Can we have some college rants?

[Hippy_Hollow]

Okay, here’s a rant.

It’s recruitment and application season. We get over 100 applicants to our program, and there are about 50 applicants to the doctoral program - so there are tons of inquiries. One prospective student sent an email asking for names of students to contact about life in the program. Okay, no problem - we have student volunteers who are a rapid response team for this purpose. I notice a semi-rant about how important it is to have caring professors who cater to different learning styles, but whatever.

I get a follow up email from the student asking how intently do profs learn students’ learning styles, if they adapt their syllabi to student interests, and how tragic it is when profs teach how they want to teach without regard to student learning modalities.

Seriously?

This is a highly ranked, rigorous research program. While all of my colleagues are nice people and care about students, it’s highly unlikely that they are going to change syllabi based on student personality types. The syllabi are created from years of experience and research and serves to teach and inform students of content and theoretical knowledge. Some profs lecture. Others have students lead conversations… and everything in between. We even have a prof who “flips” the classroom, which is all the range in college pedagogy now. Guess what? Some students hate that teaching style. Part of graduate school is being adaptive - some profs are student centered and modern, others are old school and lecture. You, the grad student, have to adapt to the styles - and that’s what we’re looking for. Telling us you’re a special flower is a huge red flag that our pace and philosophy probably isn’t a good fit for you.

Hell, are any graduate programs like that? Our faculty conduct research and work in the field. I can’t see them taking precious time to rework a syllabus to fit a particular student’s learning style.

Now all of the faculty make tweaks and changes to classes - it’s natural to bring new content or change things that don’t work, or employ some cool new technology. And of course we are legally required to provide accommodations to students with disabilities - no problem. But I thought this was an ill-advised email that makes the applicant stand out - and not in a good way.

[Fretful_Porpentine]

Another professorial rant:

Dear student-who-hasn’t-attended-class-since-the-beginning-of-October: No, you don’t get to just casually drop in and drop out of a college-level course! Especially not freshman comp, which is ALL about peer workshopping and practicing skills in class.

NO, I don’t want to see the papers you wrote during your month and a half of absences. You’ve missed over 50% of the classes, which means that you CANNOT pass according to university policy, and besides, you were already writing crappy papers before you stopped attending class, and I don’t believe for a minute that you’ve successfully figured out how to do an annotated bibliography on your own.

Yes, I do understand that you have documentation proving you have a Very Serious Medical Disorder, although this is the first time you’ve been in touch since you disappeared. Great, take it down to the registrar’s office and apply for a late administrative withdrawal.

Oh, you don’t want to do that because your other professors “have all agreed to work with you”? Have you missed over 50% of their classes too? If you have, they shouldn’t be “working with you.” This is a university-wide rule.

Oh, I see, this is a Very Serious Medical Disorder that only flares up on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Well, luckily for you, we don’t give failing grades in freshman comp; you’ll just get a no-credit, which means you’ll have to take English 101 again next semester, but it won’t affect your GPA. It’s like a free do-over. (Which is lucky for you, because you were going to get a C at best if you hadn’t disappeared, and that wouldn’t have helped you get into the nursing program at all.)

That won’t do, huh? Yes, I understand that “all of your other professors are working with you.” I understand that I am now the Bad Professor. You want to see the Dean? The Dean is out of town (and trust me, he’d be in my corner if he were here), but let me take you downstairs and introduce you to my chair. By the way, is that your sister who has been hovering outside of my office door listening to our conversation all this time? Why don’t you introduce her, because this is getting a little creepy? No, I see, you would rather whisper to each other. (I think I heard “What’s a chair?” from one of you? OK, see, a chair is like your professor’s boss. She can call me on the carpet if I screw up. Unfortunately for you, she’s about to back me up all the way because I haven’t screwed up. She’s also going to ask you, very nicely, in that old-school Southern lady way of hers, about the classes in which you’re “doing fine,” and all of the professors who are supposedly “working with you,” and elicit the information that you’ve actually withdrawn from another class which you could not possibly pass, and that you’re very, very unlikely to pass any of the others either. A chair is somebody who Knows Everybody, and is pretty good at telling when you’re making stuff up.)

Aargh.

[Kolga]

@Hippy_Hollow

Seriously?

This is a highly ranked, rigorous research program. While all of my colleagues are nice people and care about students, it’s highly unlikely that they are going to change syllabi based on student personality types.

Not to mention that research has not shown statistically significant relationships between so-called “learning styles,” teaching styles, and learning outcomes.

[Anaamika]

@Hippy_Hollow

I see you’re enrolled in an online program. The solution to this is to make it known that the turnaround for responses isn’t working for you. Something like “Prof. X, I love the class and I’m learning a lot, but is there a better way to get in touch when I need assistance? Sometimes email doesn’t seem to be fast enough,” etc. You’re gently chiding him/her for not being more prompt AND inviting another method.

You’re right of course. The thing is, he specifically stated he wanted all contact through e-mail. I try very hard to contact the professor in the method they like!

I think you need to give the prof feedback about this very issue. Generally if it doesn’t affect you, my attitude is “why should you care?” But as you need to see the other assignments it sets you back. Prof needs to know that’s a problem.

No, thankfully I had an opportunity to say something about this one. I have another class with the same prof, the one that meets monthly, so while I was at class, we had a private moment, and I mentioned it lightly. So that made me feel better, and he assured me he wasn’t going to remove points from my grade, since I literally couldn’t do my parts.

Sometimes it’s easier to have someone be the powerpoint person, versus having people who have no idea sticking their fingers in it. She can be the spokesperson.

Actually, I got a little bossy - nicely - and took on the group leadership role. I’m really glad I did, too. It means a little extra work for me, but it’s much better on my brain.

Does the prof state that this is the expectation? In my classes, I use the readings as a starting point, and supplement the readings with my rants and observations (and those from respected voices in the field). The students then generate questions and observations from this.

We *want *to discuss, see? The discussion will be going strong and lots of classmates will be talking about lots of things…and the prof will literally cut us off in mid-sentence and say “We need to stop this now. I need to go over the powerpoint for Chapter 12.” His powerpoints are 50+ pages. Ugh! Naptime.

Does this preclude you from doing the assignments as you planned to?

No, of course not. But every where I hear, professors are all READ THE FUCKING SYLLABUS so I do! I actually have all of them pinned to a corkboard over my desk, and I check off modules/assignments as I complete them. So I just got a little titchy over the change.

But seriously, you have lots of good feedback for your prof. I would ask if you can have an appointment to discuss. My students are pretty open, but occasionally I get a course eval back and say, “Why didn’t this student tell me that this wasn’t working during the semester?”

It’s hard for me to say this stuff. I mean, even in my evals I rarely complain. I know in the end the onus is on *me *to study and to make whatever the system is, work for me - the professor is not going to change his habits for every student. And it’s MY money after all, so I need to get what I can out of it.

I will try to be more honest in my evals, but here’s part II. This same professor - is also my mentor, basically the guy who is going to guide me through my college career. I don’t want to burn any bridges or piss him off! I’m just going to try not to take any more classes with him.

[dasmoocher]

With regards to academic dishonesty.

When I was on the staff of a major university, one incident I remember, maybe not in its entirety or with all the details correct, was an electronic cheating scandal. This was in the days of cell phones and PDAs, but before they became smart and could be used as web browsers.

IIRC, an accounting class made exam answers available on a website so students could check immediately after class. Apparently, several students had friends outside the class check the website and text them answers during the exam.

However, the TAs had posted a false exam on the site (with the intention to post the real one as the exam ended). Several students were caught cheating in this “sting”. Most of the university population seemed to think the cheaters deserved to get caught and fail the course. This was obviously more organized and involved than glancing over at your neighbor’s exam.

However, several of students and their parents threatened lawsuits against the university for “entrapping” them. I think the school backed down and allowed the cheaters to get the “failure due academic dishonesty” grade changed after they completed a seminar, or something, on why cheating was bad. The policy was that they could retake the course and take the average of the F and whatever grade they got the second time and have no indication of cheating on the transcript.

Seems like the take-home lesson was to threaten to sue when caught doing something dishonest.

[Hippy_Hollow]

@Anaamika

It’s hard for me to say this stuff. I mean, even in my evals I rarely complain. I know in the end the onus is on *me *to study and to make whatever the system is, work for me - the professor is not going to change his habits for every student. And it’s MY money after all, so I need to get what I can out of it.

I will try to be more honest in my evals, but here’s part II. This same professor - is also my mentor, basically the guy who is going to guide me through my college career. I don’t want to burn any bridges or piss him off! I’m just going to try not to take any more classes with him.

Anaamika, good responses. I think you’re doing what you should be doing, and you’re recognizing the inherent imbalance between prof and student. Which kind of sucks, to be honest.

I do think, though, there’s a way to flip this. The way you’ve conceptualized this relationship, is that you are getting something from the prof, and not the other way around. It’s not reciprocal. And nobody is that invested in a relationship that “takes” more than it gives. So I would think of ways you are contributing to his work. Is he a researcher? Can you help with his work? Can you help him improve his teaching, and maybe get a raise or award? Can you serve as a TA in the future (either for pay or for the experience)?

There are students I treasure because they are helping me in some way, which is why I help them. I help all students, sure, but the ones who are helping me to teach or in my research, I really bend over backwards to meet their expectations!

I think what would be more problematic in the end - if this guy’s not a complete asshole - is that you see obvious ways that he could be better in what he does, and potentially it could be easier for him, and you’re hesitant to let him know. When I think of my favorite students (who are all professors at major universities now), they have two things in common: they’re remarkably organized, in a way that I am not; and they’re unflinchingly honest, as TAs giving feedback to students and to me. I write and publish with these folks, and they will call out errors I make - I need that kind of feedback.

Not being entirely sure of how your program works, I wonder if there’s a way you can propose helping this prof (maybe in managing email or grading) - which would have him invested in your progress? I wouldn’t advocate letting him exploit you, but something that legitimately needs to be done that would expose you to some aspect of his work (or knowledge you need)? Then he’ll be invested in you, and you won’t be coming from a place of “need” - you’re contributing to his development/success as well.

[Silophant]

@EmilyG

When I was a university student, you know what bothered me a lot? When I was in the computer lab, and I desperately needed access to a computer because I needed to print out an assignment that was due at the beginning of the next class, the class being in 5 minutes’ time and on the other side of campus. All computers were taken, and some of the students were playing with Facebook and MSN messenger instead of even doing real work.

I don’t even mind this so much, because I’m busy being pissed at the students who are taking up one of the computer desks and are working on their laptop, with the computer either at its desktop or not even logged in. There are study spaces all over this University where you can work on your laptop, asshole!

[Dorjan]

Returning student here; finishing a BS in mech engineering that i started lo, 18 years ago.

MAN, college has really changed over the years… :eek:
My current gripe is grading homework and exams via blackboard. I’m taking statistics, and the difference between the right answer and the wrong answer can be as small as a 3rd significant digit rounding error or a misplaced decimal point. Since I can only submit answers via blackboard and not show my work, it’s not helpful to me at all know that my answer was wrong, without any feedback whatsoever. I’d much prefer to submit my work so the prof or the TA can see how I approached the problem. If I did the work correctly but made a rounding error, knock a couple of points off and make a note. If I’m waaay off, then at least you can point out where I lost my way!

The prof tries to make up for this by holding post-exam and post-hw review sessions and even letting us retake exams if a significant percentage of the class does poorly - and while I appreciate that one one hand, on the other hand it’s screwed the syllabus up so much there no chance in hell of covering a significant amount of the materiel before the end of the semester, some of which I can expect to face on my future certification exams :mad:

[Maeglin]

@Smeghead

I’m a grad student. I just had a committee meeting today.

I win.

5th year here. Yup, you do.

[The_Other_Waldo_Pepper]

@Fretful_Porpentine

I am now the Bad Professor. You want to see the Dean? The Dean is out of town

I’m begging you to make this into a movie, with that line in the trailer.

[Really_Not_All_That_Bright]

I guess I’ll complaints to myself, because yours are much worse.

[meanoldman]

Before I rant, I suppose I need some basic questions answered. Since I might be ranting for the wrong reasons if I turn out to be uninformed.

I am aware of a local private university where the Business School is very actively promoting Apple products. Yes, Business School and Apple. They are promoting it so heavily that they had the university in question open up an Apple authorized campus store. This store can only sell to students, faculty and staff, per some kind of agreement with Apple. So no Apple purchases by parents, alums, or anyone else off the street. Also, this campus store can not sell iPhones. The pool of potential buyers (students, faculty, staff) runs to maybe 8,000 - 9,000 total people.

The part of this campus Apple store they are promoting the most heavily, is to tout how there will only be one paid employee (the store manager) and the students will work there for free, in exchange for college credit learning how to run a business. That’s the primary thing I am confused about. Learning how to run a business? There is only one person on payroll. Your product line is pretty much set for you (Apple products and accessories). Your mark-ups and pricing are set mostly by Apple. You have direct access to the names and contact info of all potential customers just for the asking. You did not have to decide upon or negotiate for storefront space. Did not have to plan for utility costs. Did not negotiate parking lot cleanup or other maintenance. Are these students really going to get college credit for trying to upsell to the case with the sparkles?

Can someone please explain to me what part of “running a real business” are these students supposed to be learning?

[Miller]

How to exploit people and make them think you’re doing them a favor?

[meanoldman]

@Miller

How to exploit people and make them think you’re doing them a favor?

I’m not sure they are even doing that. With a total buying population of maybe 9,000, it might make sense if none of those 9,000 already had Apple products and were waiting to arrive at that campus before buying one. But since people of all ages can walk into Walmart, Target, Best Buy, real Apple store and what not, most people that want an Apple product already have an Apple product before they get to a college campus. I doubt they are even making payroll for the single employee, let alone exploiting students for profit$$$. That’s the other thing I don’t understand. Who thought this would be a good idea given the constraints? Did the biz school not do any fundamental analysis?

[Budget_Player_Cadet]

Ugh. So one of the students in my year who was constantly chiding me whenever I complained about previous subjects has had enough, and wrote a lovely little email to the professor. Basically, it comes down to the class being completely unorganized, nothing working, everything being late because neither the hardware nor the software nor the resources works, and then throwing deadlines at us. And I’m with him all the way. It’s kind of ridiculous that they can’t even get the web page with the documents we need up and running… It’s been 6 weeks. Come on guys, this ain’t Obamacare.