Every so often, faculty members get a little break from teaching. Students that have never heard of sabbatical may think it’s just a vacation, but that’s not the case.Faculty members are researching and working in their field of study in order to help improve their teaching methods to provide students with the best information and opportunities possible.

Faculty members are only eligible for one semester every seven years. Doesn’t sound like much, right? For some students, it can be. Students are then faced with several options: finding a new adviser, asking someone to do the job on a part-time basis, or sticking with their current faculty advisers, who may not be able to offer the same amount of time they would be able to if on campus.

Thankfully, the faculty at Simpson take their students into consideration and attempt to make the change a smooth one. They inform their advisees months ahead of time, and many stay in contact with students, at least through e-mail.

One of the main aspects that sets Simpson apart from larger universities is the fact that professors actually teach the classes. While this greatly serves both the students and the professors, we realize that this often means that our professors don’t often get the chance to do the research that they would like to do. Sabbaticals, while they do cause some headaches, give them that chance.