Take Your Professor to Lunch Week brings student and faculty together

Cristelle Baskins went to Dewick for the first time this week.

The Art History professor was invited to lunch by one of her freshman students during the University's official "Take Your Professor to Lunch Week."

"No student has been brave enough to ask me out before," Baskins said. "This is quite nice."

"It is difficult to get to know the students in big classes, especially for freshmen who don't usually get the opportunity to meet with professors from such large classes."

The event was planned by Dean of the College Charles Inouye so students could get to know their professors outside the classroom environment. The Task Force on the Undergraduate Experience, of which Inouye is a member, mentioned in its interim report that it would like to see student-faculty relations improve.

Using money from the Spirit Fund, the University compensates students for their lunch and that of the professor they invite.

The money in the Spirit Fund is intended for both students and professors to initiate events with each other in more personal learning surroundings. The fund is open at all times during the school year, but Inouye decided to formalize the event so that students would be more likely to overcome the bashfulness some students may feel about asking a professor to lunch on their own. He also plans on making the week a recurring event.

Inouye believes that there are several advantages for students who become familiar with professors. "Tufts faculty is unique in that they are both scholars and teachers," he said. Since Tufts is both a liberal arts institution and research university, Inouye hopes that students are able to connect with professors during this week and broaden their learning experience at Tufts.

Inouye also feels that this opportunity will allow students to form relationships that could prove beneficial when applying for graduate schools or other job opportunities.

Freshman Meg Simpson feels she has not become close enough to a professor to ask one out.

"As a freshman it is sort of unnecessary," says Simpson. "I don't want to feel like a suck-up, come eat lunch with me and give me a good grade."

However, she does see that later on _ once she has picked a major _ spending time with an advisor or professor within her major could be valuable.

One freshman, Amaya Wilhelm, hopes to find out more about her major and possibly select an advisor over lunch. "This is not an intimidating environment to get to know your professor," Wilhelm said.

Junior Gerrett Hansen, an economics major, plans to take advantage of the opportunity to take out a professor from the economics department. Hansen feels there is nothing to feel uncomfortable about. "Professors are here to help and give you more personal attention," he said.

The spirit fund has also helped to sponsor similar events in the past, such as "Take Your Professor to Coffee Week" in 1997. Students and professors received a free cup of coffee at Brown and Brew if they came together.