The Faculty Guide
Many faculty secure external funding (government agencies, foundations, industry) to support research, hire students, and purchase equipment. Grant-writing is a key skill and often a major time commitment.
The film is set in the fictional Herrington High School in Ohio. The conceit is classic B-movie gold: an alien species has arrived on Earth via a contaminant in the water supply. These aliens attach themselves to the base of the human skull, taking over the host’s body and mind. The infected—"the faculty"—are creating a hive mind, systematically turning the entire student body into emotionless drones.
What makes The Faculty work is its cast. This is a "where are they now?" hall of fame for late-90s cinema. The resistance group is a cross-section of every high school stereotype:
Opposite them is a faculty roster that reads like a masterclass in character acting: Famke Janssen as the sadistic ice queen Miss Burke, Bebe Neuwirth as the stern Principal Drake, Robert Patrick as the creepy Coach Willis (shaking off his T-1000 legacy), and Jon Stewart (yes, that Jon Stewart) as the jaded biology teacher, Prof. Furlong.
The most successful students and collaborators recognize that faculty are overworked, passionate, and often underappreciated. A little empathy, clear communication, and respect for their time will open doors that grades alone cannot.
Action step: This week, attend one office hour you were going to skip. Introduce yourself, ask one thoughtful question about the material or the professor's research, and listen. That single interaction changes how they see you—and how you see the institution.
The film's plot follows a group of high school students who discover their teachers are being taken over by alien parasites. Original Screenplay
: Full drafts of the screenplay by Kevin Williamson (originally titled The Feelers ) are available through online archives like Daily Script Archive.org Transcript
: A scene-by-scene text dialogue of the final film can be found on the Moviepedia Fandom page Other Works with This Title Faculty Glyphic - Adobe Fonts the faculty
The Faculty (1998) is a cult-classic sci-fi horror film directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Kevin Williamson. It is famously described as a "90s version of Invasion of the Body Snatchers". The Story Summary
The film is set at Herrington High School in Ohio, where an unlikely group of six students from different social cliques—a photographer, a drug dealer, a cheerleader, a football star, an outcast, and a new girl—discover that their teachers are being replaced by extraterrestrial parasites.
The Discovery: Casey (the school photographer) and Delilah (the newspaper editor) witness a nurse being murdered and then appearing alive but "changed" shortly after.
The Threat: The parasites take over human bodies and require massive amounts of water to survive. One by one, the faculty, staff, and students are assimilated into a single "hive mind".
The Resistance: The group discovers that a homemade diuretic drug called "Scat," sold by student Zeke (Josh Hartnett), is lethal to the aliens because it dehydrates them.
The Climax: The students must identify and kill the Alien Queen hiding among them. Once the Queen is destroyed, the infected humans return to their normal selves. Production and Legacy
Cast: The film features an ensemble of rising stars and established actors, including Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett, Jordana Brewster, Salma Hayek, Famke Janssen, Robert Patrick, and Jon Stewart.
Director/Writer: It combined the visual flair of Robert Rodriguez (Desperado) with the meta-horror sensibilities of Kevin Williamson (Scream). Opposite them is a faculty roster that reads
Themes: Beyond the horror, it serves as a satire of high school social hierarchies and the "alienation" of teenage life.
Availability: You can find the film on streaming platforms like Paramount+ or rent it on major digital stores.
Directed by Robert Rodriguez and written by Kevin Williamson, The Faculty
is a cult-classic sci-fi horror film that blends high school drama with alien invasion tropes.
Plot: The story follows a group of high school students who discover that their teachers are being replaced by extraterrestrial parasites. The students must overcome their social differences to fight back and save their town.
Star-Studded Cast: The film featured early-career performances from Josh Hartnett, Elijah Wood, Jordana Brewster, and Clea DuVall, alongside established stars like Robert Patrick, Famke Janssen, and Jon Stewart.
Themes: It is often noted for its commentary on teenage alienation, conformity, and "us vs. them" social hierarchies. 2. The Faculty (Academic Definition)
In an educational context, "faculty" refers to the professional staff responsible for teaching and research at a school, college, or university. | Type | Typical Focus | Job Security
Collective Noun: The term is used as a collective noun for the entire teaching force. Individual members are referred to as faculty members.
Organizational Divisions: In many universities, "Faculty" also describes a major administrative division, such as the Faculty of Arts or the Faculty of Medicine, which houses related academic departments. Key Responsibilities: Instruction: Delivering curriculum and mentoring students.
Research: Conducting original studies and publishing findings.
Service: Participating in administrative committees and community outreach. 3. Faculty Development
Because faculty members are the "backbone" of educational institutions, significant resources are dedicated to their professional growth through Faculty Development Programs (FDPs). These programs aim to improve:
| Type | Typical Focus | Job Security | Common Titles | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Tenure-Track | Research + Teaching + Service | High (after tenure, ~6+ years) | Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor | | Tenured | Research, leadership, mentoring | Very high (dismissal only for cause) | Associate Professor, Professor, Endowed Chair | | Contract/Clinical | Teaching or clinical practice | Low to medium (renewed 1-3 years) | Lecturer, Instructor, Clinical Professor | | Adjunct/Part-time | Teaching only (often multiple schools) | Very low (per-course contracts) | Adjunct Professor, Part-time Lecturer |
Key takeaway: A tenured professor may have significant control over curriculum but less time for undergraduate mentoring. An adjunct may be an excellent, dedicated teacher but have no office or vote in department decisions. Treat everyone with respect, but adjust your expectations accordingly.