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Introduction Every day, Yale College students interact with their instructors, which include professors, lecturers, and teaching fellows. However, these interactions are typically limited to the classroom and office hours, and relationships tend not to continue past the end of the semester. By creating another way in which students can interact with faculty, students will have the ability to develop stronger relationships, which are valuable for both students and faculty. A Meals with Faculty program would allow students to interact more easily with professors, lecturers, and teaching fellows outside of typical learning spaces. This project aims to institute a robust Meals with Faculty program within Yale College. Background Currently, Yale College does not offer a college-wide Meals with Faculty program for students. Although professors in some classes invite students to meals, whether in the dining hall or off-campus, these are only a handful. There are also several residential colleges that have similar Meals with Faculty programs, such as Davenport College, Branford College, and Grace Hopper College. These college-specific programs are typically run by the residential college councils. In addition to this, students already have the opportunity to schedule meals with tenured professors, who are able to have lunches in the dining halls free of charge. However, many students are unaware of this opportunity or feel uncomfortable asking professors to a meal. A Meals with Faculty program would break down this “barrier” to interacting more with faculty. Peer Institutions Most of Yale’s peer institutions have Meals with Faculty programs in place. Each peer institution has designed a unique program to encourage relationships between students and faculty.
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