Coalition for Women's Identities
Thursday, 7 May 2015 - 3:11pm
The Surprises of Shifting from Practitioner to Professor
It is not unusual for student affairs practitioners to aspire to faculty roles. This was not my original intention when I began my doctoral work, but it quickly became evident that I had some talent for teaching and that I was invigorated by research. Although armed with information from a presentation on faculty-student affairs relationships, I was initially—and even after six years, continue to be—surprised by the differences between an intellectual examination of the topic versus the lived experience.
My gender became more salient to me. As a student affairs practitioner, in relation to gender, among other characteristics, I was in the majority. Although leadership positions were typically held by men, women formed the majority of my colleague base and, as I advanced, the majority of the staff I supervised. When I completed my graduate degrees, most of my peers were women. This was my “normal”—until I became a faculty member.
When I first applied for a position at my current institution, the list of tenured or tenure-track faculty was not simply mostly men, but overwhelmingly so: three women and nine men who were tenured or tenure-track. There were similar ratios among the contingent faculty. I became highly sensitive to the relationships in the department, how women were treated, the masculine tone to meetings and interpersonal interactions. Although not necessarily negative, I felt my gender more keenly and was conscious of how colleagues might interpret my words and deeds.
I was surrounded by many former administrators. This was, by far, a positive element. In my experience, the majority of college faculty members begin their service without prior managerial or administrative experience. This may result in difficulty with timely and careful completion of routine administrative tasks. They may have no previous experience serving on a committee, let alone being a committee chairperson and overseeing lengthy processes. They may be overly reliant on scarce clerical support staff and be unable to navigate complex administrative procedures that seem to come naturally to student affairs practitioners. In my case, the student affairs program was embedded in a secondary education department. Several of the secondary education faculty had prior leadership positions (e.g., principal, superintendent) and applied their skills in managing people and resources to great effect. In our department, committee meetings and processes were efficient, focused, and effective.
I stopped helping others. I wanted to be known as a team player, someone who would effectively carry my share of the department workload. Yet, I did not want to become—or be perceived as—the person who would do the scut work and potentially be marginalized or relegated to less important roles. I was sensitive to my position as the sole tenure-track woman and my status as a junior faculty member. I became very mindful of assuming roles where I was the nurturer or the volunteer. I wanted to be taken seriously as a teacher and scholar and recognized that I had some influence over this. Thus, where able, I carefully choose my involvements and, for instance, avoided being the minute taker or the social coordinator.
This was difficult at times because student affairs work emphasizes helping roles and team effort. Student affairs staff pitch in, assume some less-desirable tasks, and do what is necessary, working collectively. This is not necessarily the case for the faculty where most work is completed alone. Teaching (e.g., preparation, in class, grading) and scholarship are largely solitary roles. I was unaccustomed to doing my work almost entirely by myself.
Over time, I have shed elements of the student affairs mantle. I remain supportive of my students and I cultivate relationships with them regarding their academic and career pursuits. I am interested in “students of concern” in relation to their academic work. I do not use candy as a motivation tool in classes and I don’t want to be their friend or confidante. My focus is on students’ critical thinking and intellectual development. Holistic student development is not an element of my job. This sounds cold and impersonal but there are some realities in terms of faculty work. Having students who “like” me does not further my goals towards high quality teaching and scholarship.
I became more collaborative. There is a difference between helping others (as described above) and collaboration (working with someone on a task). Student affairs practitioners are oriented towards group or collective action to address challenges, whereas faculty collaborate. Teamwork involves discussing each element of a project, coming to consensus, and collectively shaping the result. Collaboration generally means dividing up the work, doing it alone, and fitting the pieces together. I have a strong, healthy, and positive history of partnership with a faculty colleague. Our collaborations have resulted in multiple publications, presentations, curricular innovations, and a consistent student affairs program philosophy. In a similar spirit, I have reached out to graduate students, faculty colleagues from student affairs programs, and student affairs practitioners to work together on presentations, consultations, course-related activities, and scholarship. These collaborations aid everyone involved.
The transition to a faculty member role included several surprising elements, issues I had not anticipated despite my preparation efforts. The pressures are different but, for the most part, no less stressful. Yet, I am extremely happy as a faculty member. Exposing future practitioners to the foundations and essential elements of student affairs work is both important and exciting. My scholarship has shed new light on areas important to college students and their experiences. I work with some truly exceptional scholars and mentor talented graduate students. Though very different from the student affairs experience, the rewards are just as great.
Denise L. Davidson
Assistant Professor, Educational Leadership and College Student Affairs
Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania