Even the simple fact of getting elected to the faculty senate brings with it complications; I automatically then serve on a faculty senate council and then on one of the council’s sub-committees as part of the senate.

 

My service on my school and college tenure and promotion committees adds unpredictable hours to the work day throughout the semester. This is a 50-to-60-hour-a-week job.

 

During the typical week, I receive numerous telephone calls from employers who want to hire interns or full-time graduates, prospective students wishing to ask questions about either our undergraduate or master’s degree programs in construction management, or local school groups arranging for a campus tour. Current students call about an array of events: from completing our dual degree in construction management with Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology to questions about an upcoming class.

 

While the construction management program is relatively new, it has 250 majors and only five faculty. The fast growth of the program is not unexpected, as there is a national shortage of construction managers and the construction industry drives our economy as every one dollar spent on new construction creates three dollars economically. Our students will find a 99 percent placement rate, with high starting salaries. These students stop by to ask questions about the career fairs we organize, to complete paperwork for their required internships, to inform themselves about our national competition teams, and to find out about our club service projects.

 

But mostly, they ask about class scheduling. For two weeks a semester, I have a “take-a-number” device attached to my door. Not only does each construction management faculty advise more than 50 students, but I am also the first stop for all majors requesting course approval for prerequisites, for students with questions about transfer credit, etc.

 

The meetings, oh the meetings, we have. These range on a weekly basis from faculty meetings, to tenure committee meetings, to new university scheduling software meetings, general university meetings, to special ad hoc meetings, etc. I don’t think I need to go on.

 

Our reward as faculty is seeing our students graduate into the working world. We know that most will become vice-presidents and presidents of construction companies. In three or four years, most of our graduates will make more money a year than our faculty earn.