We’re back with another tale from a new campus visit. As before, I’ll share highlights and assign a grade for this trip. If you’re worried about suspense, I’ll say now that this place will earn high marks. Now that the ending’s out, let’s get this review started.

Linus Falls University took a liking to me during our interview and asked if they could take me for a test drive around their fair campus. I was thrilled to have another chance to leave Romulus and see how another campus lives. Linus Falls paid me to hang out with them for a day. As I am writing this, it sounds kind of sad, but that is exactly what they did. I won’t complain, though. They treated me way better than “D-Dubs” did. Linus Falls made me feel welcome from the start.

First and foremost, this place fed me. In fact, they fed me a lot, or at least tried to stuff me full of food until I burst out of my suit. I hope I didn’t offend them because I don’t typically eat big meals. I usually eat like a bird, grazing on small snacks all day rather than three large portions. It probably explains why my metabolism is still through the roof at a time in my life when it should be slowing down.

Food aside, the facility tours and visits with all of the different offices were as pleasant as they could be. I met with the various deans, chairs, and members of the administration to discuss expectations. We covered typical topics such as teaching load, tenure expectations, and service obligations. These talks were fruitful and productive, as if both sides had some interest in what the other had to say. This was a definite step up from my last campus visit.

The biggest part of this visit was the teaching demonstration, which was in front of actual students this time. For the most part, they were attentive and asked some good questions at the end. It was as if they were paying attention. I rarely had moments like this during my stints at the previous gigs. At the end of the day, I had a sit-down meeting with the students. I have never encountered anything like this during any of my campus visits. It was almost like the children got to have a say if I was allowed to date their parent. I wasn’t opposed to it, and it was a nice change of pace. We were supposed to talk for 30 minutes, but went for 45.

Like all schools, Linus Falls had warts that they tried hard to cover or rationalize. Apparently, one of their biggest points of shame is that they are attached to a small town. The search committee asked me how I felt living in a remote area. I am from a small town, and I am fine with living in the “boonies.” However, their concept of a small town is vastly different than my own. During my town tour with one of the professors, they boasted that the local economy was great because they had three Wal-Marts in town. Where I currently live, there are three Wal-Marts, but they are all thirty minutes away and in different directions.

I find it adorable that the faculty believes there is nothing in their town that would attract people to live there. In my short stint, I got to sample a wide variety of things and do a lot of different stuff. I really enjoyed the place. I would have no qualms living there. Besides, their idea of a small town is wildly different than my own. I could easily adjust to living near Linus Falls.

Overall, I give this campus visit an A- because we had to move around campus so quickly for different meetings. This is more on me than them, but my shoes were killing my feet by the time the whole shindig was over. It was so nice to be around students and faculty who care about teaching and learning. Here is the shocker. The department has an informal meeting every month where people can drink and hang out instead of deal with educational nonsense. Now that is a big plus.