Kerby Anderson

In a recent essay, Frederick Hess laments that “Professors Have Drifted Away from the Classroom.” I would argue that drift happened long ago, but I will agree that the problem of professor absence has grown worse.

Hess does acknowledge that the problem isn’t new. “I still recall walking across campus during the summer as a doctoral student at Harvard three decades ago. I was making small talk with a senior professor when he looked around the sparsely populated grounds and said, ‘This place is wonderful, especially when the students are gone.’”

He adds that not only are professors not teaching as much, but students aren’t studying as much. The average full-time student is devoting fewer hours studying than a few decades ago. They are also less likely to be working in a job while in school. If they aren’t studying or working, what are they doing? They are spending more time on their devices.

Hess says it is time to “reboot the campus culture of teaching and learning and raise expectations for student work.” He argues this can be done in accord with the Higher Education Act because academic institutions accept federal grants that can have certain stipulations about faculty instruction and student assignments.

He also suggests, “College leaders need to convince faculty to raise the bar when it comes to assignments, mentoring, and grading. That includes supporting faculty who step up and demanding accountability for faculty who don’t.”

There will be some resistance, but such changes will also encourage colleges to find faculty who want to teach. There is no shortage of potential academics. Universities say they are committed to teaching and learning. It’s time for them to show they are truly committed.