Flyers for research being conducted at UB can be found almost everywhere. They scatter the hallways, are posted in every bathroom stall, and litter e-mail inboxes. Some professors make participating in research studies a requirement for their courses, while others expect students to conduct their own research in the classroom.
Research, however, may be more important to some professors than teaching their students.
As a university known for its published scholars and accredited findings, research conducted at UB often serves as an advantage to the student body, but it also tends to create a time constraint, taking professors away from their responsibilities in the classroom.
In 1993, former University President William Greiner openly declared the Faculty Responsibility Policy, in which he stated:
"Faculty are expected to be publishing scholars or to be otherwise actively engaged in creative activity, to make significant attempts to obtain external support for their work in fields where this is possible, to contribute effectively to the instructional programs of the University, and to participate actively in University, professional, and where appropriate, community service."
With this policy, Greiner instilled the importance of research within the university by making active research a necessity for all faculty members to uphold. Faculty members are required annually to submit a report describing in detail their professional activities and accomplishments for review by the chair and the dean, according to the policy.
Many students can recall at least one class where they have blamed the difficulties of learning the subject matter on the professor's lack of creativity or enthusiasm.
"I only had one class where I felt all the professor cared about was research," said Alynn Beyder, a senior international business and marketing major. "I didn't really feel like he wanted to teach."
With faculty research being conducted at such a high rate, some students believe this lack of instruction comes as a result of professors' poor prioritizing and spending more energy on meeting research requirements, and less time on teaching.
"I had a teacher [who] mainly did research," said Brandon Phillips, a junior mechanical engineering major. "Many students [in the class] felt that he made tests harder because he was research-oriented."
Faculty research and publications have gained national attention for the university. While professors dedicate many hours of hard work into research studies, there is a question of whether students get to benefit from these research findings and requirements as well.
Lance Rintamaki, adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Communication, believes that the knowledge that professors gain during the research process is a major benefit to students.
"[By] attending an R-1 school, you are learning from professors at the cutting edge of their research," Rintamaki said. "The intention is that they will bring that knowledge into the classroom."
Individual schools and colleges within the university monitor and track their professors' activities in research and publication. The chairs within individual departments are responsible for making sure that faculty research does not impede the professors' ability to effectively instruct their classes.
"[Research is] definitely viewed as a way for [professors] to increase their knowledge within their fields, and then we expect that they will bring this knowledge and expertise into their classes," said Nancy Smyth, professor and dean of the School of Social Work.
Within the School of Social Work, professors are able to buy out of teaching a class if they have a lot of research projects, according to Smyth. In this case, professors will use their research grant money to hire a replacement instructor, which is a way for professors to limit situations in which research could take away from their teaching responsibilities, according to Smyth.
"Research is a time-soak and requires meetings and teamwork," said Thomas Feeley, associate professor and chair of the Department of Communication. "These [research meetings] take a lot of time and are often conducted outside of Buffalo."
However, Feeley states that there is no question that his research benefits his teaching ability.
"I am far more acquainted with the research process and how theories of human communication are tested empirically," Feeley said. "Doing science firsthand provides better training and teaching to students than simply learning how others do it. The research requirements [for faculty members] are a huge advantage. [Students] learn from experts, not simply delivery persons who read what the experts write."
The opportunity to participate in research being conducted by professors and fellow students is a large perk of attending a research-based university.
Although students, including Beyder, can recall negative experiences with professors who focus a majority of their time on their research, the faculty-conducted research can provide opportunities to undergraduate and graduate students.
"It is cool to be at a school with [research] opportunities; it provides research assistant positions to students," Beyder said. "I don't know of a lot of schools that allow undergraduates to participate in research."
Research also provides many instructors with useful material that they are then able to use within the classroom. According to Jennifer Wilson, a third year linguistics doctorate student and an instructor of LIN205, the research that she has conducted "is very beneficial" to the course she teaches and has provided her with "examples for teaching."
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