The morning has been full of learning the appropriate chain of command and drafting letters to get things moving. This bastard instructor is using up way too much of my blogging time...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 10:48 AM | No Comments | Add Comment
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So, my "I'm too good to answer my students' emails" Sci/Tech instructor sent out a mass mailing today explaining what he expected of our papers and thus why we ALL received poor grades in the course. Well his 'criteria' were complete and utter shit. Four bullet points, one of which was essentially stating we should spell correctly. The other said we should use sound reasoning. Thank you Captain Obvious! His first 'criteria' was something he NEVER mentioned to us:

I looked for references to the themes and conclusions from the course. In the seminars, we discussed different models for innovation, decision-making, and for linking science/technology to national security. If there were no references to any of the material discussed in the class or to the assigned readings, it counted against the grade. The final essay was in lieu of an exam, but a requirement to demonstrate familiarity with the subject matter and readings remained.

Well, Mr. "I knew what every student planned to write about before hand and didn't argue with them on it" ... You failed to mention this. And no, we did not need to assume you wanted us to do it. It is not uncommon for final research papers to be independent projects. Each and every one of us discussed the topic and goals of our paper with you at least twice. If this was one of your expectations, how come NO ONE knew about it? Oh...that's cuz you didn't tell us...

Little do you know Mr. Instructor...I am queen of bucking the system at this institution and I no longer fear rocking the boat. It's not just me that's pissed off this time...I'm rallying my classmates and we will have retribution...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 10:50 PM | Comments (1) | Add Comment
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A previous blog of mine managed to grab some attention from the university administration back in February as I complained about a couple of the professors and against better judgment, I'm here to do it again...

Previously I had expressed some displeasure and reservation over an instructor without teaching experience...I felt bad once the course got more underway because he seemed to get a little better idea of how to run things...well now I feel more justified in my hesitation and complaint that he lacked experience in this setting. I had a 4.0 for the semester until this jackoff submitted my grade...

If I earned a bad grade, fine...I earned a bad grade. But there is no way in hell that I earned this grade from him. I am an excellent writer and I was highly participatory. An A- is the bare minimum this guy should be giving me and even then I'd be a little pissed considering the vagueness of his rubric.

We submitted a written midterm assignment and despite our repeated requests for them to be returned, they never were. No attempt was made on his part to indicate his level of satisfaction with our work. I have no idea what my grade on the midterm was. We wrote research papers on a topic of our own choosing. I worked with him on the topic prior to writing it and he was rarely responsive. When I talked with him he never told me not to write it, he simply said it would be a difficult paper and should be interesting to read. It was difficult but it was a damn good comparative analysis of competing security concepts and how the US should proceed in making a trade-off. That grade was never returned either. All we were left with was the final grade posted online either yesterday or today.

So I'm going to stand by my original analysis and believe my instincts...
Mr. Science, Technology, & National Security Professor... YOU SUCK!

I will demand an explanation and I will not rest until I am satisfied. Sooner or later this school will learn, I am not a sheep and I will not be herded. I have a voice and I intend to use it.

Posted by: Princess Cat at 11:57 PM | Comments (2) | Add Comment
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Last time I checked, I am matriculated in a graduate level program at a fairly respectable institution of education. So why do I keep running into these Dr. Nanny type professors? Who am I talking about? Professors like the two that have e-mailed me their syllabi for summer/fall courses.

Prof 1: Class meets once per week for two hours. At each class students are required to have written a one page paper in reaction to the week's assigned reading. (This assignment is in addition to two research papers, one to be 20pgs & one to be 30pgs - to be accompanied by class presentations)

Prof 2: Class meets once per week for two hours. 48 hours prior to each class meeting students are required to have submitted two questions regarding the week's assigned reading.

I am shocked and appalled by these requirements. No, they aren't difficult and they could easily be completed without much additional effort. I object to these requirements on pure principle. I am an adult in a seminar where I expect to learn and discuss with my peers. I am not an undergrad taking a class because the university said I have to. I chose to go to grad school and I expect to be treated like a capable adult with good decision making skills. If I don't do the reading for class, my participation will indicate that. I don't need a professor to check up on me any more than that. I am responsible for my grade and my learning so let me make my own decisions about how I choose to go about achieving them.

I see the same things happening in undergraduate programs around the country as well. Friends that have not yet graduated are coming to me with professors that are asking for similar 1pg assignments twice or three times per week. It just drives me crazy. Why does the education system insist on holding a student by the hand? University level instructors should know by now that if a student can't manage to learn the material on his own, he's not going to. They aren't doing anyone any favors. When's the last time your boss held your hand that closely? Because submitting questions for the board meeting 48hrs in advance is such standard practice...

As far as I'm concerned...Let the students figure it out and if they fall on their face, they fall on their face...

Who knows that the real reason they like to check up on their students is... maybe they have no confidence in their ability to motivate students to adequately care about the subject... maybe it is their way of checking to see if they are actually getting through to the students... maybe they are insecure about their ability to lead a discussion and must have it planned prior to the class meeting... maybe they just have a power trip and know that they can make the students do it... maybe they are just unreasonable pricks...

Maybe I'm not taking your classes... I want a seminar, not nap time with the nanny.

Posted by: Princess Cat at 10:26 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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Apparently I have become a grammar/punctuation nazi. You wouldn't know it from the way I blog or IM but when it comes to academic/official/professional work of some kind... you'd better have your ducks in a row.

People give me their papers to edit and I am more than happy to help them out. Writing is hard and we all feel better if we have someone else read over our work. However, people inevitably get their papers back from me with scores of strike outs, arrows, question marks, and red ink galore. Sometimes they get their feelings hurt but like I used to tell my econ students that thought I was a grading nazi, "It's not about making you feel good, it's about making sure you get it right. And you can hate me now but if you stay in this field, you'll thank me later."

I'm still shocked at basic rules of writing that people don't understand though. Like the rule that says two spaces between each sentence...how do you get that wrong? Type, type type, period, space, space. It's not hard! It's a rule that you ALWAYS follow.

*shakes head in disbelief*

Posted by: Princess Cat at 02:32 PM | Comments (3) | Add Comment
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My instructor just e-mailed me the feedback on the tough research paper I was stressing over and presented last week. Things came out well but after reading his email, I'm hanging my head in shame...

Paper 3 A: Well written, well researched, and well structured paper on a difficult topic. Your recommendations are well developed and reasonable. Great job overall.

Participation A: Excellent presentation of your paper but I continued to be disappointed in the amount of your participation in the seminar. Please do
yourself, your fellow students, and your other instructors a favor by getting more involved during seminars. You were a great pleasure in class. Best wishes in your future endeavors.

My grade will come out pretty well the course...there's no way it can be below an A - if I remember my earlier grades correctly. But that part about him being disappointed just cuts in a way I can't overlook. Usually I wouldn't care how an instructor felt about my performance as long as I was happy with it and I got the grade I wanted... but I respect this instructor more than most... and I disappointed him...

I'm sorry, Lt Col ... I really didn't give you everything I could have ... and I have no excuse but my own foolishness ...

Posted by: Princess Cat at 04:43 PM | No Comments | Add Comment
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