Is it really common for professors to invite students to their houses.

[Anonymous]

YLS grad, about 20 years ago. It was a big thing there.

[Anonymous]

I have a PhD in a STEM subject, and the whole group regularly had lab dinners at the PI’s house. Generally when someone joined or left the lab. Though once we had a dinner because he got a telescope and wanted us to see it!

I also have an MD, and if we are in town on a holiday then I have the residents/fellows on call (& their families) over for brunch or dinner. We are in a speciality where you can handle many things over the phone when on call, so when they get a call on Christmas morning I can just jump in & talk directly to the nurse or doctor calling - cuts down on the stress of calls for the trainees to have an attending right there. I also consider it a public service because most comment on what a small “cute” house we have. At which point I’m like “consider this when you are deciding whether to go into academia or private practice!”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:YLS grad, about 20 years ago. It was a big thing there.

You mean with Amy and Jed?

[Anonymous]

It's quite common. Like other posters, I was invited by some of my graduate school profs.

I think for this to become suspension-worthy, there has to be something more than just inviting a group of students to your home.

Amy Chua is notorious.
Don't forget that Chua was forced on Yale Law School because of her husband's influence; was the one who counseled young women to dress conservatively to clerk for BK, telling them he was interested in a certain "look"; and has her own uniquely brash style of writing far removed from the usual cultivated decorum of legal scholars. Yale Law School launched a shot across the bow to calm her down.

[Anonymous]

In another country, Humanities field, my research advisor attended my wedding, is still in contact with me 30 years later and after his retirement. I had dinner with him and his wife a number of times when in grad school. In some sense, he remains the purest relationship in my life and continues to guide me in how to live a principled and examined life.

And 30 years later, we still discuss racism, Donald Trump, death, the immigrant experience, Netflix movies, new authors, authoritarian regimes. His mind is still sharp and his take on every thing is still brilliant.

[Anonymous]

This whole thread smacks of anti-Asian racism.

[Anonymous]

At small liberal arts colleges, yes, it's pretty common.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In another country, Humanities field, my research advisor attended my wedding, is still in contact with me 30 years later and after his retirement. I had dinner with him and his wife a number of times when in grad school. In some sense, he remains the purest relationship in my life and continues to guide me in how to live a principled and examined life.

And 30 years later, we still discuss racism, Donald Trump, death, the immigrant experience, Netflix movies, new authors, authoritarian regimes. His mind is still sharp and his take on every thing is still brilliant.

Awesome. The bolded describes perfectly how I feel about my Ph.D. advisor. I can only hope one of my students thinks similar of me some day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My dad was a Classics Prof at a SLAC. He could routinely have all of his students over at one time when I was growing up. And in the 70s he could give them a little bit of wine with dinner b.c the drinking age was lower- he felt that he was mentoring them in how to drink responsibly and thought it was a shame when the drinking age changed. Nothing inappropriate ever happened- my mom and I were there the whole time. I'm sure he had favorites but he was so passionate about his subject that he graded the work on its own merit.

I was a Classics major at a large university in the midwest. The upper level classes had both graduate and undergraduate students. It was common for those professors to invite the classes over for dinner/cocktails and to meet up at local hangouts. The classes were small (no more than 10-12 people) and it was a fabulous opportunity. I learned so very much attending them. While I was intelligent, I'd grown up on a farm and had little exposure to the wider world. The Classics people were some of the most educated, analytical, well travelled people I have ever met and attending those gatherings were a major part of my education.

I was lucky enough to study in Rome/Athens for a year (not a 'semester abroad' blow-off course, it was a heavy load) and, similarly, my professors hosted gatherings. It was an incredible experience.

[Anonymous]

My graduate adviser would have an open invitation for all students in our department for Thanksgiving and Christmas if they couldn’t travel to their families. As a newly arrived foreign graduate student alone during the freezing winters it was much appreciated. I still miss that wonderful man and his lovely wife.

[Anonymous]

Have you seen Wonder Boys? I had three professors, two in undergrad and one in law school just like that. I’ve spent the night at their houses (no, we did not hook up) they’ve dropped me off at the airport, gone out to bars, made dinner, gone to rock shows, I’ve puked from being to drunk in front of them....will add that it was never just me and the professor there was always at least one other classmate there. So much fun!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My dad was a Classics Prof at a SLAC. He could routinely have all of his students over at one time when I was growing up. And in the 70s he could give them a little bit of wine with dinner b.c the drinking age was lower- he felt that he was mentoring them in how to drink responsibly and thought it was a shame when the drinking age changed. Nothing inappropriate ever happened- my mom and I were there the whole time. I'm sure he had favorites but he was so passionate about his subject that he graded the work on its own merit.

I was a Classics major at a large university in the midwest. The upper level classes had both graduate and undergraduate students. It was common for those professors to invite the classes over for dinner/cocktails and to meet up at local hangouts. The classes were small (no more than 10-12 people) and it was a fabulous opportunity. I learned so very much attending them. While I was intelligent, I'd grown up on a farm and had little exposure to the wider world. The Classics people were some of the most educated, analytical, well travelled people I have ever met and attending those gatherings were a major part of my education.

I was lucky enough to study in Rome/Athens for a year (not a 'semester abroad' blow-off course, it was a heavy load) and, similarly, my professors hosted gatherings. It was an incredible experience.

This made me smile. I'm so glad you had such a wonderful time while you got your education. I'm PP and I feel very blessed to have grown up in that environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This whole thread smacks of anti-Asian racism.

Hi Amy!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At small liberal arts colleges, yes, it's pretty common.

Yes, my DD is a senior in a school of about 3,000 and has been to several professors' homes or to special activities they organize (cultural dinners in restaurants for example.) Sometimes its a posse of honors students, or everyone in the major at that grade level, those doing capstone projects, etc. They have become like families.

[Anonymous]

Oh dear, please don’t ask what happens during fieldwork trips (archaeology, geography, biology, etc ...)