each other and see that they can all still be
acquaintances even if they are fighting for the same spots. The largest problem with majors and
departments not being friendly with each other or even civil is because of the blatant lack of
respect. Even though it can be seen, the University does very little to encourage interaction with
other people from different majors and thus forces the gap open. This is very easy to see,
especially with the new budget model, that UK will be gaining in the near future, (C. Scott,
personal communication, September 24, 2014). With the new budget, majors and professors will
have to work harder to get more students interested in their programs so that they have enough
funding to do what they need to do, so that their department doesnt suffer and become extinct.
Some professors have even questioned what it means to be a part of the university, (Neumann
and Terosky, 2007), it seems to be more about politics and numbers rather than being about the
students and employees. Will a department truly become extinct at UK, though? Many
professors feel threatened because of this. A study at Rensselaer, show that Universities are
already having a hard time of keeping tenured professors, (Mullaney, 2013). How can they be
friendly with each other if they are fighting for the very people they depend on for their
programs to succeed? The issue is they cant, many try but it is not always going to work.
Community is an important detail to forming relationships, it is a crucial part of the university
culture. Community is the result of forming relationships, not a detail of forming relationships.
However, when we look at the community of teachers and students, we so often see the
stereotypes, or things we assume we see based off of stories in the media. The biggest stereotype

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seen on a college campus is the student and professor relationships, or even the professor and
professor relationships. This is known because of the many news stories circulating and many
people base their finding off of a mis-analyzed look or question. Though we have different
beliefs on how one can proceed with these types of relationships, its how the faculty
acknowledge them that really matters most. Corrie Scott believes that while having a relationship
with your own graduate student is not acceptable, it is a little less taboo than dating a graduate
student from another major. (C. Scott, personal communication, September 24, 2014). This is
due to a power difference, if there is none and they met outside of the university setting, then it is
less forbidden. Yet on the other side, many people disagree with this aspect. Jean-Marie, believes
that it is completely irresponsible and not at all allowed. (J.M. Rouhier-Willoughby, personal
communication, September 24, 2014). She has not ever heard of a relationship of this kind being
out in the open without having consequences. If it is in the open then that professor probably
didnt work at the university for much longer. Even though we are all considered adults, there are
some lines that still cannot be crossed and must be respected. Though it barely happens, the
stereotypes are still there and still affect the educators and their personal and professional lives.
A very possible case, is that a professor is accused of allowing an athlete extensions on
assignments, just to be focused for the big game. We also have to look at how the different
backgrounds of the professors affect the opinions and stereotypes seen. It is more common for
faculty with higher contact to the student athletes to have the higher expectations, than a
professor with low contact, (Tovar, 2011). The foreign educators have certain expectations that
they come to UK with and if it doesnt fit then someone has to readjust and for the most part that
falls on the students, but sometimes the educator will also adjust. As for their personal lives, if

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they arent affected by the job and the stereotypes, then something is not right, (J.M. RouhierWilloughby, personal communication, September 24, 2014). For Jean-Marie, it was very
important to her and her husband to develop friend groups outside of the workplace, to avoid
constant contact with stereotypes and always being surrounded by work. This helps her and her
family to develop a more neutral ground to stand on. As for the others, it depends on their
personal preferences.
As we can see, the professional and educator culture, has its differences. We can see the
stereotypes and the rivalries between the departments. Most importantly we can see the general
want and hope for their students to succeed. We all may think that teachers and educators dont
have lives, but they do. They are people just like the rest of us.

References
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October 9, 2014. http://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/professors-guide/2010/04/28/10reasons-to-go-to-a-research-university
Mullaney, M. February 16, 2012. Study in Journal Science: Faculty Retention Proves a
Major Challenge for Universities. October 9, 2014. http://news.rpi.edu/luwakkey/2994
Neumann, A. & Trotsky, A. L. (2007). To Give and to Receive: Recently Tenured Professors
Experiences of Service in Major Research Universities. The Journal of Higher Education,
Vol.78, No.3. http://www.uky.edu/Provost/APFA/Department_Chairs/to_give_receive.pdf
Tovar, E.A. (2011). Faculty Perceptions of Division I Male Student-Athletes: the Relationship
Between Student-Athlete Contact, Athletic Department Involvement, and Perceptions of
Intercollegiate Athletics. Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, 2011.
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