'You can call me Al,' says prof Beloved Hinman Faculty Master Al Vos gives students advice, friendship

By Cassie Driggs
Pipe Dream staff writer

This story was originally published in the Sept. 24, 2002, issue of Pipe Dream. It is reprinted here with the permission of Pipe Dream.

Signs of appreciation plaster the walls in the office of the Hinman College Faculty Master, Alvin Vos. Splattered glitter banners with colorfully written words of "We appreciate you Al, thank you for being a great faculty master" or "What Al brought to Hinman: advice, spirit, ideas, an open door, knowledge, role model, and friendliness" decorate the office. Awards consisting of "Best Laugh" or "Most Spirited" hang next to framed certificates of thanks and praise from students and faculty members. Pictures of students hang above his desk. A pillow resting upon one of his couches states "Hinman" in large stitching. Several students passing by his office on a given afternoon cannot resist saying hello or stopping in for a quick chat. They all know how to address him.

"Just call me Al," he tells his visitors.

"Al's office is always open if students have questions," said Kyle Bramley, a senior biochemistry major. "Al doesn't seem like a professor. He's always willing to help and talk."

"He's like a grandpa. You can always go to him for advice. Without Al, Hinman isn't Hinman," said junior Sarah Rynearson, a psychobiology major, who works with Al on the Hinman College Council. Before he became faculty master of Hinman in 1998, Al was the chair of undergraduate education for 12 years. As chair, Al was responsible for curriculum for undergraduates, advising of undergrads and anything else that pertains to the undergrad department.

"[My position as] undergrad director prepared me for my current status as Hinman faculty master because I was able to interact with students," Al said. "When I moved over to become faculty master member of Hinman, I stopped being professor Vos and became 'Al.'" Although he is the master of Hinman College, he still teaches Area-Based Courses for Hinman freshman students.

"I love to teach the 'ABC' courses. It is a good bonding experience," Al said.

Al also teaches Shakespeare, Renaissance literature, British literature and General Education honors courses for students interested in majoring in English.

Al's goal as a teacher is to break down some of the barriers between in the classroom and out of the classroom. "This week for example, I had my class in a lounge. Students brought their papers and I brought the pizza," Al said. He believes that student-centeredness, achieving students' goals and being an advocate for students an essential to good teaching.

Student portfolios are one of his many ways of accomplishing this. "They are vehicles for students to demonstrate their accomplishments and are valuable for career and job purposes," Al said. "[They also give] a much more rounded picture of what students have done and enable teachers to evaluate students in better ways."

When Al became faculty master, he was not sure he could do it. The students with whom he interacts several times a day taught him that the experience of one-on-one interaction with students is gratifying.

"He really cares about the students as individuals and not just the student body council," said Rynearson. "He cares about preserving the environment and always looks for the positives in things -- always wants to benefit the students."

Al also keeps in close contact with many of his graduate students. He went to three weddings this past summer of previous students and was a reader at one of the ceremonies.

Al has been part of Binghamton's faculty since 1970. He came here after graduate school and never left. When asked how long he intends to stay, he shrugged and laughed. "It's time for me to ask myself the same question," he said. "I'm not ready to retire. I'm having too much fun. I love what I do."

Cassie Driggs is a junior who transferrred to Binghamton from SUNY Farmingdale this fall. She is majoring in English.