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Thursday, May 31, 2007
Former students at other schools
I am wrapping up what has been -- for me, at least -- a wonderful time visiting at another law school. Here's a question I've been mulling over, about former-visiting-law-prof practice, expectations, and etiquette, for those who have taught, as a visitor, at schools other than their own, and for those who have been taught by such profs: In your experience, is the professor / former student relationship different when the professor was, at the time of the relevant course, a visitor? In what way?
I've tried to make it as clear to the students with whom I've had the pleasure of working as a visitor that, so far as I'm concerned, they are, no less than students at my own law school (stuck being) "my students" . . . forever. But, how should I expect the relationship to work, really? For example, do students ask professors-they-had-as-visitors for clerkship and other recommendations, career advice and help, etc.? Any thoughts?
Posted by Rick Garnett on May 31, 2007 at 03:03 PM in Teaching Law | Permalink
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Comments
Rick, in my experience as a visitor (UCLA, Michigan, and elsewhere), my contact with students has been much the same as with students at "my" school, except that (of course) my contact with a student at my own school may be greater because (s)he had the opportunity to take courses with me over all three years. That difference aside, it has proven to be the same: I continue to this day to hear back from some of my UCLA students (1984 visit!) and Michigan (2000). I *was* asked for judicial clerkship and other employment recommendations in a few cases, although not as often as otherwise might have been the case because the letterhead value of a recommendation of a UCLA or Michigan faculty member trumped a letter from me having returned to my earlier (less prestigious institution). I basically found that those students who got close to me at UCLA and Michigan stayed in touch, just as I think they would have had I been a non-visitor.
Posted by: Joshua Dressler | Jun 1, 2007 8:27:56 AM
I took a lot of courses with visiting professors, who were generally excellent. But while I developed something of a relationship with several of them, it was hard to spend the same sustained amount of time with them as I did with those who became my recommenders. Then again, one of my recommenders started as a visiting prof. before deciding to stay, so I don't know which way that cuts.
Posted by: William Baude | May 31, 2007 9:08:21 PM
I too feel that my students from Brooklyn are no less my students than those at Hastings. I spent an intimate 5 units getting to know my Brooklyn students -- and came to know many of them better than students I've only had for 2 or 3 unit courses at Hastings. I have helped get a handful of them jobs and remain in touch with a group of them. I had a wonderful semester there -- in no small part because of my Contracts students; I wouldn't hesistate to help them in any way I could.
Posted by: Ethan Leib | May 31, 2007 3:49:21 PM
I suppose it depends on the degree of familiarity the student has with the faculty. Even at my own institution, I have asked prof who have not been my instructors for advice, guidance on work and links to others in their field. But in these cases, I know the prof well through other means or they know of my from their peers or my involvement in campus affairs.
In the end, it is a judgement call for both parties. Does the student feel comfortable discussing things with the visiting prof he once had? Does the visiting faculty member have anough time to dedicate to these "external" students?
Posted by: Eric L | May 31, 2007 3:19:28 PM
My experience is YES. I have written several recommendation letters for Wake Forest students since my visit there, and did several for Tulane students over the course of the last year.
Posted by: Jeff Lipshaw | May 31, 2007 3:19:28 PM
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