NOTE: The interviews in the following article do not represent the views of Roanoke College, this paper, or your editor. The content presented in this publication, including opinions, statements, and claims made by external sources, has not been independently verified by The Brackety-Ack. The views expressed in articles and by contributors are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the views or position of The Brackety-Ack.
Over the past month, I have had the privilege of meeting with 12 current and former members of the Roanoke College faculty. All of these conversations revolved around their opinions and reactions to major shifts in the institution and the education which Roanoke College will offer moving forward, most notably, the switch from a 6-6-7 over three years and approximately 20 advisees for 2023-2024 to a 8 courses or course-equivalents for this academic year. Prior to this year, professors were required to teach 3 courses or course equivalencies per semester, this has been raised to 4 courses or course equivalencies per semester. Not all of these professors agree with each other, however, all of them want to see Roanoke College succeed and continue its wonderful legacy of liberal arts education.
I also had multiple conversations with members of the administrative team. These conversations revolved around the financial situation and the necessity of change. We touched on all of the issues the faculty brought up, and how those issues are perceived by students and by the administrative team. Many members of the administrative team came to the college when the financial situation was already severe, and they emphasized that they are doing everything they can to increase transparency about finances and allow Roanoke College to thrive.
There is also a notion that students care about this issue only because professors are riling them up. As a student, I find this allegation utterly disrespectful. To me, this accusation not only casts professors as unprofessional and vindictive, but also casts students as easily manipulated pawns. Students have the ability to think through complicated issues and come to their own conclusions about them without professors telling them how to think. I am not writing this article because someone told me to; I am writing it because I care about this college, and I think addressing these matters is imperative to ensure the future of an institution which I love.
INITIAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF 4-4
This announcement concerning the change to 4-4 (from 6-6-7 over 3 years to 8 course equivalencies per year) took place in the first faculty meeting of the fall semester, with almost every member of faculty in the room having no prior knowledge such a large and sweeping change would be taking place without any kind of insight or vote from the faculty. However, Dr. Jennifer Berenson said she was not shocked by the announcement because it was clear the College needed to save money and “changing the teaching load is a way to save significant amounts of money.”
One current professor noted that this announcement “was a violation of the faculty handbook and an administrative overreach.” Another former professor noted how it felt like administrators were talking down to the faculty and seemed disinterested in faculty input on the decision. Dr. Robert Willingham said the administration’s announcement of this increased load created an atmosphere where it felt like “faculty input on the decision was unwelcome and something to be overcome rather than addressed.” Five current and former professors noted how it felt like there was a lack of transparency from the new administration and the Board of Trustees. Dr. Brent Adkins said, “I remain convinced that the 4-4 load directly disempowers faculty, while increasing administrative power. Faculty are disempowered because they have less control over how they allocate their time.”
“I think that the initial roll-out of the 4-4 plan shocked the faculty. And then the faculty response shocked the Administration.”
-Anonymous Current Professor
Dr. Carrie Murawski, a professor who left the college due to these changes, said that when this change was announced, it was coupled with the announcement that many non-tenure track faculty would no longer have job security. At the end of this meeting, there was also a Q&A session where, allegedly, faculty questions went unanswered by the Dean. This meeting followed several hours of faculty professional development emphasizing student retention. One question posed by Dr. Murawski was “What about faculty retention?” A question she said went ignored. Another current professor also mentioned the administration’s lack of care towards faculty retention, pointing out, “the less institutional memory the faculty have, the more power the administration has over the faculty.”
IS THE SWITCH TO 4-4 (8 course equivalencies) MORE WORK?
According to Dr. Murawski, the idea that faculty are not being asked to do more work for no increase in pay is “a myth that [the administration] has been trying to push for a long time, and one that faculty have consistently debunked in conversations with administrators directly and at faculty meetings in front of the entire faculty.” Dr. Todd Peppers also challenges the notion that professors have not been asked to do more. “It’s important to understand that faculty workload does not include just teaching, but serving on faculty committees, running centers, taking on additional advisees because their former advisers have left the college, supervising independent studies and honors projects, writing letters of recommendation, bringing in campus speakers, and conducting scholarly research.” Dr. Murawski also noted that “there were conversations where they shamed faculty for saying there was a workload increase, implying we weren’t willing to be team players.”
One solution the administration gave for faculty to keep the same workload was a suggestion of dropping research. Out of the twelve professors I spoke with, all but three expressed concerns about how the administration seemed to neglect the value of faculty research entirely.
“It’s axiomatic that if you are asked to do more and more while not being given more time or resources, something must give. You either drop things like writing with your students or you do all those things less well.”
-Dr. Todd C. Peppers
Two professors I talked to said that these changes do not require an increase in work but a reallocation of work. Dr. Shannon Anderson said there are things professors can cut out while still providing a quality Roanoke College education. Figuring out what those things are is hard. It takes time, effort, and support from the rest of the College. Dr. Berenson said that to facilitate these changes, professors “have to think more deeply about what’s really the important part of what we’re teaching and then focus on that.”
DOES THIS WORK INCREASE COINCIDE WITH A PAY INCREASE?
The administration implemented a 3% raise pool this fall for all faculty and staff. While grateful for the raise, Dr. Peppers points out that this raise does not come close to covering the increased cost of living over the last six years. “To make faculty and staff who have not had a raise since August 2017 whole, the College would need to give each a raise of 28.7%.” Many faculty members I talked to questioned the idea that they are being paid more than faculty at similar colleges, pointing to national trends which suggest the opposite. One member of the faculty noted that “the Board of Trustees and the Administration do not understand what faculty do day-to-day to teach and mentor” which is perhaps why they undervalue faculty labor.
“The pay that I received was not signaling that I was valued by the institution; and the way that these decisions were made did not include us at the decision making table. There was not a conversation and our thoughts and opinions were not valued.”
-Anonymous Former Professor
FACULTY TURNOVER
The rising concerns about workload and institutional direction have also led to faculty turnover. When asked about this, Dr. Willingham responded, “We’ve lost a number of really valuable and really important members of the faculty. Some have left for unexpected opportunities, but it is perfectly clear that more than a few people have left the faculty and staff because of their concerns with the direction of the institution or because they felt that they were being limited in what they could do for their students and the institution.” Another professor remarked how many of the professors who left “were people who likely would have finished their careers at Roanoke College, but the environment the new college leadership created became increasingly confrontational and demoralizing.” The professors who left were “deeply invested in the lives of students and wanted to see them thrive,” and according to this professor, they likely would have if they did not think the new administration would irreparably hinder their ability to teach and connect with students.
Many of the professors who left the College were not replaced with new tenure-track professors, with the College hiring a slew of visiting professors and adjuncts. While Dr. Peppers praises the talent and dedication of these new hires, the fact that most are not tenure track is problematic. “Tenure is critical in protecting academic freedom,” he explained. “It allows professors to feel safe when they speak out about what they perceive as problems at an academic institution.”
Some professors I talked to left the college due to these issues. Dr. Murawski’s decision to leave was ultimately prompted by misaligned values. “My values as an educator no longer aligned with the values of Roanoke College, they used to, but they no longer do.” Another professor who left said:
“I left a job at Roanoke College that gave me tremendous joy. Seeing students develop as scholars and people is a wonderful experience. Working with brilliant colleagues is incredible. That said, I don’t regret my decision to leave. It became increasingly clear to me that the administration, and some members of the Board of Trustees, saw faculty as irritating opponents, not as an essential part of the college with valuable knowledge and perspectives. Who wants to go to work every day knowing your leadership doesn’t respect you?”
TRUST
Multiple former and current professors noted their growing inability to trust what the administration was telling them. Trust is key to a functioning institution, and many members of the faculty believe the administration has slowly, but continually, eroded the trust that they once had in Roanoke College.
“There could have been an uprising to attack this problem together and figure it out. The lack of community decision-making was really, really sad. It broke all the trust I had in the administration, in the board of trustees, and in the future of Roanoke College.”
-Anonymous Former Professor
“It’s hard to come to work every day when you feel like the people in charge won’t tell you the truth.”
-Anonymous Former Professor
The changes at Roanoke College reflect broader challenges faced by liberal arts institutions across the country. Increasing workloads, faculty departures, and shifts in institutional priorities are all part of a larger trend of cost-cutting and adaptation to a changing higher education landscape. Yet, as many professors pointed out, the core of a liberal arts education lies in the relationships between professors and students—relationships that are difficult to maintain when faculty are stretched thin and the administration appears disconnected from the daily realities of teaching and learning. Multiple professors have acknowledged that the administration may be doing the best they can in navigating these challenges, but they also pointed out that the administration isn’t in the classroom, dealing directly with the impact of these significant changes. This distinction highlights a gap in understanding between those making decisions and those on the front lines of the educational experience.
Fortunately, there is objective data available that could offer a clearer picture of how faculty and staff feel about these issues. Last spring, Roanoke College participated in the Great Colleges survey aimed at assessing faculty and staff morale, as well as their perspectives on various aspects of the institution. The results could provide valuable insights into the concerns and experiences of those directly involved in the day-to-day workings of the college. Results have not been shared with faculty or the broader campus yet.
MOVING FORWARD
Dr. Anderson notes multiple times that Roanoke College is a community whose first priority should always be each other. This is a community that shares far more in common than in what divides it. Every other professor I talked to echoed this sentiment, they all want to see Roanoke College move forward from this. Dr. Willingham hopes “we can approach a new normal based on a renewed sense of collegiality, of collaboration, and of more consistent reminders to ourselves of what it is we’re all doing here.” Summarizing the sentiments of many current faculty members whom I spoke with, one professor said, “Your remaining, devoted faculty, are overloaded but are working hard to remain diligent for [students] because we believe in how great Roanoke College can be and because we believe in education.”
“It is difficult to empower students when you’re feeling powerless.”
-Dr. Brent Adkins
“I love Roanoke College,” Dr. Peppers said. “I want Roanoke College to thrive, but I am deeply concerned about the health of this institution that I have devoted myself to.” As the college continues to navigate these difficult transitions, faculty members remain hopeful that the administration will prioritize transparency, collaboration, and a renewed commitment to the values that have long defined the institution. Dr. Anderson “hope[s] that what unites us is this love of being part of this entire journey with students.”
“Our challenge is to figure out – (and fast!) – what truly matters. And then we do that. Together.”
-Anonymous Current Professor
Ultimately, many professors hope that by collaborating and supporting one another, Roanoke College can navigate these challenges and emerge stronger, with a renewed commitment to its mission of serving students and the broader community. However, some have expressed concerns about the current administration’s ability to guide the institution through these difficult times, citing a loss of trust. As Roanoke College moves forward, the key question remains: in what direction will it go?
Mikaela Gantz
Editor-in-Chief
