School of Communication Professor John Doolittle moved into an apartment on the second floor of Hughes Hall three weeks ago in an effort to better understand all aspects of college life.
Students welcomed AU's newest faculty-in-residence at an informal reception in the McDowell Formal Lounge Monday night.
"As a facility member ... I've lost touch with what my students are thinking about and caring about," he said.
Doolittle said he wanted to meet students on a common ground, and that facility members are often disconnected to their students because they are only on campus a few times a week.
"They don't understand what students do in their own sphere," he said.
At the reception, students chatted with Doolittle about campus life. A film of his students' broadcast journalism projects played in the background. Doolittle has been teaching in the SOC since 1980.
Doolittle decided to move into the dorm after having dinner with his colleague at the Center for Teaching Excellence and Anderson Hall resident John Richardson. Richardson has been living in Anderson for four years.
"I'm not only Anderson Hall's oldest resident," joked Richardson, "I've lived there longer than anyone else."
Richardson said he always tells colleagues about his experience.
"It's the most rewarding thing I've done in 42 years of teaching," he said.
Others identified Doolittle as a good candidate to live in the dorms, but "John made up is own mind," Richardson said.
Although he is still trying to learn about the lives of college students, Doolittle's transition to dorm life has been successful.
"I've learned so much so quickly of what AU is about," he said. Doolittle said the students on his floor "treat me as a new neighbor." He hasn't had any trouble sleeping in his new apartment and even slept through the first fire alarm.
Doolittle's wife lives a few minutes away in Georgetown, where he visits her often. He does not know how long he will stay in the dorm. "We'll see how the semester goes," he said.
Doolittle said he was impressed by the sense of community on his floor. He explained that his position is simply a resident, not an enforcer. "I'm here to be proactive," he said, "to be a resource."
Doolittle is a well-behaved member of the floor, according to Mark Seaman, Doolittle's resident assistant. "We're really grateful to have him on our floor," Seaman said. Although having a professor living on the floor was intimidating at first, the residents enjoy having him around and often talk to him in the hall, according to Seaman. "I'm really impressed with his commitment to do this ... It's a real sacrifice," he said. "It would be fantastic if there were a professor in every dorm."
Doolittle said he plans to involve students in more activities once he gets settled in. He is working on a Podcast radio show with one student.
Several students suggested he have dinner with them like Richardson does on Sundays. Doolittle confessed that he can't cook, but invited students to come over for burned popcorn.
Elissa Robinson, a sophomore in the School of International Service said she is excited to have a professor living in the dorm. "I think it's cool that he's willing to expose himself, see what we're doing at 3 a.m. and why we never get our homework done," she said.
Richardson advised Doolittle to maintain a low profile until he learned to recognize the different norms and customs of dorm life.
"I told John not to feel he needs to make a big splash," Richardson said.
