I taught at the New School (really, Eugene Lang College) for 31 years, retiring from teaching to spend more time writing, translating, and reading. I left as an associate professor and was kind of pleased to become the first Emeritus Professor from the college named by the Board of Trustees.
So except for my own education, the New School was all I’ve known for teaching and I have to say I loved teaching there. Yes, offices left a lot to be desired, and mid-winter classes arrived at through a four block walk in slush, a daily subway commute from Brooklyn, a distinct lack of college rah-rah, made it all a different kind of experience from those shared by friends at other institutions.
But I don’t think I’d have traded the students or my colleagues over those years for any others. Dedicated hardworking undergrads for whom the life of the mind, creativity, social justice resonated. Faculty who were as committed to their teaching as they were to their scholarly work, maybe even more so. I’ve remained in touch with so many of those students over the years and am proud of their accomplishments. And colleagues remain a vital part of my life.
loved reading this Claire. The humor, the authentic comparison, the context for both the privileged private school and all it's trimmings but also the trimmings and perks of the urban campus and the "uncurated" students. thanks. ruth
I, too, went from a small liberal arts college to a large urban university. It is important to note that the liberal art colleges that cannot afford to be highly selective and that do not have large endowments or lots of wealthy alumni cannot afford to pay their faculty well. Going to a unionized public university vastly improved my salary and working conditions.
Loved hearing your take on this change. I moved from public high school to teaching kids on the spectrum and it was the best job I have ever had. Similar with bureaucracy in one case to free flying in the other. So glad I did 👍
But the New School is kind of its own world, because it is not a large public university. Tuition suggests it is pretty elite, even if it doesn't have the budgets and the long history of a Wesleyan, Amherst, etc...and yeah, the mascot. Although reducing her to mascot-level might be a bit insulting. Maybe keep the narwhal. A narwhal might be preferable to a crazy-looking bobcat.
A very satisfying reflection, Claire. Thank you.
I taught at the New School (really, Eugene Lang College) for 31 years, retiring from teaching to spend more time writing, translating, and reading. I left as an associate professor and was kind of pleased to become the first Emeritus Professor from the college named by the Board of Trustees.
So except for my own education, the New School was all I’ve known for teaching and I have to say I loved teaching there. Yes, offices left a lot to be desired, and mid-winter classes arrived at through a four block walk in slush, a daily subway commute from Brooklyn, a distinct lack of college rah-rah, made it all a different kind of experience from those shared by friends at other institutions.
But I don’t think I’d have traded the students or my colleagues over those years for any others. Dedicated hardworking undergrads for whom the life of the mind, creativity, social justice resonated. Faculty who were as committed to their teaching as they were to their scholarly work, maybe even more so. I’ve remained in touch with so many of those students over the years and am proud of their accomplishments. And colleagues remain a vital part of my life.
Saludos desde el sur de México.
loved reading this Claire. The humor, the authentic comparison, the context for both the privileged private school and all it's trimmings but also the trimmings and perks of the urban campus and the "uncurated" students. thanks. ruth
I, too, went from a small liberal arts college to a large urban university. It is important to note that the liberal art colleges that cannot afford to be highly selective and that do not have large endowments or lots of wealthy alumni cannot afford to pay their faculty well. Going to a unionized public university vastly improved my salary and working conditions.
Loved hearing your take on this change. I moved from public high school to teaching kids on the spectrum and it was the best job I have ever had. Similar with bureaucracy in one case to free flying in the other. So glad I did 👍
But the New School is kind of its own world, because it is not a large public university. Tuition suggests it is pretty elite, even if it doesn't have the budgets and the long history of a Wesleyan, Amherst, etc...and yeah, the mascot. Although reducing her to mascot-level might be a bit insulting. Maybe keep the narwhal. A narwhal might be preferable to a crazy-looking bobcat.