I have a final at the last possible time on Monday. Grades are due the next day at noon. One of my colleagues teaches two sections of another course, and offered Make-Up Mike the option to take his final with the second section when Mike missed taking it with his own class. That "make up" final takes place during MY final (obviously, my colleague teaches his second section at the same time as I do, as my college is careful not to double book any class for the same exam block).
Make-Up Mike e-mailed me, telling me that he had to make use of his other professor's "make up" time, which was during my final exam, so he'd need to use my "make up" exam time. When was my make up exam, he asked?
I explained to Mike that I do not have a make-up exam period, and that technically, neither does my colleague. "He's allowed you to take the final during a different time period that is convenient for him, but it is not so convenient for you, since it's during another of your exams. You'll have to ask him whether you can retake his exam at a different time," I told Mike.
Mike explained that my colleague had made it clear that this was completely out of the question. Mike also "explained" that I was remiss in not scheduling a make up time for students, as my colleague so politely did from the outset. Mike is going to the Dean to complain about how unprofessional and inconsiderate I am, to not take steps that other professors take to help students succeed.
Mike is an asshole, and I am not happy with my colleague either. That's all.
Of course it should be obvious to a thinking human being that an officially scheduled final has priority over an unofficially make-up period.
ReplyDeleteAlas, "thinking human being" lets out some of our students as well as some of our administrators.
And there is a significant side-bitch about the whole idea of scheduling finals with not more than twentu-four hours before grades are due. Seriously? (I thought I had it bad when I had Friday afternoon finals and had to have grades in first thing Monday morning; you have my sympathy.)
Mike also "explained" that I was remiss in not scheduling a make up time for students, as my colleague so politely did from the outset.
ReplyDeleteNo. Full stop. Sound of needle scratching on vinyl LP. Colleague did not fucking schedule a fucking make-up time. Colleague had a regular exam time scheduled by the registrar or by whichever entity does such things. Mike should get his shit straight, and so should your colleague who was a major schmuck for not considering that his "make-up time" just might conflict with a colleague's exam. Your colleague's problem is not yours. If I'm simply reiterating or paraphrasing some of the OP, it is because righteous indignation is fucking with my comprehension. This is forehead-slappy, head-shakey, face-palmey, I-have-to-repeat-it-till-it-sinks-in asshattery on a platter.
It might be good to email the dean to get in front of this.
Also, let's ponder the idea that your unofficial make-up exam time is when you get to make up the student's grade on said exam, as in fabricate. I'm thinking somewhere in the G to H range.
I'm with OPH on informing the Dean and/or department head. One never knows the depth of bullshit students can produce when backed into a corner.
DeleteOh OPH! This made my day!! Especially the needle scratching on vinyl ref
Deleteerence! Thank you!
DeleteTo hell with your colleague. You might lose this battle but don't forget. Your colleague is the adult who caused this. The student is being an asshole but only because your colleague gave him the impression that such behavior was allowed.
ReplyDeleteI'm left wondering why Mike missed the other exam in the first place...
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree Pissed Pumpkin--the Registrar's Office has no business scheduling a final exam less than 24 hours before final grades are due. You should get at least 48-72 hours after the exam to turn in final grades. But when does any administrative office ever take into account the faculty and their needs?
If there is on thing that a dean likes less, then it is this sort of complaint from a student. When did the dean become an appeals court judge?
ReplyDeleteHopefully your colleague will reply with "Well that little shit. He didn't tell me that my graciously-offered makeup time conflicted with another exam. Screw him! Have this beer as an apology for your trouble." Because, seriously, that is what I would say.
ReplyDeleteWhen my students ask for an alternate time for an exam I say "yes" with two caveats: It will be at MY convenience, and the second (didn't think it had to be uttered) is that it had better be at YOUR convenience, too in that it does not conflict with another exam.
Also, not to brag, but I feel blessed to have a chair and dean that tends to support faculty (sometimes with no questions asked).
Chin up, the semester is almost over.
Feel free to give Make-Up Mike an incomplete for the course. I'm assuming he's not a senior. "Graciously" offer him a make-up final when classes resume in the fall. Then, give him an absolute ball buster of a make-up. He won't study much over the summer and he'll forget most of what you taught him anyway. When he complains that the make-up exam was harder than the regular exam, you can "And you know that how, exactly?"
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, a talk with the department head is in order. That's b.s. on the part of your colleague. The same is true for the 24 hour grading policy. We have 48 hours here and that's not always easy.
"you can say..." Oops. Grading fatigue. Happy summer to all!
DeleteNo. That is not the purpose of an "Incomplete" grade. Make-Up Mike should get an F. He has not fulfilled the obligations he incurred when he enrolled in Bella's course.
DeleteOK, I don't get the rancor for the colleague. So he offered the student a makeup time. Was it Colleague's job to say "provided it doesn't conflict with another one of your exams?" No, it's obviously the student's job to say "oh, sorry, Dr. Colleague, I can't take it then, I have another final."
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing the student just didn't check his schedule before accepting the makeup time and is somehow trying to backfill his way out of the cluster he created for himself.
Well, so. My colleague. I kept my ire at him muted because I could hear his reasoning echoing in my mind! Yeah yeah yeah, he had the spot and offered it. What's the problem?
DeleteThe problem for me is that ON HIS SYLLABUS he told students they could take the final either day, as his two sections would be taking a final on the same material. He presented it as a built-in "make up or alternate date."
This works wonderfully for him and his students, but leaves me dealing with expectations I cannot fulfill.
I talked to him about this and he says it "never occurred to him that his policy, intended only to make students' lives easier, would cause another Professor any problems.". Do you see why his policy DID cause me problems? Because this Prof doesn't seem to!
Curly, I may have heaped more blame than warranted on Dr. Colleague, but I was considering circumstantial evidence in the OP. Mike apparently had already objected (at least weakly) to Dr. Colleague's make-up time, because he indicated that "colleague had made it clear that [sitting for his exam at a different time] was completely out of the question." I think it's safe to say that if Mike were lying about this point, he would have hesitated before he dissembled, and Bella would have picked up on it. So Mike's exchange with Colleague likely went something like this:
DeleteMike: Hey, Dr. Colleague, I can't take your exam at its regularly scheduled time. Do you have a make-up time?
Colleague: I can do Monday at 3.
Mike: Sorry, Dr. Colleague, I can't take it then; I have another final.
Colleague: Not my problem. That's the only time I'll do it. [Thinking] Because I am SO FUCKING IMPORTANT.
Mike: But, what'll I do about Dr. Bella's final?
Colleague: Just take it during HER make-up period.
OR
Mike: Hey, Dr. Colleague, I can't take your exam at its regularly scheduled time. Do you have a make-up time?
Colleague: I can do Monday at 3.
Mike: Sorry, Dr. Colleague, I can't take it then; I have another commitment.
Colleague: That's the only time I can do it. [Thinking] He'll press harder if it's really a problem.
Mike: Ah, darn, thanks anyway. I'll just rearrange my schedule, I guess. [Thinking] Since Dr. Colleague has a make-up time, every teacher must have one, so I'll just take Dr. Bella's exam during hers. Easy!
How it perhaps could have gone better:
Mike: Hey, Dr. Colleague, I can't take your exam at its regularly scheduled time. Do you have a make-up time?
Colleague: I can do Monday at 3.
Mike: Sorry, Dr. Colleague, I can't take it then; I have another commitment.
Colleague: What's the commitment?
Mike: Dr. Bella's final.
Colleague: Ah, well, we have policies about this stuff. So that we don't keep going back and forth with you in the middle, give me your full exam schedule now---I'll reach out to Dr. Bella directly and we'll work something out that fits, and then let you know.
How it happens at my joint:
Mike: Hey, Dr. Colleague, I can't take your exam at its regularly scheduled time. Do you have a make-up time?
Colleague: Not unless the Office of Student Retention and Appeasement tells me I do. Per school policy as set forth in the syllabus, all rescheduling of individual exams is handled by them, so that's who you should be talking to, not me. [Mike drop.]
Ah, upon screen refresh I see Bella has added more backstory. It looks like the truth is bounded by my first two scenarios, with some of the dialog possibly taking place in Mike's head as a result of his reading the syllabus. Oh, who am I kidding? Read the syllabus?
DeleteAnd that should have been "Mic drop", as in "microphone", not "Mike drop", notwithstanding that in the wild, mike is often seen in mic's stead. And the Freudian aspects do amuse.
Bella, does your colleague see it now?
DeleteOr does he need a tenner in one of Strelly's "resorts"?
Ugh. Our students are not the only ones who sometimes seem oblivious to any one else's perspective than their own.
DeleteWhat goes around comes around. An older post:
ReplyDeleteMy Class is More Important than Yours!