Home- College of Education Faculty Oral Histories
- Dr. Connie Hines and Dr. Jeff Kromrey
College of Education Faculty Oral Histories
Dr. Connie Hines and Dr. Jeff Kromrey
LB: What sentiments could you leave with former students or future students in the College of Education in regard to the College or to the department? What might those be? What they can, should expect or should aspire to as a student becoming a teacher in the College of Education?
CH: For the student studying to become a teacher, I would say that there is a strong commitment in the College to schools and to the work we do in schools. I would say learn as much as you can, try to work with faculty and get as much as you can from them. I think one of the ways to really benefit from a university experience is to be around faculty, you know, be there as much as you can, not just come in for class and then leave. Students should spend time as much time as you can on campus working and interacting with faculty and other students. I think there are a lot of opportunities now for presenting one’s research at conferences. That is even taking place at the undergraduate level. I think the University has moved to that phase and so there’s a great opportunity for students to engage in research. For students engaged in doctoral study, I would say that it is so important to really devote time to one’s study and to learn as much as you can during your program of studies. I think faculty is really nurturing and that’s one of the ways in which I really see our College standing out among colleges of education around the country. We have a committed faculty. I guess that’s it.
LB: When you talk to colleagues around the country, at conferences and so forth, do you see real differences between what the College of Education is, compared to the way they conduct business and so forth?
CH: I can see a difference in the state of Florida. I remember Bruce Hall and I saw that in an indirect way when we were conducting a statewide evaluation of alternate teacher education programs. As part of the evaluation, we visited colleges of education in the state and one of the things that stood out for me is where on the campus the colleges were located. Our College of Education had a presence in the University, we weren’t tucked away some place, people knew of us. When you walked the hallways, you would see faculty, you would see students. There were some colleges we visited, I remember where it seemed like nobody was around, or the college did not seem to have much of a physical presence on the campus, so I think I saw the difference in our College compared to others is I just think we are more alive, you know.
LB: Within the University?
CH: Yes, within the University and I think other places, I think there’s more energy and we enjoy what we do.
JK: I think I’ve seen, if I speak about doctoral education now specifically. I think we tend to have more collaboration and the kind of environment that sustains and encourages that. When I go to these national conferences and I present one of my doctoral students or something, the one thing I hear consistently is that in our program up here in this state or over in another state, this would not happen because we are teaching people to work by themselves and build your reputation; collaboration is frowned upon. It’s very, very different here in our College. I think it’s healthy to have a lot of different perspectives.
LB: Now I guess a series of questions that I thought about, but I didn’t get around to is that you were hoping I would ask. Think you might want to comment?
CH: I think you’ve covered, quite a bit but I guess if you were to ask me what my hope is for the College, I would say that we would not lose some of what it is that we’ve had—in terms of the collaboration, our vision, in terms of our work with schools and our caring. There is a culture of caring in the College that started a way back when and I think that is one of the things that we are really known for in the College, our caring for other faculty, our staff, and our students. For the future, I would really want to see us continue with our collaboration and caring because that’s what made us different, and that to my mind is really what makes us a place where other people really wanted to be. On a personal note, in the past, I had been offered two opportunities to go other places including for more money but I never seriously considered them because I felt I couldn’t leave my friends, I couldn’t leave this place, that happens, when you are working in place that you really love to be. I would hope that this would continue, as we move forward.
LB: I think we see I don’t have statistics on this, but the continuity of faculty in terms of faculty coming and staying here, I think is quite high.
CH: Yes.
LB: Although, many have had opportunities to go elsewhere.
CH: Yes. JK: I would’ve thought you would ask about challenges that we face and maybe shouldn’t talk about them.
LB: I should have, I didn’t.
JK: Without mentioning names, there have been people over the years in terms of faculty and students who’ve been very, very challenging and they put a lot of stress and strain on departments. There have also been financial challenges when you were not sure how you were going to pay faculty during the summer, you have faculty with kids trying to feed their families. I guess that a sense that a department can get through all that stuff in this College if they stick together and not do anything rash, but just think things through. So that side of things I was expecting to hear about.
LB: I’m wondering the role of the College of Education has within the University seems to be different here than my previous experience at two other universities. Maybe because of our size or productivity, yet funding never seems to be what it needs to be, but the outcomes are produced. Those are the kinds of challenges I think you are alluding to.