To support the effort, Lewis and Dean of the Faculty Jeremy R. Knowles sent a joint letter to members of the Faculty informing them of the new program and encouraging them to take advantage of it.
"We hope that this initiative will encourage members of the Faculty to
continue classroom discussions by suggesting that the conversation resume over a meal in one of the Houses or in Annenberg Hall," they wrote in the letter. "Likewise, we hope that students will take advantage of the opportunity to engage Faculty members by inviting them to take a meal in one of the dining halls."
Shumsky says that the council will also encourage Faculty to take a proactive role in joining students in the dining halls.
He cites Dillon Professor of International Affairs Jorge I. Dominguez and Professor of Music Thomas S. Kelly, who both teach large core classes, as examples of teachers who actively encourage their students to join them for meals.
"They would get up in front of class and say 'I'm having lunch today in Eliot House or Leverett House, and I'd encourage you to come and join me and hang out,'" Shumsky says.
And as part of the deal, neither student nor teacher will be charged for the meals. Mayer says HUDS will send the bill directly to the office of the dean of the college.