My name is Lily Sriram, and I am 16 years old. Since I was seven years old, I have lived on a college campus along with my three siblings and my dog. Living in the community of a residential college is so natural and normal to me now, but it truly changed me into the person I am today. I have gained an incredible amount from this experience. As the only introvert in a family of extroverts, I’ve learned how to come out of my shell and engage with others while also making time to have to myself and recharge. I’ve learned to relate to people who are a different age than me and who come from different backgrounds. I’ve discovered the importance of community in everyone’s life and how finding a strong community is rare in today’s world.
The experience of living on campus has allowed me to build relationships with people, for which I am so thankful. Many students become some of my closest friends and keep in touch with us long after they graduate. We go to their weddings and get to watch them build lives for themselves. I can talk to the students about my friends, my school, and all about my life, and they offer me advice. Often, they’ve had similar experiences, and college students are the perfect age because they have had time to reflect on those experiences but not forget about them.
I’ve gained so much from living here, but I also believe I’ve contributed a good amount to this community. I believe that my siblings and I make this residential college feel more like a home. Our house is a home for students to go, and several students have told us we remind them of their siblings. Students come from a wide range of family backgrounds, and they tell us how fascinating it is to see a family up close and compare it to their experience.
Along with my siblings, we make events less awkward by starting conversations with people and not being afraid to be the first ones to grab the food or start the activity. I think we also play a part in making students feel welcome. I learn their names and help out on move-in day. Another way we contribute is by giving students the opportunity to mentor and advise someone younger than themselves. Mentoring me gives students a break from being the mentee all the time and provides them the opportunity to teach and counsel, which are important skills to develop. Faculty-in-residence families are crucial parts of an on-campus community, and I am grateful for all that I have received and contributed because a residential college is my home.
In 2019 I helped Baylor University host the 6th Annual Residential
College Symposium: a conference of 150 higher education constituents who
believe that living and learning go hand in hand. Although I served on the
executive board of the Residential College Society and as a faculty-in-residence
(FIR) in Brooks Residential College at Baylor, the role I was most excited
about was as a spouse and father, encouraging my family to participate in the
symposium. My wife and our three older children (then 15, 13, and 11 years old)
all registered for the symposium. I had lived in a residential college for seven
years, and the symposium was an opportunity for my
family to experience firsthand the research and scholarship of living-learning
communities (LLCs). My family thoroughly enjoyed going from session to
session, listening to scholars and professionals discuss the ideals and
practicalities of living-learning communities. They were also delighted to show
symposium participants around our home and talk about the role they play in
fostering student success within a residential college. It was a pivotal moment
because it brought validity to the work they had done over seven years in
residence to contribute to the retention, engagement, achievement, and learning
of college students.
As FIR programs grow in quantity and reputation nationwide, the families that often come into the residential communities alongside the faculty member can remain in undefined and underutilized roles. Universities can best promote student success when campus leaders view learning as something that occurs through interactions both in and out of the classroom. If relationships that matter most for students occur through academic, social, and deeper life interactions with faculty, staff, and students, and if faculty and staff are best equipped to initiate deeper life interactions with students, then FIR programs are primed to make a significant difference in the lives of students. By living with students, faculty are more likely to encounter moments in students' lives that can lead to conversations about meaning, value, and purpose. In addition, faculty-in residence offer an additional resource to campus for student interactions: families.
Institutions
currently engage families-in-residence in a variety of ways based on how
institutions arrange people, policies, programs, and places. How FIR programs
are implemented is just as important as whether or not FIR programs exist on
campus. By thinking carefully about the people involved, the policies governing
FIR programs, the events associated with these programs, and the facilities
available to faculty-in residence, campus
leaders can make intentional decisions regarding the role of
families-in-residence in fostering a sense of community and promoting student
success.
So much
attention goes toward the faculty member in FIR programs that other people
involved can be overlooked. The biggest decision campus leaders make for
families-in-residence pertains to how families are viewed by the institution.
Are families considered full-fledged partners in the FIR program, or are they
considered nonessential add-ons that tag along with the faculty member? The
answer to this question is more complex than it appears. For example, at Rice
University, faculty-in-residence are called College Magisters. The partners of
FIR are not only considered College Magisters alongside the faculty member but
are also listed on the website with the faculty member and paid a separate
stipend from the faculty member. In essence, they are considered part-time
employees of the institution. The advantages of such an approach are clarity of
the role, honoring the partner-in-residence for the role they play in student
learning, and essentially doubling the number of faculty-in-residence by fully
embracing partners. But there may be disadvantages
to such an approach as well. If partners are considered equal to faculty-in-residence, then they must be interviewed alongside the faculty
member. This can create a situation where decision-makers desire the faculty
member for the role but are hesitant about the partner. Or what if the partner
gives their full attention and efforts to the role, but the faculty member does
not? Another issue is whether such an approach disadvantages those faculty without
partners. Although families-in-residence present a wonderful contribution to
the community, faculty without partners or children can be just as effective,
and this is something that must be considered in interview processes.
On
the other hand, if the partners of FIR are simply considered add-ons, how does
that honor the sacrifice they make to move their families onto campus? These
partners will certainly have interactions with students apart from the faculty
member, and students may prefer the partner as a mentor over the faculty member
because of gender or other points of connection. At Baylor University, the
philosophy toward partners-in-residence leans more toward add-on than
full-fledged employee. And yet there are many female students who step over me
to seek out mentorship from my wife. I am not at all offended when this occurs;
instead, it makes me proud of the contribution my spouse makes to the college
environment. But the acknowledgment of partners’ roles in fostering student
success may vary by institution.
For
campuses initiating a new FIR program, policies governing day-to-day needs and
activities for families-in-residence are easily overlooked. These policies
matter, however, because of the ways they influence living on campus. The first
consideration for campus leaders is to evaluate policies regarding meal plans
for faculty-in-residence and their
families. Eating together is one of the best ways for faculty and their
families to interact with students, and this activity is encouraged or hindered
by the policies governing meals. Are meals in dining halls provided only for
the faculty-in-residence, or are they also
provided for partners and families? Do meal allotments increase as the size of
the family-in-residence increases? Additional meals come at a cost to
institutions, so the level to which they are provided reflects the
institution’s philosophy of the purpose of families-in-residence.
There are
other logistical policies that can make the sacrifice of living on campus more
feasible and enjoyable. Such categories include family access to campus
internet, permission to use library resources, policies regarding the use of
recreation and wellness centers, and access to particular buildings or spaces.
These accommodations may require families-in-residence to obtain official
university credentials, ID cards, and keys. Parking and the distance of
vehicles to the residence can make a substantial difference in the daily lives
of families-in-residence as well. These logistical policies can serve as
positive benefits to the FIR role or create daily challenges for families
navigating life on a college campus.
Compensation
for faculty-in-residence and their families comes in a variety of forms. Most
FIR programs provide free housing, but some charge rent because of university
and/or state policies. Compensation can also take the form of stipends and
course releases. Many institutions consider FIR job duties as a form of
unofficial overtime and therefore do not provide any release time to faculty.
Other institutions consider the FIR role a form of teaching that justifies
course releases.
Policies also
matter in regard to training families-in-residence. As mental health concerns
increase for college students, families-in-residence are on the front lines of
student care. Institutions need policies that specify the role of
families-in-residence in these situations. One approach is to always ask the
faculty member and their partners to refer issues of crisis or mental health to
a particular staff member, such as a residence hall director. Although this
strategy may be appropriate, it risks making students feel uncared for and
“handed off ” after confiding about a deeply personal matter. Another approach
is to train both faculty-in-residence and their partners in mental health,
threat-to-harm, Title IX, and risk management policies and procedures. The
advantage of this kind of training is that it equips faculty-in-residence and
partners with the best information on when to try to help students directly and
when to delegate to appropriate resources. A possible disadvantage is the
potential of a faculty-in-residence or partner attempting to handle a situation
themselves that should be directed to a professional staff member. Policies
governing families-in-residence can be created reactively or proactively. Reactive
policies refer to the creation of rules and norms only
after encountering unanticipated situations with families-in-residence. Proactive
policies, on the other hand, require an espoused philosophy about
the role of families-in-residence that serves as the foundation for necessary
rules and norms. All constituents involved are better served when institutions
first reflect on the role of families-in-residence and then develop policies
that reflect those ideals.
Families-in-residence
have the potential to make a great impact on programmatic offerings within a living-learning
community. Key programmatic questions to reflect upon include (a) When is it
best not to have families present? (b) When is it best to have families present
but not central to the program? and (c) When is it best to make families the
feature of the programming? Family members may cause awkwardness for some
programs or decrease participation from students. If programs have a serious
theme and invite vulnerability from students, such as topics pertaining to
racial or gender equity, it may be best to not have families present. Students
may be more likely to share and will not have to worry about the age
appropriateness of content if it is decided beforehand that certain events will
be family-free.
Often,
however, families can increase the sense of community and decrease the level of
awkwardness at events through their presence. Families can create a homelike
environment and invite students to relax and enjoy themselves. Some students
may be intimidated by their own peers but have no problem starting a
conversation with someone younger than themselves. If events are more casual
and social in nature, families often enhance the event. When events involve
meals, the presence of families-in-residence can even symbolically enhance the
importance of the event in the eyes of students. Students know that having
family members participate in an event requires more effort and planning on the
part of the faculty-in-residence. Therefore, it shows students that they are worth the
extra work.
In
a few cases, families can contribute by being the focus of an event. One
example is when a family-in-residence invites students into their home for a
meal. The purpose of the event is for the students to spend time with the
family-in-residence, and events like these provide opportunities for deeper
life interactions. Another example comes from my own experience: Students in my
residential college strongly advocated for my wife and me to do a series of
events around relationships, dating, marriage, and parenting. We were not eager
for our family life to be the event itself, but we reluctantly agreed. To our
surprise, students filled our living room each week. We tried to be honest
about our journey, struggles, and failures. After those sessions, students
expressed deep appreciation and wrote us some of the kindest notes we have
received.
Knowing
when to have families present at events is not always obvious. Student affairs
professionals, such as residence hall directors or program directors, are
valuable resources in making this decision. If faculty-in-residence
establish a collaborative working relationship with
student affairs professionals and view them as peers and colleagues,
student affairs professionals can provide great insight into how to best
utilize families for programs.
FIR programs
are significant investments for colleges, and perhaps the greatest area of
financial commitment is the FIR apartment or home. These homes can range from a
modified student suite to combining and renovating several student suites to
planning the FIR home when designing the residential community. They vary in
size from 1,000 square feet to 3,000 square feet. The size and design of these
homes send symbolic messages about the purpose of FIR programs and logistically
enable (or limit) the level of impact faculty-in-residence have within a
community.
Symbolically,
the FIR home communicates who the home is for. If the home has just enough
space (or not enough space) to accommodate the FIR and family, students will
interpret this to mean that the home is not a space for them. Students will
feel like they are intruding and will be reluctant to enter the space often. If
the design of the home reserves most of the space for bedrooms rather than
living areas, students will understand that this home is meant only for small
student gatherings rather than large ones. Where the home is located within the
living-learning community also communicates a symbolic message. If the FIR home
is in a central location that is easily accessible to students, students feel
invited and welcome. If the home is not on the first floor or is tucked away in
a corner, it sends a message that this family is not to be bothered other than
occasionally. These options have logistical ramifications as well. Quantity and
quality of space allows for families-in-residence to invite large groups of
students into their homes and encourages families-in-residence to stay for
multiple years, allowing for a greater engagement with and impact on students.
My home in
Brooks Residential College incorporates many of the features described
previously. Because Brooks Residential College was a new residential community,
faculty, administrators, students, and architects came together in
conversation about how design could positively influence behavior. The result
was a three-bedroom, two-story apartment that is approximately 2,000 square
feet. The second story allows the more personal space, such as bedrooms,
laundry, and full bathrooms, to be separate from the space on the first floor
that is frequented by students. On the first floor, almost all of the space is
devoted to a large living room that connects to an open dining room. The living
room comfortably fits 20 students, and the dining room seats 10. This space is
a key reason why our “Tuesday Teas” have averaged more than 50 students
stepping into our home each week, and we have seen
an even higher number for some movie nights and football watch parties.
Although we try to be friendly and inviting as a family-in-residence, I cannot
overstate how much the design of the facilities contributes to our ability to
reach students. Vanderbilt University, Rice University, and Washington
University in St. Louis are other places I have had the opportunity to visit
where the institution invested heavily in the quality and space of the FIR
apartment because of its importance to the success of the program. Such homes
are not identical to each other, but they share features that help faculty-in-residence
succeed, such as an inviting space for lots of
students and amenities that appeal to families.
Thoughtful
reflection and purposeful planning can transform families-in-residence into key
stakeholders of college student success. Universities best promote student
success when campus leaders view learning as something that occurs through
interactions both in and out of the classroom. An important and universal goal for FIR
programs is to help develop a sense of community for students.
Families-in-residence can be key constituents in forming community because of
the natural link they make to faculty members’ personal lives.
Families-in-residence help to blur the lines
between personal and professional in a healthy, appropriate manner.
Institutions engage families-in-residence in a variety of ways, and these
differences can be conceptualized into the categories of people, policies, programs,
and places. By thinking in these categories, campus leaders can make
intentional decisions regarding the role of families-in-residence in fostering
a sense of community and promoting student success.
In our sixth
year as a family-in-residence, we learned that my wife was pregnant with our
fourth child. My immediate reaction was that this life moment signaled it was
time to transition out of my FIR role. But the more I reflected on it, and the
more I spoke with my family, the more I reconsidered that initial reaction.
Living in residence with college students has been the most meaningful
experience of my career. My family has contributed much to the success of this
community, but I also cannot accurately calculate the profound positive impact
this community and its students have had on my family. I could not imagine
raising three children in this environment, with the many benefits that Lily
and my other children enjoyed, but then depriving our fourth child of it. So,
to my surprise, we decided to stay in the community with our new addition. We
were the first faculty family on our campus to have a baby while in residence.
Welcoming our new baby into this community was marvelous. I have never seen a
baby so loved and adored by people of no relation. Several students told me
that my baby was the first one they ever held.
When
students from my residential college take time to write me notes of
appreciation, it is clear that they are not just thanking me. They never
express appreciation for my work as a faculty-in-residence without also talking about my family. When
students come to my residential college from supportive families, my family
reminds them of home. When students come from less-than-ideal circumstances, my
family can help to fill some of those gaps and show students a different
example of family from what they have known. Families-in-residence will have a
positive impact on students with or without broader institutional help.
Institutions, however, can fully capitalize on the substantial investment made
in FIR programs by better utilizing and supporting the families that often come
with the faculty members.
Rishi Sriram is the faculty steward of Brooks
Residential College and an associate professor of higher education at Baylor
University in Waco, Texas.