FDS Newsletter

Dear Faculty Relations: My colleagues keep talking about academic freedom, and many of them seem worried. I think I know what academic freedom is, but could you give me a primer? –Making Sure I Know My Rights

Dear Faculty Relations: Students sometimes express a lot of emotion. My office hours are starting to feel like an extended therapy session and to be frank, I’m exhausted. Am I doing this right? —Not a Licensed Social Worker

Dear Faculty Relations: I have a colleague who has a skewed sense of personal space. They often walk into my office without knocking and launch into long monologues about whatever is on their mind. Don’t get me wrong, I like them fine. I just want them to respect my boundaries. —Pestered Prof

Dear Faculty Relations: I have a student requesting accommodations, but I don’t see any obvious need for them. What’s my role in this, and how should I assist this student? —Unsure Educator

Dear Faculty Relations: I'm a junior faculty member, and let's just say that my winter break wasn't terribly productive. Now I'm sitting in my office and wondering how on earth I'm going to organize the semester ahead. Any sage words for a distressed colleague? —Praying for Tenure

Dear Faculty Relations: The pandemic may be “over,” but I find that a lot of my work as a faculty member is either alone or on Zoom. Don’t get me wrong, I like to work in the library. But I don’t always feel like I have a real professional community at CU Boulder. What can I do to connect with my colleagues? —Lonely in the Library

Dear Faculty Relations: I love to teach, and I know this is my primary responsibility as a teaching professor, but should I try to keep investing in my research agenda? —Research Active Teaching Prof

Dear Faculty Relations: I have this idea and think it could become a business. Can the university help me? —Dreaming Big

Dear Faculty Relations: I teach a class with controversial material. I’m nervous about handling subject matter that might blow up in my face, but I don’t want to skip these topics either. Help! —Worried About Controversy

Dear Faculty Relations: From cancel culture to campus protests to the upcoming election, it feels like we are in a crucible for free speech rights. What constitutes free speech on campus and how can I make sure to respect those rights while taking care of myself and my students? —I Respect Free Speech