What I value most about being a House Professor on West Campus is being part of a residential community where intellectual life, personal growth, and a genuine sense of belonging come together every day. Some of the most meaningful moments happen outside the classroom: in conversations over dinner, discussions of current events and big ideas, interactions with visiting speakers and their faculty hosts, and the chance to connect with students from every corner of Cornell. I also appreciate the opportunity to work with talented graduate students and dedicated House Fellows to create programs and experiences that extend learning beyond the classroom. Whether we are exploring places on and off campus, hosting discussions, or simply creating opportunities for students to gather and engage with one another, I am continually inspired by the curiosity, creativity, and energy of the West Campus community. Being a House Professor has allowed me to build relationships with students that are deeper and more enduring than would otherwise be possible, and that has made my experience at Cornell uniquely meaningful.
- Lori Leonard, professor, global development, and house professor dean, Carl Becker House, 2023-2028
Living as a House Dean on West Campus has been one of the most rewarding and enriching experiences of my several decades at Cornell. What makes the role so special is the opportunity to put the concept of “learning where you live” into practice every day. Learning happens all around – in informal conversations with residents and visiting speakers over snacks in the House Professor Dean’s apartment, hearing students practice in the music rooms, attending recreational activities, and watching our Graduate and Undergraduate Residence Fellows craft educational and recreational programs for our residents to enjoy. Perhaps most rewarding of all is being part of an intentional and caring community. Living among students who are eager to learn, connect, and make the most of their college experience, and engaging with our experiencing and caring staff that supports our residents, provides a grounding in the academic and everyday world that is difficult to replicate elsewhere. As a House Dean, you are not simply supporting a residential community – you are learning from it, helping to shape it, as well as enjoying the fruits of your labor through watching student growth and maturation.
- Sharon Sassler, professor, public policy, sociology, and house professor dean, Flora Rose House, 2024-2029
My time as House Professor-Dean (2015-2021) has been one of the most impactful experiences of my faculty career to date. It gave me a much more comprehensive understanding of the university as a whole – both by building deep connections and friendships with faculty and students from across the full breadth of the university (a relatively rare occurrence at the institution) and by seeing more holistically the substantial elements of undergraduate experience and university life that fall beyond our classrooms and majors (including rich partnerships and collaborations with Student and Campus Life). It’s changed the way I think about students in the classroom (and the burdens and challenges they face), and also my sense of how the university as an institution operates – including the crucial function of community and belonging in supporting a meaningful and engaged academic life: a point true and necessary for students and faculty alike, but which not everyone manages to achieve. It was also a rich and fulfilling experience for our family as a whole, including kids ages 12-18 and 9-15. While the role represents a significant investment in time, care and imagination, it was for us a rare and valuable opportunity to experience the true richness and diversity of the university, while helping to foster a kind and level of community that is not always present at Cornell (and no doubt other similar institutions).
- Steve Jackson, professor, information science and science and technology studies, vice provost for academic innovation, and house professor dean, William Keeton House, 2015-2021
Being a House Professor expands your sense of Cornell as an institution, and the role you as a faculty member can play in creating an intellectually rigorous yet caring environment where students can thrive. You experience and learn the rhythms, the challenges, and the joys of university life from so many people so very different from you: a remarkably diverse group of student residents, a student staff team who include 6 doctoral students from across the university, and the permanent staff who keep your House running and include teams from dining, facilities, building care, and Student & Campus Life. There is the tight community of 10 House Professors and Assistant Deans who run West Campus collaboratively, and the group of two dozen or so Faculty and Community Fellows associated with each House. The experience of being part of this community shapes how you learn, teach and engage – in many wonderful ways – too many for one testimonial to capture!
- Neema Kudva, professor, City and Regional Planning, and house professor-dean, Carl Becker House, 2017-2023