December 2004
Collaboration, Community, & Dart Guns
I can't believe how much faster time flies when I'm working full-time at a university compared to being a full-time student at a university. In my undergraduate and graduate days, an eleven-week quarter seemed to last for ages. Now, just as the quarters begin, they seem to end again. The days go by so quickly with so many students to see, so many phone calls and e-mail messages to return, and all the other little things that pile up each day. And I love it! It's extremely rewarding to be helping students achieve their educational goals and also to help pick up those who may be struggling with academics. However, by December, having so many successive appointments during the past month was beginning to wear on me, and I began to get the sense that my learning was tapering off a bit. I had not had a day off in six months as I was on new employee probation, but at least Christmas was coming soon. This holiday would be a much needed break for me to recharge and enjoy time with friends and loved ones.
In part, what helped me pull through these last four weeks were two meetings that our unit had with other academic departments. We met with Children's Studies and the Occupational Therapy program with the intent of gaining further insight into their curricula and course requirements. However, what we actually acquired went above and beyond the initial goals of the meetings. It was beneficial to learn about the newest changes in the departments and what the research interests of the faculty are, but the face-to-face contact was what really made a difference. The concept of collaborating across units is certainly not an empty buzz word in terms of the positive impact it has on students. The increased morale it creates among staff and faculty produces a greater sense of working toward a common purpose—eventually aiding in the service provided to students. Our unit was able to more clearly articulate to the academic departments our roles and duties, which seemed to increase respect towards us. In turn, the faculty members were able to do the same and also make recommendations regarding what they would like us to be telling students about their disciplines. Because our campus is spread out over several buildings, it would be possible as an adviser to never even meet people from certain departments if it weren't for meetings like these!
I can't help but think of something I wrote in an earlier entry regarding what makes us want to perform a task or act for someone else. Simply meeting another individual in person usually results in a more positive result the next time the two parties interact. I know now that I will get a faster and more thorough response when I call Children's Studies or Occupational Therapy, and they probably think the same of the Advising Office. I also have a better idea of the faculty members' personalities and interests, and this knowledge allows for more effective student referrals. This whole “community creation” thing is so impressive because, when it happens between staff and faculty, it trickles down to students as well. And I guess that makes sense. You don't proclaim community; you do community. Put differently, forming community comes from practicing it rather than just stating it. Because stronger bridges have been formed between the Advising Office and Children's Studies and Occupational Therapy, students will gain access to improved guidance and information. When students feel they are receiving quality service, they are more likely to return to the Advising Office or reach out to their departments of interest. And, with this result, the first circular and reciprocal steps to community formation are created—faculty, staff, and students all working toward the common purpose of engaged student learning.
Fun was the other thing that kept me going this month, as I was initiated by the after-office-hours dart-gun shooters. Though I wouldn't go so far as calling it a secret society, we do try to keep relatively quiet about the goals of the group—let me rephrase—the goal of the group, which is to shoot down as many decorative holiday balls as possible.
Every holiday season, our work-study students hang glass holiday balls (basically your standard red, green, silver, and gold Christmas tree ornaments) on two- to three-foot strings from the ceiling tiles in our office. So you can imagine my happiness when I came to work one morning in early December to find a brand-new dart gun on my chair. Throughout the rest of the month, when the clock strikes five o'clock, the dart guns quietly come out. If a holiday ball is hit just right, it falls off the string and shatters on the floor, usually resulting in joyous celebration, high-fives, and lots of laughter.
This holiday dart-shooting sets a wonderful example of how work and fun are not mutually exclusive acts. In fact, fun can make work more productive if it is done in an appropriate and responsible manner. When the holidays are over, the dart gun shooters chip in to buy new boxes of ornaments. We then secretly replace all those that were broken and slip them back into the cabinet with the rest of the seasonal decorations. Hemsath and Yerkes (1997) nicely articulate the benefits of laughter at work: “Because [fun and humor] facilitate the release of tension, [they] increase employees' ability to cope with stress on the job and to remain flexible, creative, and innovative under pressure—central features of a strong, resilient corporate culture” (p. ix).
By the time the holidays were over, I felt refreshed and ready to take on winter quarter. During the course of the month, I made wonderful contacts with two academic departments, continued meeting with students, had great fun with coworkers, and took some time off to revitalize and reconnect with friends and family. Having fun and a few days off prevented burning out and brought more balance back into my life. Though the six-month probation period provided much intense learning, I can't say that I would look forward to doing it again. I think taking a vacation day here and there will make me an even more effective adviser in the office.