Re: Titles and names

Elizabeth Vance (epoland@OSF1.GMU.EDU)
Sun, 3 Mar 1996 17:13:36 -0500

I must admit I'm amused to hear this. As an older undergraduate (I'm
also 28), and married, I am rarely treated like a student. When I
returned to school, I was very nervous, and I was afraid I'd be
uncomfortable around all the younger students. Instead, I found it to
be to my advantage. I've had professors that used the Socratic Bullying
technique to intimidate their students. I'm not as easy to intimidate as
some 18 year old. Most of my professors treat me as an equal, and I
have wonderful relationships with them. My opinions are now considered
valid. Whether this is a product of simply being wiser than I was 10
years ago, or because others think I am, well, who really knows? <grin>
But I enjoyed my education much more this time around.

- Elizabeth


>
> >As a 30 year-old assistant prof, there are
> >lots of potential power issues relevant to university life: I look 18, I'm
> >at the bottom of the tenure totem pole
>
> Boy, can I relate to this. Although I'm male and 28, I often get treated
> as a student around the campus.
>
> As far as titles go: I find that most students feel most comfortable
> using some form of title. I still look about for my father when I hear
> the phrase Mr. Barksdale, so the only request I make is to be addressed
> as Mr. B, or Professor B. If I get to know a student well enough and they
> are comfortable with it, I then work on a first name basis.
>
> I'll be a student next fall at law school, so it'll be interesting to see
> what titles get used in that setting.
>
> Iain Barksdale | WWW: users.aol.com/omkensey/home
> Lecturer | Email: gleschu@aol.com
> Anthropology, Archaeology, | Snailmail: Madisonville Community College
> Comparative Religion | 2000 College Drive
> | Madisonville, KY 42431
>