Last Spring, I was taking this class entitled Rise of Hitler.

I was doing pretty well in the class. Last book report we get back the day of the final. Teacher calls me out, and speaks to me outside of class. He said I wrote on a book he didn't approve of. No big deal, I've been to his office a few times, and he wants to help me. He said I'd get an INC, and take care of it next semester on a topic we agree on.

I emailed him that day, never hearing back. Went through the summer, emailed a few more times. Go by his office, no hours posted. Fall Semester begins, I emailed him several times, go by his office, leave notes on his door. I finally wait outside one of his classes, to confront him on it.

Dude hauls ass running away from me, and said he didn't have time for me. I said when will you have time, starting to chase after him. He said office hours. I said I have no idea when they are. I told him to stop running, and tell me when they are. He makes it to his office hallway, and tells me T and Th. I said, What times? finally got it out of him.

I am guessing from the lack of response, and reaction when he saw me, I've failed this class. Which sucks, considering I had a B average prior to this in the class.

I might go to the dept chair...but I guess I'm going to try and see him this Tuesday. It's just getting tight as the deadline for INC is like Nov. 28th or something.

Anyone ever have this happen to them?

11/3/2011 5:27:16 PM

No, but may I ask why would you write on a book he didn't approve of?

11/3/2011 6:28:53 PM

^

11/3/2011 6:55:43 PM

he didn't tell me until later.

he was a slow grader...took 4 weeks to get a paper back...

11/3/2011 7:02:07 PM

Well did it not occur to you to ask him if the book was approved before it was due. When ever I had to write a report worth a significant amount of grade, either there was a list of things you could write on or you had to submit to teacher for approval first. Seems idiotic to turn something like this in without knowing if it is approved in advance.

11/3/2011 7:43:02 PM

it was on the list of books for the class...he would later take that book off making it optional.

I'm not saying I didn't make a stupid move there..but he gave me an INC to complete it....and he isn't attempting to help correct it.

11/3/2011 7:50:53 PM

i find it really hard to believe that a professor ran away from you. if so, i would go straight to the department head. that is absolutely unacceptable.

11/4/2011 9:43:39 AM

was the course required for major? i'm guessing if not just take an F. If GPA is important to you one thing you could do is just take a lot of gut courses to make up for it. Probably not worth all the time and trouble to start writing a paper and get it corrected now

11/4/2011 10:13:55 PM

Quote :

"i find it really hard to believe that a professor ran away from you."

I do not find it so hard to believe. The university hosts some interesting personality types, and his apparent aversion to contact isn't entirely unpredictable. Many professors (people in general) will be very hesitant to express just how unlikely it is that they will give you a passing grade. Anyone who has been in the position of a novice grader knows what it feels like to answer a student's questions about why they got what they not in an assignment that has inherently very subjective grading.

Quote :

"i'm guessing if not just take an F. If GPA is important to you one thing you could do is just take a lot of gut courses to make up for it."

TWW. Home of terrible life advice.

11/10/2011 5:04:04 PM

sounds like a cool class.....I love WW2 history

11/10/2011 5:22:37 PM

If the professor still won't meet with you, I'd collect all the material you have -- the paper you turned in, the e-mails you sent (and any you received), and previous tests/graded material you got in the course, etc. and set up a meeting with the Department Head.

Going and talking to your academic advisor probably wouldn't hurt either. I can't imagine they can do much of anything, but who knows.

11/11/2011 10:32:27 AM

What the hell kid of book about Hitler did you write on to scare your professor shitless?

11/11/2011 1:18:02 PM

If a professor is ignoring your contact, intentionally hiding their office hours from you, and literally running from you when they see you, then you have to go over their heads.

Quote :

"I emailed him that day, never hearing back. Went through the summer, emailed a few more times."

Did you ever call his office and speak to him, and/or leave a voicemail? Some people just aren't e-mail people, especially older professors in my experience. Sometimes picking up a phone a time or two goes a longer ways than sending e-mails and waiting it out.

11/11/2011 3:02:40 PM

outcome?

11/28/2011 5:13:26 PM

Everything is turned in...waiting to hear back on the grade.

12/2/2011 11:13:52 PM

Good!

An INC is an INC for a reason, and it would have been total nonsense if he didn't let you finish the class for a fair grade.

12/7/2011 6:47:56 PM

Did you still report this? A lot of students are quick to pull the "department head" trigger, but I recall having a manager tell me 'each time you go up the chain of command in certain professions, each step up has a workload several times that of the step below them'. Obviously that doesn't always hold true, but department heads, as much as we would like to convince ourselves otherwise, have a lot more pressing matters on their hands than what Johnny Undergrad is bitching about.

Not to say they won't hear you out, but there are more effective people to go to.

I usually either went to my advisor (Cheryl Heeter or Cheryl Tran if she changed her name after getting married) or the department's "Undergraduate Advisor". In the MAE school, Dr. Silverberg was the undergraduate advisor and he was great to approach with these kinds of problems. He could either tell you what to do to get the ball rolling on dealing with your "trouble maker" or he could give you advice. IMHO, since they aren't "department head", they have a little more breathing room to give you realistic advise without worrying about a student running around saying "the department head said I could do X, Y, and Z so screw you Dr. Asshole."

----

Anyway, if you have a shitty professor, make sure people know about it, and not just online. This idea of "I'm going to shoot a couple e-mails off and call it a day" thing just doesn't cut it. Visit department staff if they're being unprofessional and actually take time to fill out the teacher reviews.

12/9/2011 8:04:20 AM

Quote :

"Some people just aren't e-mail people, especially older professors in my experience"

I thought it was university policy that they have to check it at least X number of times per day...

12/10/2011 1:18:56 AM

^Just because it's a preferred method of communication, generally, doesn't mean that all issues are best handled online. Showing a professor that you care enough to get off your ass and go to his office means a lot.

FWIW, this is something I've seen other new hires shoot themselves in the foot for in the workplace. It's easy to have a problem with something or someone and shoot off a sniveling little e-mail. It takes a great resolution of mind to actually go down and talk to the person you need assistance with, especially if its something not so clear cut (like trying to explain this situation).

12/10/2011 2:45:14 PM

Well, I did make several attempts to seek him out. Left numerous notes, that I happen to see on his desk and point out to him about that. It's funny now he has emailed me countless number of times.

Speaking to other current students of his, he has been a bit of a dick to them by not returning their emails...but they had the advantage of knowing his office hours.

I did get the INC replaced to a C. This now completes my minor..and I'm happy.

I did not report him via his department chair...I'm happy I could solve this myself...sort of.

Thanks TWW.

12/12/2011 10:00:24 PM