A couple of weeks ago, I left a red velvet cupcake with white frosting topped with a hammer and sickle painted in red icing on the dean’s desk. Next to the cupcake, I placed a note: “Communist cupcake from Berg’s class presented to our comrade the Dean.” Later that day, I told the two students who had baked the cupcake what I had done. They were delighted and could not wait to hear the dean’s reaction.

The dean is a frequent foil for my silliness. After watching Apocolypto, I suggested that we sacrifice a student and take his still beating heart to the dean as a gift. Instead, I told her about my idea as I gave her a cookie bar. Again, students were delighted with the story they helped construct. Then there was the time when, as a class, we sent an e-mail to the dean requesting that she fund a class trip to Windsor, Ontario so that we could benefit from an international experience. We assured her that our request had nothing to do with the fact that the drinking age in Canada is lower than it is in the United States. Students could not believe it when I hit send and eagerly waited for her reply.

Although I am constantly making fun of the dean, it is clear to students that I have a great deal of respect for her and her commitment to student success. She has frequently visited my class and makes a point of attending student exhibits and discussing student research with them. After such visits, students always tell me that “The dean asks hard questions.” What goes unsaid is the pride they feel because they could answer her questions.

Too often, administrators become isolated from students or only see students when there is a problem that needs to be resolved. While joking about the dean and leaving her communist cupcakes, I help humanize her and educate students about the responsibilities college administrators have for student success. Because of my joking, the dean no longer remains some mysterious person who students know is important but have no idea what she does. Furthermore, by giving them the opportunity to meet her helps students gain confidence and learn that they have something to contribute. After all, students are able to answer the dean’s hard questions.

Several years ago the college president met with one of my classes. During the discussion, students were able to see how theory meets real world politics. Later, when colleagues asked how I was able to arrange to have Dr. Jeffress visit my class, I truthfully answered, “I asked him.”

As faculty members, we sometimes complain that administrators are too isolated; that they do not see what students really need and desire. Fortunately, there is something that we are able to do to help administrators interact with our students. We can invite them to our classes.

While preparing our syllabi, we can ask ourselves “Who at the college is responsible for putting this educational concept into practice?” Once we have an answer, we can push ourselves to come up with a lesson in which an administrative colleague could participate. Could someone who works with the college budget give a guest lecture in an accounting class? Might a bi-lingual administrator visit a language class and conduct a discussion in Spanish? Maybe someone who is dealing with legislative issues would be a candidate to visit a political science class?

We do not need to limit ourselves to the administrator’s official role on campus. For example, while discussing the appropriate role of government in the lives of citizens, a history professor could ask the dean to lead a discussion on the ramification of Michigan’s new helmet law. Given the passion she has for her motorcycle, the dean would be a great guest speaker to lead such a discussion even though wearing her leathers is not part of her academic attire.

As faculty members, we have more power than we realize to get administrators engaging directly with students. And the more such interaction we can encourage, the better it is for the college.