Several Iowa State faculty and staff members got the chance to live the life of a major college football player last week. What they learned surprised many of them.

It was all part of the ISU student-athlete service’s faculty and staff guest program. Participants spend one weekday night and game day observing the ISU football player’s activities.

“I was kind of blown away by all of the work that is expected of the football players,” said Wally Niebauer, associate professor of journalism and mass communication. “I didn’t realize how difficult it was to be a student-athlete.”

Steve McDonnell, ISU director of student-athlete services, is in charge of the program. He described it as an “eye-opening experience” for some of the faculty and staff members.

“Most people who go through the program have no idea what time constraints are placed on our student-athletes,” McDonnell said. “They get to see what goes on during the average day for a typical football player.”

McDonnell said four or five participants take part in the program during the week of every home game. The program is in its third season of existence.

The faculty and staff members meet at the Jacobson Building at 4 p.m. on a weekday and watch football practice. The participants eat dinner with the coaches and athletes in Linden Hall at 6 p.m.

At 7:45 p.m. the participants learn about the football learning center. The weekday program concludes at 8 p.m.

The participants also observe the football team during game-day preparation starting two hours before kickoff. They get to meet sideline host Ken Vacek on the field and then watch the game from the sidelines and/or press box.

“We do this to educate the faculty and staff on what our student-athletes go through during the football season,” McDonnell said.

McDonnell and Niebauer said part of the reason for this program is to break down the barriers between instructors and student-athletes.

“I’ve had football players in my classes before and not had a problem, but I am aware that some people feel the student-athletes are pampered,” Niebauer said. “This program certainly dispels the myth of the dumb jock.”

Niebauer said after reviewing some of the schedules some of the players keep, he had a better understanding of the time they put into their sport.

“It doesn’t leave a lot of room for free time,” Niebauer said.

There are several types of tutoring support programs that focus on study skill development available for student-athletes who feel hindered by their rigorous schedules.

Master tutors are available through Student Services who work with three to five student-athletes six to eight hours a week.

There are also generalist tutors who work three to four hours per week one-on-one with the athletes and there are course-specific tutors who work with one to four student-athletes enrolled in the same class.

Quiet Study is also available for those who want a supervised place to study. The student-athlete is required to refrain from talking and must complete usually between three to six hours per week.

McDonnell said ISU’s idea for the faculty and staff guest program is not original and several schools in the area have done this.

Currently, it is only offered for the football team, but McDonnell said plans are underway to expand it to other sports programs.