But a few of these people walk along Carolina's red brick paths with a special sense of purpose. They, the professors, keep Carolina, and themselves, humming. Faculty members typically work between 50 and 60 hours a week. On campus they teach classes, conduct research, hold office hours, meet with students, and participate in committee meetings. But most professors, like Professor of Pathology Marila Cordeiro-Stone, find that work never really ends.
Professors use much of their time preparing for classes.
Many hours also go into grading papers and exams, and all professors hold office hours outside of class to meet with students individually. In addition, faculty members frequently create new classes that require them to explore new areas of research, which may take weeks to prepare. The rest of a professor's time usually goes into research. For a scientist, that means spending time in the lab. She has spent many years studying how human cells react to UV rays in sunlight and why radiation causes those cells to mutate.