tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post2371693521841833058..comments2023-10-15T04:23:50.187-04:00Comments on College Misery: Letters Never Sent, Part 4Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-17259050781794583572013-01-22T23:40:41.253-05:002013-01-22T23:40:41.253-05:00Oh, Stella. I was so thrilled about the prescript...Oh, Stella. I was so thrilled about the prescription bottle photo idea, but I know my university would have my ass. They would for the liar's penalty too. Nevertheless, I bow down before you.Frog and Toadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06377542172335502858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-42052631466520804032013-01-22T20:52:51.086-05:002013-01-22T20:52:51.086-05:00Though I have wed far above my station, it seems m...Though I have wed far above my station, it seems my husband is not inclined to go to Atlanta anytime soon. <br /><br />But I will write you in on the waiting list after Bubba. StellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-596257676799228692013-01-22T20:20:03.018-05:002013-01-22T20:20:03.018-05:00Stella, if your husband ever takes a trip to Atlan...Stella, if your husband ever takes a trip to Atlanta, please let me know. I think I love you. At the very least, I greatly respect you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-17417360054507390712013-01-22T20:06:11.997-05:002013-01-22T20:06:11.997-05:00Bubba--
Part 3 was planned, but then redacted tem...Bubba--<br /><br />Part 3 was planned, but then redacted temporarily to allow me to recover and settle myself after the harrowing trauma recounted therein. I should have renumbered but I was simply too terrorized by the experience to think properly. I'm still not quite over it.<br /><br />But no, it was never sent. StellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-14166086397477994912013-01-22T19:09:29.083-05:002013-01-22T19:09:29.083-05:00I suspect that somebody accidentally mailed "...I suspect that somebody accidentally mailed "Letters Never Sent, Part 3". I further suspect that Stella's husband discovered that the letters were sent and so he drove to Atlanta to beg the postmaster to intervene and prevent the letters from being delivered. Thus, the letters were sent, but not delivered. And, finally, I suspect that those letters (Part 3) will be published hereSouthern Bubba, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12050992903794385204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-32044377712719515022013-01-22T18:15:32.773-05:002013-01-22T18:15:32.773-05:00This is an interesting thread, considering that th...This is an interesting thread, considering that these were letters NEVER SENT. <br /><br />Some comments: <br />1. When we reach the point where there ARE no "decisions ... based on judgment, estimates and other subjective elements," then thinking humans will not be required to make them; machines will be able to do all of our decision making.<br /><br />2. It is the LYING that is Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-61771072844481941152013-01-22T18:14:05.200-05:002013-01-22T18:14:05.200-05:00But why isn't it better to just remove the who...But why isn't it better to just remove the whole issue of having to judge excuses? It's not just my idea. Many professors prefer that. Monicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103879727877816655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-64433533802991083692013-01-22T18:02:30.234-05:002013-01-22T18:02:30.234-05:00My immediate thought upon reading this is that you...My immediate thought upon reading this is that you don't know what it's like to have a husband, or any students, either. StellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-44005731210529456352013-01-22T17:52:33.359-05:002013-01-22T17:52:33.359-05:00Maybe his manager just drove him in his car or pai...Maybe his manager just drove him in his car or paid for his expenses. If he has no manager, maybe a friend took him there, he lived with friends and there were no receipts (he may have given some cash to his friends for their trouble). That may be fairly unlikely. The point is that every time you base a decision on what seems likely or unlikely to be true, there is a small chance of being unfair Monicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103879727877816655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-68871776027116553172013-01-22T16:55:59.295-05:002013-01-22T16:55:59.295-05:00The absence of evidence is still evidence, especia...The <i>absence</i> of evidence is still evidence, especially when the doctor's note could be easily faxed to my department, or from our own health center, which is about 200 feet away from my office. <br /><br />But consider this example: <br /><br />If my husband insists he's going to Atlanta on a business trip, and when he returns I ask him for the receipts for our taxes and he evadesStellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-56923475881469823192013-01-22T16:16:41.529-05:002013-01-22T16:16:41.529-05:00Believe it or not, even though I seem to always wa...Believe it or not, even though I seem to always want students to get the benefit of the doubt, I would actually support such a system as long as the rules are perfectly clear and the lies are clearly proven. It's when decisions are based on judgment, estimates and other subjective elements that I tend to have questions and doubts.Monicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103879727877816655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-89400985430240408412013-01-22T15:45:00.687-05:002013-01-22T15:45:00.687-05:00One of the post-secondary schools I attended had a...One of the post-secondary schools I attended had an honor code. It was hammered into me before arriving on campus and also during my first few weeks on campus. If I had lied to a proffie about having been at the doctor's office, then I would have thanked my lucky stars if I'd been discovered and received a punishment as lenient as Stella's "liar's penalty." Even todaySouthern Bubba, Ph.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/12050992903794385204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-24475097177111965982013-01-22T13:47:47.557-05:002013-01-22T13:47:47.557-05:00Well, my Uni allows Proffies to impose grade sanct...Well, my Uni allows Proffies to impose grade sanctions, as well as requiring us to refer students to higher authorities for further sanctions (basically, expulsion on the second offense).<br /><br />The Uni defines falsification of attendance as an academic integrity issue, and includes in the description of violations:<br /><br />"...Signs an attendance sheet for another student, allows Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-6940076355033708332013-01-22T11:35:57.879-05:002013-01-22T11:35:57.879-05:00It may be a disciplinary matter for the competent ...It may be a disciplinary matter for the competent university authorities. As a professor, you just have to give him the grade he earned, even if you also report the student to those in charge of discipline. It's a matter of principle. I realize that the discipline may end up being more severe than a grade penalty.Monicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103879727877816655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-48129348232517554722013-01-22T11:27:50.242-05:002013-01-22T11:27:50.242-05:00A miscarriage will get you a doctor's note. S...A miscarriage will get you a doctor's note. Severe diarrhea will also get you a doctor's note. Being committed to a mental hospital will as well get you a doctor's note. So will getting something stuck up your ass. In my experience, doctors don't write "Fred Smith is excused from work for three days because he shoved a light bulb up his ass". They don't have to StellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-65854881407034469202013-01-22T11:17:37.108-05:002013-01-22T11:17:37.108-05:00Soooo... if it's embarrassing I'm allowed ...Soooo... if it's embarrassing I'm allowed to lie? I am still dealing with a student who forged medical excuses. If he forged it because he was embarrassed that the REAL reason he missed class was because he got arrested (well, forgery IS a felony!), then I should only penalize him for missing class and not for forging medical notes?<br /><br />Sorry, can't agree. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-34609986791163965252013-01-22T11:11:54.473-05:002013-01-22T11:11:54.473-05:00Because it is perfectly possible that the student ...Because it is perfectly possible that the student did not have the flu but actually had some embarrassing problem. Not providing some kind of extension or refusing to waive the regular late penalty is one thing, and I have no problem with that. Penalizing the student for pretending that her disease or problem was just the flu when it may have been a miscarriage, severe diarrhea, a mental health Monicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103879727877816655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-55224607505502080212013-01-22T09:51:24.114-05:002013-01-22T09:51:24.114-05:00Monica, I'm confused by your confusion. Why sh...Monica, I'm confused by your confusion. Why shouldn't there be an extra penalty for lying? Or is it passé where you are to hold students accountable for their behavior?<br /><br />Good for you, Stella. BurntChromehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06055976331443607569noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-36293948800010051472013-01-22T00:00:07.637-05:002013-01-22T00:00:07.637-05:00Yes, I'm afraid they do...Yes, I'm afraid they do...StellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-17740078650113770952013-01-21T23:29:19.935-05:002013-01-21T23:29:19.935-05:00But do they really get an extra penalty for lying?...But do they really get an extra penalty for lying? I suppose that was just a joke.Monicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103879727877816655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-12049952569841113282013-01-21T22:42:47.285-05:002013-01-21T22:42:47.285-05:00Personally, I don't care what the student has....Personally, I don't care what the student has. I'm not interested. All I need is a note from a doctor saying that the student was unable to work from such-and-such dates, etc. It doesn't have to have a diagnosis. The less I know, the better. Like I want to hear about their anal cysts or whatall. <br /><br />If a student wants an extension because they claim they were ill, and StellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-45543819473185840082013-01-21T22:35:30.528-05:002013-01-21T22:35:30.528-05:00Okay, I will do the math for you. Students cannot...Okay, I will do the math for you. Students cannot get participation credit on days they are not in class, so a student absent about 25% of the time will receive a maximum participation grade of 75%.<br /><br />Now, let's say for that 75% of the time that the student was in class, they are only prepared for class and answer questions a third of the time. This means that they would only earn StellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-78129068373498105252013-01-21T21:29:52.119-05:002013-01-21T21:29:52.119-05:00What if the student really was ill but the nature ...What if the student really was ill but the nature of the illness is very embarrassing, so she pretended that she "only" got the flu? If no diagnosis is provided, the type of doctor or medicine may provide a hint. You may say that lateness penalty rules apply to everybody who does not make a case for an allowable exception. However, adding a "liar penalty" for not having Monicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103879727877816655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-45268894281483534512013-01-21T21:10:36.507-05:002013-01-21T21:10:36.507-05:00But how exactly did a C end up further reduced to ...But how exactly did a C end up further reduced to as little as 25%? It is that further reduction that I don't understand. How was it calculated? I understand that the C was further reduced because even on the days when the student was in class, her participation was far from exemplary. However, if getting something below 76.7% but higher than 25% would possibly have allowed the student to Monicahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08103879727877816655noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2883226237165701608.post-64410984632827668662013-01-21T20:07:22.299-05:002013-01-21T20:07:22.299-05:00I say, "Another possibility is if you'd l...I say, "Another possibility is if you'd like to present your prescription bottles instead of the required doctor's excuse. You don't have to do this but if you'd prefer that than going back to the doctor..." Totally up to them.<br /><br />And I don't allow excuses just for being "seen" by a doctor. The doctor has to indicate that the student was not StellafromSparksburghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17584701718285662953noreply@blogger.com