Commuting to Teach

I too commute 140 miles to teach. In my case, I was asked to teach as an adjunct and found the position came with a tuition waiver so that I could pursue my Ph.D. So now I commute, teach, take classes and write. Unlike Douglas, I stay at the University, so I only make the drive once a week. Nevertheless, it makes life interesting. There is always time for a good audio book (did I mention I review them), either novels or non-fiction, and a short phone conversation. It’s hell on the social life, but anything is possible for a few years. Do I love the commute? Probably not, but this is the perfect opportunity for me and it beats the contractual work I was doing for the past 16 years where I drove at least 200-300 miles per day to return home each night.

Ask me again in a few years and I’ll let you know if I’m still in love with the drive.

Miriam Kahn, Kent State university, at 7:20 am EDT on July 9, 2007

I love commuting, too

Although my longest commute ever has been 45 minutes door-to-door, I, too, enjoy the drive. I understand the bit about having time to think, listen to good books, or meditate/ pray while driving. I recently purchased some language CDs to help begin learning a new language on the road, too! True, it’s not so much fun when I actually hit the city, because the traffic gets bad for the last 15 minutes or so of the trip, but the middle part—about 30 minutes worth—is quite relaxing. I believe I could easily make a longer commute—of course, I would want to find a more efficient vehicle than the one I drive now that I have no commute, but that would be good, too!

E.S., Ed.D. aspirant at university of Kansas, at 7:50 am EDT on July 9, 2007

Increasing problem

I too was a bit surprised that the author did not discuss the potential environmental impacts of this behavior. However, as increasing specialization becomes more the norm than the exception, and hopefully people will still attempt to live in family units, long commutes via car will likely increase. We need to do something fast about this reality.

Laura, at 9:50 am EDT on July 9, 2007

I love my 45 to 60 minute commute everyday: by bicycle! It’s a beautiful ride and it’s a challenge to beat the rain and wind on the bad days. Luckily, I can shower at work if I have to. But the chance to slowly wake up in the morning and to release stress at night really can’t be beaten!

Maartje, MSc, at 9:50 am EDT on July 9, 2007

I am happy to hear some support and sympathy for the “commuting professor”. I, too, am a weekly commuter (planes + automobiles) and what bothers me most is the reaction (well, whispers, really) I get from my unapproving colleagues. After over twenty years of service one would think one’s colleagues would be supportive. I put in equal or more hours than many faculty who reside in the same city and am very conscious of not neglecting my duties. Like to author, I communicate with my students and faculty via e-mail (or telephone, when needed) and do work at home and in my other office where I work as an adjunct. Irony is that in my adjunct position I also work as much and more than many tenured professors. I love to hear more comments and reactions from all colleagues.

A.S., at 12:05 pm EDT on July 9, 2007

And this is a good thing?

So, we are supposed to applaud a man who is damaging the environment, damaging his body (see the countless studies on the effects of extreme commuting on one’s health), spending who knows what on gas every week, and driving distracted at least part of the way because this is the only time he can find to eat breakfast, shave, brush his teeth, and get dressed? For a brief 6-week period of my life, I had a one hour commute each way because I thought it was the only way I could have my “dream job". The gas bills, the fatigue, and forfeiting two hours a day to be a prisoner in my vehicle were not worth it. And guess what? A better job did come along and it is 20 minutes away from my home.

Amy, student, at 2:50 pm EDT on July 9, 2007

I Also Enjoyed My Commute

First of all, how sad it is for so called liberal thinkers to be casting such negative judgements about what works for an individual and his family.

Second, I commuted 120 miles round trip four to five days a week for for four years. That commute allowed me to get both my bachelors and masters degrees as I was a non-traditional student with a spouse in an established career. Like the author, the commute gave me time for books on tape. It also made me a much better student. Only during my commute was I completely free from the responsibilities of adult life (paying bills, disagreements with my wife, caring for aging parents). Especially during my masters program, where the premium was on in class discussion, I was able to use my time in the car commuting to campus to reflect on what I wished to contribute to the day’s discussion and the time commuting home to reflect on other’s comments and contributions.

Thanks for a good read that I can identify with.

TA, at 4:30 pm EDT on July 9, 2007

commuting in a car

Some people find the opinion that carbon emissions are bad a religious belief, as there is not a scientific proof to it. Concerning Gore’s “Inconvenient Truth,” it is worth reading the original article in Science (magazine) about the temperature and CO2 in the atmosphere. Warming happened first and CO2 concentration increased about 800 years later. This happened regularly. Please read the scientific article and do not rely on propaganda movies. Otherwise, you are treating the subject as if it were a part of a religion.

People should not impose their religious beliefs on others or belittle them if they do not participate in the religious rites of the “almost established” religion.

RCH, at 6:15 pm EDT on July 9, 2007

RCH: you will have cite which Science article you are referring. The idea that C02 in large quantities in the atmosphere is decades out of date. The one I cited is by James Hansen, and here is an online copy. Its date is 2007: ie state of the art. http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2007/2007_Hansen_etal_2.pdf The op-ed piece about it is here, if you can’t understand the science. http://www.monbiot.com/archives/2007/07/03/a-sudden-change-of-state/I still have fun riding my bike and walking with my family, but we have worked out our lives so that we don’t have to sit in a car or plane more than absolutely necessary. Carbon rationing — almost inevitabel within 10-15 years — is something we would welcome. The fact that others have to or choose to drive/fly a lot, in academic and other professions, is sad, especially if one has a choice.

SP, at 6:20 am EDT on July 10, 2007

Commutes, and yes, the environment.

I was glad to see that others have already addressed the environmental impact of long commutes. Wouldn’t it be better for our good professor to live closer to his university and drive occasionally into Pittsburgh for the cultural events he so loves? On a more personal note, my current commute is about 35-45 minutes each way, depending upon traffic, and I am SALIVATING at the knowledge that I will be moving into a new house two miles from campus in three weeks. Regardless of how one spends the time in the car, if one can’t be more productive at home or in the office...well, that’s more a commentary upon time management skills than upon the joys of commuting.

Scott, Ast. Prof., at 8:25 pm EDT on July 10, 2007

The environmental impact argument is tenuous, at best. What about the carbon impact of the countless professors who drive to campus and do — well, nothing they couldn’t just as easily have done at home? I’m a recently-tenured commuter (160 mi). I teach online, serve on committees, and have strong relationships with my colleagues and students that include serendipitous and unplanned interactions — very often, online. I’ll spend much less time driving as soon as my institution — and most of my colleagues — acknowledge a clearly-evolving model of education. I can add to the author’s list the inconsiderate — yet, oft-uttered — “you still work here?” hall-maulings by colleagues who apparently still believe that professors only work when “at” work. My academic area is highly-specialized and the university for which I work is one of the few that supports it. But, like the author, my university is situated in a town that is the wrong fit for my family...so when my colleagues need to see my RL self — I drive.

Another Road Scholar, at 9:00 am EDT on July 11, 2007