ReadingAIcertainlyclingtomymemoriesofthoseconversations,andsometimesIthinkIwentintograduateschoolhopingtobecomethekindoffacultymemberwhocouldrecreatesuchprofounddialoguesinmyclassroom.Ienvisionedmyselfsittinginacirclewitheagerundergraduatesdebatingthevisionoftheworldofferedbytheirfavoritewriters,andarguingaboutwhetherorhowtoapplyittoourownlives.2

ReadingABut,thebookIreadthissummer,SusanD.BlumsMyWord!PlagiarismandCollegeCulture,hasleftmeconvincedthatImlivingwithanoutdatedpictureoflate-nightlifeinthedorms—andleftmewonderingabouttheimplicationsthatachangingcampusculturemayhaveforourteaching.Iwouldhavehadahardtimeshruggingoffthoseideasafterseeingthemdescribedinthiscarefullyresearchedbook,andBlum’sworkmadeitevenmoredifficultforme,sinceherdescriptionsofanalteredcampusculturecenteredonthestudentsandcampuslifeattheUniversityofNotreDame,myundergraduatealmamater—theverylocusofmyfondmemoriesofathrivinglate-nightintellectualculture.34

ReadingAThefirstquestionIhadwasaboutheremotionalreactiontotheresultsofherwork:DidshefinditallasdepressingasIdid?Myreaction,shewroteinane-mail,waslargelyrelief,fascination,anddespair,allentangled.Knowingwhatcollegelifeislikenowformanystudentsatresidentialcollegesexplainedalotaboutmyexperiencewithstudents,andithasendedmytendencytogetupsetwhenstudentsdidntseemtobefocusingasmuchattentionontheircourseworkasIthoughtappropriate.Ithinkmyexpectationsaremuchmorerealisticnow,sotheentireexperienceofteachingislessdepressingthanitwaswhenIcouldntunderstandwhyIcouldntmotivatestudentstobeabsorbedintheirwork.56

ReadingABlumsworkgavemesomemeasureofthatreliefaswell,sinceshepresentedsuchaclearpictureofthechallengeswefaceind