Faculty frenzy

Each semester every student in the Vermont College MFA in writing for children program gets a new adviser. The days leading up to the due date for the faculty preference form turn into a feeding frenzy. Faculty members get ambushed and waylaid by students trying to make their choices.

Sometimes students are polite enough to ask a faculty person who's just sat down to dinner if they can ask them about XYZ. Sometimes students ignore a gentle rebuff.

Student X, as he climbs over a chair with his tray in hand after he's
already settled elsewhere: "Can I talk to you about what I'm working on?"

Faculty member Y: "Sure, if you don't mind boring everyone else."

Student X doesn't mind.

One day during the residency (today in the case of this summer) there are scheduled faculty interview periods when faculty answer the same basic questions over and over:

• How do you work?
• What do you expect in the packets (of homework/5 per semester)?
• Do you use email? (not all faculty do)
• Are you interested in ______?

I'm skipping these periods today because as a 4th-semester student, I only have to put down 2 choices on my faculty preference form, and I've already decided who they are. My criteria are pretty simple:

• Do I like and respect the faculty member's work?
• Does the faculty member show interest in/enthusiasm for my work?

We'll find out the results in a couple of days.