'Let's get Mikey:' expectations of female junior faculty.(In Her Own Words)

Let's get Mikey ... he'll eat it, he'll eat anything." Who of my generation can forget the catch phrase from the LIFE cereal commercials of two decades ago? The scene features several cautious--if not suspicious--but curious youngsters eyeing a box of cereal promoted by their health-conscious parents.

None is quite brave enough to sample it, but instead one suggests, "Let's get Mikey," Another enthusiastically chimes in, "Yeah, he'll eat it ... he'll eat anything!"

With both seriousness and humor, as a junior faculty member at a small liberal arts school, I often feel as if folks are saying: "Let's get Maggie. She'll do it, she'll do anything."

Although I'm not hearing voices and have never actually heard such a phrase, I do believe there is an implicit expectation that as a young, single, female faculty member, I should assume certain co-curricular roles on campus. Specifically I'm referring to faculty advisement of student organizations, and faculty participation in student activities.

It appears that young faculty members, particularly those who are single and childless, are often bombarded by requests for participation in campus student events.

Do all faculty members have a right to a private life? Otherwise might they burn out? Shouldn't faculty share co-curricular responsibilities on a college campus?

The value of student organizations