I had to think about this for a minute. My view is largely effected by the level of education here. In my opinion, high school students have a very difficult existence. Getting into a top school is a real labor and it appears to be as much a function as perception as it is reality. Some of the things that these kids will do to get an "A" is in fact quite amazing. Potentially, their behavior is influenced by their desire to "get a grade". In the case of the university student, while you can boost his GPA, any help that you provide him beyond that is likely to be significantly influenced by his character, what he is trying to accomplish and your ability/willingness to assist him on that path. My understanding, from experience, is that college professors in fact do that quite regularly when motivated. I don't see anything wrong with it as long as you communicate clearly to him that the expectations you have for him in the classroom are in no way influenced by your training relationship. If his character is substantive he will recognize this and separate work from play. If in fact he does not, his true intention will have in fact availed themselves to you. The precedent history is important here. You were training with him before the fact. Ask him why he took your class. A solid explanation might indicate that his motives are pure, or not.

If you were looking for tenure then maybe I would consider parting ways with this training partner. However, your ability to relate to him is also important in the university context.

I'm lucky enough to be able to discount intent in the current situation as the course is required and he needs to get it done to graduate. Your mention of tenure is probably the underlying factor in the scenario that warrants caution on my part. The university has made no bones in letting my wife know they intend to keep her here at all costs. Her department is going through the process of creating a new tenure track position that just happens to fit my vitae to the "T." Since I'm not too proud to ride her coat tails into the job, I want to make sure issues that appear trivial on their face don't come back to haunt me. I'm pretty good friends with the department chair so I'm probably going to ask his opinion tomorrow, as he will be on the hiring committee . . . I would hate to lose a good training partner due to "politics" but that may end up being the case.

There is a larger context involved and that has to be factored in. A wise man once told me, "you gots to do what you gots to do."

When I was in grad school, I played racketball with the dean/one of my instructors. No problem. I caught some grief for it, but the prof was straight up and it was clear that I was not getting any preferential treatment. I then tore my ACL and quit lateral movement sports. Took up triathlons (over 20 years ago) and then trained with another prof. Again went well. Should you be careful? Yes. Should you avoid working out with the guy-i don't think so, but there is some danger of perception, but I do not think it is a clear conflict.

I teach at a University over here in England and had a similar situation a couple of years ago. No problems but with hindsight it made things complicated in the educational environment as personal info is bound to surface sooner or later (as it did in my case). I've now learnt that a clear barrier between a mentor and a student has to be maintained at all costs.......

What is more important to you ? Your career in the university or training with a buddy (which can be resumed after his is no longer your student). Put yourself in the situation of other students in your class. If they percieve any element of partiality etc, they WILL believe there is as will other staff.

When I was a young officer in the military a wise crusty Chief Warrant Officer told me: If there is the perception of anything crossing the "ethical line" then it is real. It does not matter what happens. What matters is what people think may have happenned. Do yourself a favour and avoid it !

If you think it is a conflict it is.

This reminds me of our mandatory 8 hours of "gender sensitivity training" in the military. Our Platoon Sergeant said, "OK, we can cover this in 30 seconds and take the rest of the day off. Do not recognize gender. There is one gender in the U.S. Army: Soldier. That's it. Any qustions? Enjoy your day off......"

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I can view this from the student perspective. I ran XC in college and one of my tri training partners at the time took over a class that I was in from the pergnant instructor. Our first workout together after that he said something along the line of when we train we don't talk about the class even remotely. I got a B. my college XC coach had me for a class next semester and never brought it up. I got an A. Deserved both grades. No issues were ever raised although several people in both classes knew that I trained with/was coached by the profs. I think as long as neither brings up the class and your up front about the expectations things should go well. You shouldn't have to change your friends/training partners b/c of the student teacher role.

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Brian Stover USAT LII
Accelerate3 Coaching
Insta

I am a high school counselor. I swim,bike,run with many students and past students. I also train with a number of the administration, school board and parents. I keep work separated from the training. I just won't discuss school while training.

In court, it's the "appearance of impropriety" that judges try to avoid. Even though a judge may not have an actual conflict of interest in a case, the perception of such can be just as bad. Therefore, judges often err on the side of caution.

I think that is an applicable metaphor for your siutation. It may not cause an actual conflict for you or for the student. However, simply having the appearance of such may case you a problem. Therefore, it is best to just avoid the situation altogether.

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http://www.imf2006.blogspot.com

Jeff,

I am a professor in computer science in a university. I run sometime with a colleague and had a bunch of our students who wanted to run (all beginners).
One of them is doing a master in CS and I am her advisor.
I wrote a basic training plan for those who wanted and two of them did their first marathon last year and my colleague PRed his last marathon.

I do not think there is any conflict. I wouldn't have any problem separating training with them sometimes and kicking their butts when they are slacking and they know it too.

I am a rehabilitated lawyer (i.e. no longer practice) so this is exactly how I process the situation. Maybe that is why I get so hung up on what appears to be a simple scenario?

Funny thing is, when I was in law school I ran with a prof during lunch a few times a week . . . never gave it a second though. Wonder if he pondered the situation then as I do now. However, I never had a class with him either.

I do appreciate the input from other teachers/profs as well.

I can tell you from the point of view of the student in this type of scenario. I trained with a professor of mine when I was in undergrad, and he was also my literature and writing teacher. I can honestly say that he assumed the role of son-of-a-bitch in the classroom, and I hung on for dear life for the semester. I spent every moment of the time passing his exams by benefit of a curve, and struggling to keep it going. The material was difficult for me and it killed me how enthusiastic he was about teaching it. On the bike the dude ripped my legs off, and I spent the year hanging on for dear life 3 inches from his rear wheel (he was a national caliber rider with a 49:00 PR in the 40k) He never mentioned class during the rides, and never mentioned cycling during class. He made it clear about keeping one thing from the other when we discussed training to begin with, and strangely enough, the training relationship inspired me to keep up in class, and vice versa. Now, the fact that he could fail me in a heartbeat, and drop me from his wheel in the same heartbeat kept me in line. I actually strived to do well for him because I did not want to lose a valuable training partner. If I was even close to being competitive with him, of maybe even better than him, I am afraid of what that relationship might have been like (especially being 20 yo). I am not sure how easy it would be for him to handle having me whoop his arse on a training ride, then grading my essays that night. I think the problem would have been for me too if he failed me and then I went out to ride with a vengeful mindset. I was very happy with the circumstances as they were, but it easy to see how they could have been complicated. I have since trained with him after graduation and before he moved away, and his influence has been invaluable. I coach swimming, and on occasion get in with high school kids to do a workout. I find they enjoy it, and they respect the fact that I will do a workout with them, especially if I do the harder sendoffs and sets. They work harder for me when I show them I am right there with them. I am not the head varsity coach (I am an assistant and run the AG program) nor do I teach them to give them a grade. I suspect that if I was the head coach, or one of the teachers, I would be much less likely to get in with them because of the potential problems that could develop. Just some thoughts.

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"Maybe you should just run faster..." TM

Why can't you employ a blind-grading system? That would seem to eliminate the concern. While in law school I served as a TA and RA for some professors, and became quite friendly with them, and became friends with the professor advisor on Law Journal. The blind-grading system employed in most law schools virtually elimates any concern of a conflict as the exams graded by that professor are only assigned a student number rather than a name.

Jeff,

I'm a university prof--my recommendation would be to get out of this situation. Sure there's nothing really wrong with it, but it does appear a little fishy on the surface. Some students will assume--correctly or incorrectly--that you will give this guy a better grade because you are training buddies with him. Why not just wait 10 weeks or so until the class is over and then resume training together? That way there is guaranteed to be no problem. You're in a vulnerable position as an adjunct, and any kind of impropriety (or even the hint of it) could be risky. Again, I think all of this is completely unfair and unnecessary, but from a pragmatic perspective, i can't see why you need to take the risk. Of course, I'm not very pragmatic--more Nietzschean, so I like to live dangerously. If you're also of the latter ilk, then proceed as you are!

ahh, I had forgot about the numbered white and pink index cards distributed with our test packets. That would be a good idea had I implemented such prior to the class starting. However, on a side note in the past I did try to employ the socratic method, specifically by having one person "up" for class, and found many undergrads didn't function well in that type of learning environment . . .

Well geez, I don't understand why it didn't work in undergrad. You mean undergrads don't prepare for class . . . I actually love the Socratic method. It's a tough world out there so no need to piddle and paddle about. I was lucky, though, as my undergraduate curriculum was heavily Socratic, actually moreso than Law, and it got me ready for the big show.

Back to that running thing, I had forgotten until now that we had a little "running" scandal in our law school. It appears one of our most respected professors had a proclivity for turning his more attractive, fit students into running partners, then he allegedly tried to kiss and grope them when the opportunity arose. Once one student came clean, students from 10-15 years back came out of the closet. He lost his tenure, poor 'ole chap.

I recommend you not go that route!!! ;)

[reply]
You're in a vulnerable position as an adjunct, and any kind of impropriety (or even the hint of it) could be risky. Again, I think all of this is completely unfair and unnecessary, but from a pragmatic perspective, i can't see why you need to take the risk. [/reply]

This pretty much sums up what I have decided to do . . . no need to take the risk. I'm going to cancel and explain the situation to the young man and go from there. My particular univ recently denied tenure to a faculty and one of the reasons suggested by many was that he did some things outside the capacity of his position with students. His activities were not criminal or sexual and basically normal things people do which does make a statement regarding the general climate here.

Bravo! Excellent and prudent choice.

BTW, I'm glad to hear you are a rehabilitated lawyer (not practicing). How about telling me how to rehabilitate myself (get out of practicing law)! LOL!

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http://www.imf2006.blogspot.com

Dishes and laundry. That is how you do it. That and having a wife that makes enough money so it is more efficient to have me working somewhat flexible hours and being at her call (i.e. dishes, laundry, kids) instead of being at the call of someone worried about billable hours.

The real nice thing is that when she needs extra help with things like grants and publications, I trade her my time for bike stuff. She (i.e. we) is actually working on a policy update right now so I know that will probably translate into a set of guilt free Hed Alps for me. So it is a win win for both of us.