I recently went to visit my best friend, Emily, at her college in Maryland. I wasn’t sure about making the trip but when she told me she was throwing an obnoxiously large party with an appearance from Jell-O shots, I knew I had to be there.
So I’m at this party, talking to her friends from the school and everything and all of a sudden I look over and there’s a much noticeably older person there. This guy is standing there with a receding hairline, leather jacket from the ’70’s and a not-so-stylish pair of Wal-Mart jeans on.
My first thought is that someone’s dad is there for a surprise visit or something but then Em tells me that it’s one of her professors.
That’s correct, one of my friend’s professors was partying with his students.
This guy was going all out too. He was going shot for shot with this kid who reeked of Milaukee’s Best.
I didn’t really know how to react. What would you do if you walked into a party and saw your professor doing keg stands?! I would probably leave. Emily and everyone else at the party was totally cool with their professor being there. Apparently, it happens all the time and this professor frequents lots of his students’ parties. I smell someone getting fired.
Surprisingly, I was correct. A couple of days ago my friend told me the administration had a meeting with this professor and let him go from the school. Apparently, photos of him had surfaced on Facebook at parties drinking it up with students.
Now, this behavior is creepy but hardly grounds for a firing! Sure, it’s weird that he has no friends his age but is it that big of a deal he was drinking with his students. He is of age and it’s not like he was hooking up with anyone at the party or anything.
Students at my friends school are currently doing their best to get this professor his job back. They don’t think anything wrong was done.
I agree with them. This professor was just having fun with his students. Obviously, he is more friendly with his students than other professors.
Sure, he should try to maintain a level of professionalism. After all, he is responsible for setting an example for his students but what’s a better example for college students than partying! I kid, I kid, sort of.
While these kind of actions may get the students on your side, professors have to be aware that administrators are keeping their eyes on them. The slightest mess up could result in them being terminated from the school.
So remember professors, if you ever have the option of going to a nice quiet book club meeting or a raging kegger, make the right choice.
