The SBL student advisory board put together a wonderful luncheon with great speakers who gave great advice. The funniest was when one speaker, who had become a dean, shared what a colleague told him: now that you are a dean, in two years you will stop writing; in four years you will stop reading; and in six years you will stop thinking. The rest of the session had faculty like myself sitting at a table with students and talking informally. We ranged across topics like pedagogy, religiously-affiliated vs. secular institutions, and work/life balance. It was a really worthwhile event, and I am disappointed to say that a number of students registered but did not show up, leading to wasted food and not just missed opportunity to learn, reflect, and discuss.
