UT is holding Faculty Appreciation Week from Monday, Feb. 11 to Friday, Feb. 15. This week of events and discounts is meant to honor the contributions of the members of UT faculty and staff who keep our campus running and educate us every day. Here is a rundown of some things that faculty and staff can expect during faculty appreciation week, as well as some things students can do to show faculty and staff appreciation.
Faculty and staff discounts
UT faculty and staff will have access to a number of discounts around campus throughout the week when they show their faculty or staff ID. All week, UT faculty and staff will be offered discounted rates on tickets to see the Clarence Brown Theater’s production of “King Charles III,” a 10 percent discount at the McClung Museum store as well as a $10 discount on McClung Museum membership and a free small coffee or fountain drink at campus dining retail locations.
Additionally, UT faculty and staff can receive free and discounted tickets on Thursday, Feb. 14 for the UT women’s basketball game; free and discounted tickets to the UT men’s basketball game on Wednesday, Feb. 13 and a 30 percent discount on gift and apparel items at the VolShop also on Wednesday, Feb. 13.
Faculty and staff special events
In addition to these discounts, the university has also planned a number of events to show faculty and staff appreciation throughout the coming week. On Tuesday, Feb. 12, the McClung Museum will be hosting Coffee with the Curator from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., which offers free coffee and pastries as well as fun brain activities to start your day.
On Wednesday, Feb. 13, Faculty Pub will be held at the Lauricella Center of Neyland Stadium for tenure-track, nontenure-track and retired faculty. This event will be held from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and will feature free appetizers and a cash-only bar.
Lastly, there will be a teaching and learning innovation luncheon held on Thursday, Feb. 14 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Student Union Ballroom A.
How students can show appreciation
Planned events aside, students can also show the faculty and staff who work to provide them with a learning environment appreciation in different ways, so here are a few suggestions.
Tell your favorite professors how they’ve made an impact on your life. Educators are seldom in the field for the money, so whether you do so in person, by a handwritten note, by email, or by whatever other method, consider brightening your professor’s days by telling them how much they mean to you.
Make an extra effort to be present and attentive in your classes. We’ve all been there: Maybe you’re too sick, tired or stressed out, and you skip a period, or you sit in the back and hope you aren’t called on. Throughout Faculty Appreciation Week, however, your professors will likely appreciate if you put in a little extra effort to make them feel listened to.
Send thanks to administration. Whether or not they’re acting as professors anymore, UT administration is a vital part of the school’s body of faculty who sometimes don’t get to interact with students. Consider sending thanks to your major’s department heads to show them that the work they do is valuable, too.
Thank your advisors, too. Maybe schedule an appointment to let them know you appreciate how they’ve assisted you throughout your college career, or maybe just leave them a nice note or shoot them a complimentary email. Either way, academic advisors are a vital part of the university who work hard to ensure student success.
Don’t forget about university staff, either. Although faculty are vitally important, so are the office workers, cleaning staff, maintenance, food, retail and every other member of UT staff. Campus workers put in effort every day to ensure students have a clean, functional school with access to food, so be sure to remember them this coming week as well. Say “thank you” to your dining hall and P.O.D. workers, let the janitors know you appreciate their hard work and clean up after yourself and just appreciate the work these staff members put in, too.
