"Take a Professor to Lunch," proposed by assistant sociology Professor Charlie Kurzman, aims to increase communication between UNC students and their professors by providing a casual environment for conversation and academic advising.
"At a big public university like UNC, there is not always an opportunity for students and faculty to interact outside the classroom," Kurzman said. "By allowing teachers and students to get to know each other better, I feel the program will improve teaching and cause students to enjoy their classes more."
Informational flyers were placed in campus buildings, including Lenoir Dining Hall, on Tuesday to announce the program's launch.
Although students will pay for their own lunch, they will be able to treat their teachers by picking up a prepaid pass to Lenoir at the College of Arts and Sciences' office of the dean. Fifty passes were available as of Tuesday, and should be available for the rest of the spring semester. The funding for the passes came from private donations, and more passes might be produced in the future, pending student participation.
Arts and Sciences Dean Risa Palm said that in past years at UNC, classes were smaller, allowing for close-knit relationships to develop between students and faculty. "This is our way of getting as close as possible to the old days," she said. "(Faculty-student interaction) is part of our identity. I have been at few other institutions that have the feeling of really trying to help undergraduate students have interaction with faculty."
Orthopedics Professor Frank Wilson, who often invites classes to his home for casual gatherings, supports the concept of the program. "I think it is important for students and teachers to communicate outside of the classroom because it gives students insight into the way professors live -- that they have real lives and are real people," he said.
Nathan Cherry, a freshman business major from Virginia, also said the program will help students and professors identify with each other on a more personal level. "I think a lot of students can be intimidated by big classes, and getting to know their teachers outside class over lunch will make them feel more comfortable."
Student Body President Brad Matthews said he has long been a proponent of faculty-student interaction and has a list of professors that he would like to take to lunch. "It's vitally important that students have an opportunity to communicate with faculty and to get to know them as people."
Kurzman believes that faculty will be just as eager to dine with their students. "Lenoir is the best university dining hall I've ever been to, and if this program means that faculty will get to eat there more often, I'm definitely in favor of it."
