As students, we have an obligation to uphold our academic responsibilities: the fulfillment of work, attendance in class, and completion of exams. Faculty and staff, too, have an obligation to uphold their job descriptions: completion of assigned duties, work attendance, and exceptional grading on performance evaluations.
Now, if you were a student who consistently neglected to show up for class or do your homework, you would be marked “unsatisfactory” and fail the class.
But there are no ramifications for faculty and staff members who show unsatisfactory work completion. This is not addressing recent administration personnel decisions; this is addressing the inexcusably blatant disrespect to students by faculty and staff members.
I must admit there is a double standard. As a student, I am permitted to wear jeans with holes on the rear, curse casually in conversations, allow my sleep-deprivation to clutch me in class, or vehemently protest at my whim.
On the other hand, faculty and staff must administer themselves with poise, adhere to a standard dress code and conduct policy. You would never see Ken Gilmore with ripped jeans marked from the ’80s; Leah Kraus angry that the !@#$! server was down again; Randy Doss asleep at a Board of Trustees meeting; or Mary Ellen Chijioke advocating ludditism by dead-bolting the Hege Library laptops.
On the whole, faculty and staff members lead by excellent example. Guilford is known for its faculty/staff going out of their way for students, making themselves always available. They are excellent people who live by the Quaker values of respect, equality, and community. Students could learn something from their maturity.
But this is not the case for all members of the community. This year at Guilford, I have heard of, and been personal witness to faculty and staff disrespecting students.
I am not going to name these individuals – but they have titles as “Director of”, “Assistant of”, and “Professor of”. They are the big fishes, the point of the pyramid, and the keystone of the Guilford arch.
More than once these individuals have not responded to e-mails and phone calls, ignored student concerns, been abrasive or ignorant in personal conversation, or been otherwise rude and insulting.
It is not professional to skip meetings and interviews just as it is not academic for a student to skip class.
It is disrespectful to students when you abandon civilized interaction by blowing off verbal agreements, or by responding curtly.
It is also disrespectful when you walk away from a conversation, or abruptly make/receive phone calls at inconvenient times, such as during class.
It is uncomfortable for us when you use sexist or racist language making us feel vulnerable.
It is inappropriate to alienate students by name-calling, displays of aversion, or public acknowledgements of your own personal intolerance.
Not only do you hurt our dignity, but you make yourselves look bad.
Time and time again I have been told, “in the real world,” or “outside of the Guilford bubble,” things will be different. For those that are employed by Guilford College, this IS the real world. Use professionalism in dealing with student concerns, do not ignore them, and for goodness sakes, don’t go back on your word. Students notice when they are blown off. We are not children, and many of us have done or could do the jobs you have.
I’d like to end on a personal note, an extended thank-you for all the administrative kindness I have been blessed to receive. You may not be told this day-to-day, but students are appreciative of your dedication. You make it easy for me to brag to prospective students that Guilford’s faculty and staff really are as accessible as admissions claims.
Thank-you: Ty Buckner, Max Carter, Kent Chabotar, Mary Ellen Chijioke, Nikki Christensen, Scott Pierce Coleman, Dave Dobson, Randy Doss, Becky Gibson, Judy Harvey, Jim Hood, Carol Hoppe, Adrienne Israel, Jeff Jeske, Sue Keith, Geoff Leister, Anne Lundquist, Will Pizio, Rebecca Saunders, Carol Stoneburner, James Shields, Doug Smith, Dave Walters, Carolyn Beard Whitlow, the Cafeteria staff, Mailroom staff, the Office of Public Safety, the Physical Plant – and the countless others that I forgot to mention or have not had the opportunity in which to interact.
My hope for Guilford College lies in you and the professionalism that you portray.