BREAKING THE BARRIERS: FACULTY-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM BRINGS STUDENTS AND FACULTY TOGETHER

Not only do they share their knowledge in the classroom, but these faculty share their day-to-day life and experiences by living alongside students in residential facilities as part of the Faculty-in-Residence (FIR) program. By interacting informally on a daily basis, the program brings students and faculty together providing students with a connection to role models, educators and a contact to the UH academic community outside of the classroom. The FIR program, starting its second year at the University of Houston in Fall 2011, adds a new dimension to the residential experience.

For the 2010-11 academic year, three professors from different fields of study took part in the FIR program: Dr. Raul Ramos, associate professor in the history department; Carroll Parrott Blue, research professor for the Center for Public History and Texas Learning and Computation Center; and Dr. Cathy Horn, associate professor in the education psychology department. The professors made a UH residential facility their primary home, living with their families and interacting daily with their student neighbors.

�It takes a village to graduate the quality of University of Houston students who become our committed alumni and productive citizens, and who then send their children to UH, thus starting the cycle again. I find it rewarding to be a member of the UH Faculty-in-Residence program that helps UH to develop this quality of a village,� said Carroll Parrott Blue, Moody South resident.

During the year, Blue, Horn and Ramos were responsible for providing educational activities and programs to the residential facilities to contribute to the learning community. As one of their programs, the FIRs brought deans from different colleges in to share a meal with students and answer questions during their Dean�s Dinner Series. FIR�s also cultivate interactions with undergraduates to encourage students to grow, develop and refine their values. By living within the residential facilities, they remain available to their neighbors as role models, resources and act as advocates for the students.

�It�s been a wonderful and enlightening year for me and my family,� said Ramos, FIR Cougar Village resident. �We�ve adjusted to the residence hall and campus life and grown to be friends with the fascinating students living around us. The campus has much to offer beyond the typical class hours. We�ve been fortunate to be present at and participate in the growth of UH at a turning point in its history.�

Residential Life and Housing plans to add one more faculty member to the FIR program to live in the Quadrangle for the 2011-12 academic year. To qualify, the faculty member must be full-time at the assistant professorial rank or above with at least two years of experience at UH. For more information on the program, click here.