Last fall, a survey was sent to Simpson College faculty asking if they believe dogs should still be allowed inside Carver Science Center. Professors and students felt uneasy about this potential policy change as precautions were previously set in place to prevent any uncertainty about the pets and their interactions with students. Well, the results of the survey are in, and the dogs are here to stay.
Assistant Professor Faithe Keomanivong, Co-Department Chair of Chemistry/Physics Lindsay Ditzler and Professor of Biology Amy Doling have a schedule during the week for when they bring their dogs to the office. The schedule ensures the dogs are not overwhelming the building or putting pressure on others. Keomanivong brings her dog, Harold, into her office every Friday.
“There were some students that were really disappointed thinking that they might not get to come and see them anymore,” Keomanivong said, “The big benefit of this, especially during finals, is that students do kind of flock to these rooms to pet them.”
Keomanivong immediately enrolled Harold in different canine training courses when word first came out about changes being made. Harold passed the Canine Good Citizenship test and is starting therapy dog training in February. All the dogs are very well-behaved and do not bark or jump on students when excited.
Students will stop by Keomanivong’s office just to visit her dog, Harold, so it’s clear students value these interactions. The power dynamic between professors and students can create an intimidating environment in the office setting. Some students find it easier to meet with professors when a friendly pup is around to keep them company. It takes the edge off of a potentially intimidating one-on-one meeting.
Coilee Hynek, a sophomore biochemistry major, visits the dogs because they remind her of her pets while she is away from home.
“It’s really sweet that the professors use it as a tactic to make us feel more comfortable and remind us of home when we’re homesick,” Hynek said. “I think they don’t do it just for them, but they also do it for the student’s benefit.”
Visiting the animals gives students a way to handle their anxiety or stress. Sophomore health & exercise science student, Ellie Fina, said visiting the dogs was good for her mental health. Fina visits with them after tests or during finals week as they relieve the stress of challenging assignments.
The aim of bringing the dogs into the office is to help students, not to be a substitute for doggy daycare. The dogs must be well-behaved and easygoing when interacting with students.
“If a student didn’t want to be around the dogs but they had questions for somebody … we’re always willing to put the dogs in a separate room so that students can still talk,” Keomanivong said.
