Introduction

Assistant Professor and Director Shane P. Desselle Ph.D.
Director Dana P. Hammer Ph.D

pages: 1 - 7

• DOI: 10.1300/J060v09n01_01
• Version of record first published: 01Jan2002

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Abstract:

A recent Ph.D. graduate was ready to begin his first day as a new faculty member. It was a bitterly cold morning in New York City as he awaited the “F” train at the Forest Hills, Queens station in hope that it would expeditiously transport him to the Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences of Long Island University in downtown Brooklyn. One and one-half hours later, he arrived at the foot of the gated campus and was greeted by a security guard who looked at him in astonishment. “Hi, I'm Shane Desselle,” he sheepishly spoke, “a new member of the faculty in the School of Pharmacy. Can you let me in? I don't have an ID or a key to my office, yet.” He responded, “The university is closed today. Didn't you know–with yesterday's blizzard and all?” So this eager new faculty member turned right back around with briefcase in hand, and journeyed back to Forest Hills. This time, however, the trip back was only 1 hour and 15 minutes.

This new faculty member's second attempt to get started at his new job was much more fruitful. He got inside the gate and even into his office this time. Waiting for him were the desk, filing cabinet, and lavish executive chair he had ordered. Not waiting for him, though, were a computer, paper, pens, or any faint idea of how to get started. Then it dawned on this new academic, how autonomous a faculty member's job is. This eager Ph.D. literally sat in his chair, staring at the walls, out the window, and at the department secretary for nearly an hour. “Well, what do I do, now?” he thought. “There are no instructions here.” He then figured that whatever he was supposed to do, however he was supposed to do it, he had better get started because in just two more weeks he was going to be coursemaster and sole instructor for three different courses–none of which he had ever taught, two of which were new in the curriculum, and one of which had no existing syllabus or notes for him to use. He then proceeded to purchase a notebook from the bookstore and began developing syllabi and writing lectures.