Students shown round the university: 25
People who got caught in typical Manchester rain: 25 students and 1 very cross lecturer!
I now feel as though I am a ‘proper’ lecturer having been roped in to give student induction tours despite barely knowing the way round the campus myself. My last post was on the importance of the induction period for new members of staff and this one concerns being thrown from that frying pan into the fire of student inductions! I think these too are extremely important, despite being rather overwhelming for students trying to take in so much information. But it is also an opportunity to provide a decent welcome and a friendly face for a bunch of 18 year-olds away from home for the first time.
At some universities this sort of tour is left to other students or postgraduates to do, but I must admit I was quite glad to be asked to do this one. And this despite getting totally soaked in a rainstorm: at least this broke the ice and got everyone laughing! We have about 150 new students coming to our department this year, and so it is good to start putting names to faces right away.
Of course many more experienced members of staff know to lie low during these periods, to avoid being roped in to lead these tours. They probably feel that it is not in their job description to do such menial tasks, or that they did their turn for a few years and now its the turn of someone newer. And who would blame them? But as a teacher in higher education I want to use every forum possible to meet my students and help them settle in. And a willingness to muck in on occasions like this is never going to do your job prospects any harm and will make you the ideal colleague!
