tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post2924867076875687445..comments2023-10-15T04:23:50.187-04:00Comments on College Misery: Beware of professors with agendas. From the Stephen F. Austin University Pine Log.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger26125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-88679114533877459532014-02-02T23:37:37.427-05:002014-02-02T23:37:37.427-05:00Cassandra, you hit it exactly on the head for me. ...Cassandra, you hit it exactly on the head for me. I've been resisting responding to the original -- politely, very very politely-- all day. He's missing not just the point, but all the points. A third of me thinks, Poor kid. The rest of me thinks, Terrifying, budding fascist little shit. Professor Chiltepinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10087270705989845484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-36933995140425315062014-02-02T23:35:16.540-05:002014-02-02T23:35:16.540-05:00I am grateful that you ran with that last part of ...I am grateful that you ran with that last part of the sentence. The whole sentence set my teeth on edge for so many reasons, but I could articulate so few.Ogre Proctor Hephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17428431147495287413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-29750122576518168242014-02-02T22:26:27.634-05:002014-02-02T22:26:27.634-05:00silence professor’s voices and allow only objectiv...<i>silence professor’s voices and allow only objective material in the classroom</i><br /><br />I, too, would say that's the key phrase. The problem is not so much the idea of silencing professor's voices (though that's pretty insulting/infuriating, and leaves me, definitely a constructivist/active-learning type, tempted to channel Frod a bit; I'm an expert, dammit!), it's Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-12761643718444926442014-02-02T21:57:35.773-05:002014-02-02T21:57:35.773-05:00I find myself wondering if I am alone in my unease...I find myself wondering if I am alone in my unease at the phrasing "Academic freedom is the <b>belief</b> . . ." [emphasis added]. I think the author's conflation is coded so as to denigrate the concept of academic freedom, in the same way that some denigrate evolution by calling it "only a theory". I say that academic freedom is the <b>result of</b> protection for Ogre Proctor Hephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17428431147495287413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-76857463749160825642014-02-02T18:38:20.744-05:002014-02-02T18:38:20.744-05:00I muse that some proffies receive gratification me...I muse that some proffies receive gratification merely from collecting like-minded disciples. <br /><br />I strive to make students less ignorant on objective matters and, where possible, better equipped to defend their opinion on subjective matters. On the latter I don't think I could possibly "convert" enough students to have any effect on my quality of life by e.g. getting them Ogre Proctor Hephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17428431147495287413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-65979034100590148802014-02-02T18:24:51.242-05:002014-02-02T18:24:51.242-05:00I see that we've established agreement on seve...I see that we've established agreement on several principles; now, we're just negotiating details ;-)<br /><br />Several have raised a quite valid concern regarding equal access to events outside of class hours if points are earned for these events. I think that to the extent possible, the events should be enumerated in the syllabus, so that students can plan ahead. Optimally, there wouldOgre Proctor Hephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17428431147495287413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-7852104697252937612014-02-02T12:49:31.397-05:002014-02-02T12:49:31.397-05:00Thank you, Hiram, for your warm welcome, you as we...Thank you, Hiram, for your warm welcome, you as well, Cassandra (comment downpage).<br /><br />I have been reading for the better part of a year, but I have not commented on any active threads till now. I see much good happening here; I hope to contribute to it in my own small way.Ogre Proctor Hephttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17428431147495287413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-17597170853957708672014-02-02T12:16:37.541-05:002014-02-02T12:16:37.541-05:00I think students often grossly overestimate the de...I think students often grossly overestimate the degree to which I care about their political opinions. I'm not trying to convert them to a particular viewpoint. I can't imagine caring enough to take the effort.Professor Chiltepinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10087270705989845484noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-35316478344259598812014-02-02T12:01:14.252-05:002014-02-02T12:01:14.252-05:00I only give extra credit (miniscule) for attending...I only give extra credit (miniscule) for attending a once a semester senior seminar that ends-up taking up my classroom all day. The goal is to get majors to go (so when they give a senior seminar they have an idea what to do). Only about half the class attends, but it gives them exposure to other hamsterology topics!Frennahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17126693773120200776noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-37212448720871953562014-02-02T08:36:53.710-05:002014-02-02T08:36:53.710-05:00I just had this happen ... with an "adult&quo...I just had this happen ... with an "adult" student.<br /><br /><b>One</b> week into the term and she already was complaining that she couldn't "figure out" what was being asked of her. <br /><br />(For the record, my requirements are aligned with what everyone has been posting here. The concept of supporting an opinion with evidence should be far from a unique framing.)<brAware and Scaredhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14700345349806280657noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-82060826049704045182014-02-01T21:33:42.042-05:002014-02-01T21:33:42.042-05:00Free food is always a good way of getting people t...Free food is always a good way of getting people to do things.<br /><br />When I started grad studies, we had weekly seminars. At each of them, coffee and munchies (usually doughnuts) were provided.<br /><br />Whenever my last department head held a major meeting (usually for whatever pet project he happened to be working on and, for which, we were to be the guinea pigs), sandwiches were broughtQuarter Wave Verticalhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03173446011323023116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-53069688478193795862014-02-01T21:00:46.728-05:002014-02-01T21:00:46.728-05:00Good point: I'm sure if that were raised to th...Good point: I'm sure if that were raised to the author of this piece, they would claim you were trying to force your bias onto them. :)The Contemplative Cynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02088570661592922436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-32102907955997328752014-02-01T20:52:10.984-05:002014-02-01T20:52:10.984-05:00In my experience, the companion to the "is th...In my experience, the companion to the "is this just an opinion paper?" question is "do you want us to use quotes?"Gabriel Conroyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17566193099628849226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-47389176220002046882014-02-01T20:51:14.656-05:002014-02-01T20:51:14.656-05:00In my experience, a companion question to "is...In my experience, a companion question to "isn't this just an opinion paper?" is "do you want us to use quotes?"Gabriel Conroyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17566193099628849226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-84494122827896492622014-02-01T20:31:16.503-05:002014-02-01T20:31:16.503-05:00Our administration often urges us to "incenti...Our administration often urges us to "incentivize" student attendance at various events...Iyrrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06272150097841691708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-56792640825960845352014-02-01T20:30:05.392-05:002014-02-01T20:30:05.392-05:00Our administration often urges us to "incenti...Our administration often urges us to "incentivize" student attendance for various speakers/events...Iyrrishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06272150097841691708noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-59202202280787700552014-02-01T19:53:46.801-05:002014-02-01T19:53:46.801-05:00I have a colleague (not in my department) who is k...I have a colleague (not in my department) who is known on campus for giving extra credit to ANY campus event. She is our SLAC's pep rally team rolled into a single person, who believes that students who are engaged in events on campus get the full college experience. As a result, her students pretty much clamor to find her sign-in sheet at the beginning and end (sign-in; sign-out) of any The Contemplative Cynichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02088570661592922436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-46338218081917032182014-02-01T19:48:19.073-05:002014-02-01T19:48:19.073-05:00"teach the true, objective facts to the stude..."teach the true, objective facts to the students who paid for the course"<br /><br />I take it that it's not a course on postmodernism?<br /><br />I still offer extra credit occasionally. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-20965329294741120412014-02-01T17:39:50.675-05:002014-02-01T17:39:50.675-05:00Agree with everything you said; I just have some c...Agree with everything you said; I just have some concerns about attending an opera for extra credit. First, I think attending an opera is not just important to the professor, it's important for the subject. So, I wouldn't assign extra credit. But also, consider that some students may not have access to an opera in their location. And, it costs money. Some students may not have the time orAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086727387857705638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-74988719922835895042014-02-01T17:00:34.532-05:002014-02-01T17:00:34.532-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-890767770843196812014-02-01T17:00:25.433-05:002014-02-01T17:00:25.433-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-9062082087382279372014-02-01T16:59:20.844-05:002014-02-01T16:59:20.844-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-35772309132053356842014-02-01T16:27:51.347-05:002014-02-01T16:27:51.347-05:00I had only two instances in my undergrad studies w...I had only two instances in my undergrad studies where a professor encouraged us to participate in a political activity. One urged us to write a letter to the US President telling him about the problems of US globalization. Globalization was the title of the class but really, it was all about how bad it US globalization was-any attempt to explore how it may be beneficial in some ways was Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05086727387857705638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-19162176186750846792014-02-01T15:10:47.660-05:002014-02-01T15:10:47.660-05:00I, too, think Ogre nailed it (welcome, Ogre!). At...I, too, think Ogre nailed it (welcome, Ogre!). At least once a semester, I have an exchange with a student that goes along these lines: <br /><br />Student: so we're supposed to write our opinion?<br /><br />Me: well, you're supposed to write your informed opinion, supported by close analysis of well-chosen primary evidence. <br /><br />Student: [looks very, very puzzled, because (s)he Contingent Cassandrahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08161652083031423415noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-85030853386621655862014-02-01T11:59:38.161-05:002014-02-01T11:59:38.161-05:00Ogre, I have to say I think you are brilliant! Mos...Ogre, I have to say I think you are brilliant! Mostly because I had the same ideas about the editorial!<br /><br />Well said. And it saves me the time... I don't think I've seen your comments before, so welcome.<br /><br />HiramAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com