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Two students have given me gifts recently. This is much debated in the Chronicle of Higher Education. I don't know what to do about it. Both are international students. One is from S. Korea, the other from Bolivia. I don't know if that has any bearing, but it may. The Korean student gave me a Korean traditional ornament. It doesn't look incredibly valuable, so I don't feel all that bad. The Bolivian student gave me some Indian art piece made out of copper and silver. Now, I'm no jeweler, but that's a semi-precious and a precious metal. He says that it was nothing--that in Bolivia, there is so much low-quality silver that it actually costs more to mine it than they would make selling it, so street artists make this kind of thing all the time for cheap. Still...it's a little unsettling. Even more so because he won a scholarship from the local geophysical society, of which I am an officer, and was on the selection committee (though I told the students I was recusing myself from voting because half of them were my grad students). Granted, he'd already won the scholarship, but I hope he's not giving me this because of that.

Soooooo...what's the question exactly? Maybe I'm just stupid and can't see it, but are you asking what you should do about the gift because you're on the selection committee?

What is the ethical question?

Is there a question? Is receiving a gift from a student considered a breach of ethics? I used to give stuff to my teachers here and there, particularly the ones that I liked or affected me in a particular way, as thank you's and to let them know that I appreciate them.

Okay, I didn't put the actual question in explicit words...is it right to accept the gift?

I personally don't see any issue, but I'm not a professional in a school setting, so I don't really know the rules. My gut tells me it's fine, but the board of education might speak differently.

fade said:

Okay, I didn't put the actual question in explicit words...is it right to accept the gift?

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Only if they're blowjobs.

Seriously though, I wouldn't think much of it. Just make it clear that it's not going to help their grades or anything like that.

Accept the gifts, inform your supervisors of the gifts, disclose them on your income.

Thank the students, and explain to them that the legalities of your profession do not allow you to accept gifts outside of certain limits.

HCGLNS said:

Accept the gifts, inform your supervisors of the gifts, disclose them on your income.

Thank the students, and explain to them that the legalities of your profession do not allow you to accept gifts outside of certain limits.

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What about hookers and strippers?

Chazwozel;331632][QUOTE=HCGLNS said:

Accept the gifts, inform your supervisors of the gifts, disclose them on your income.

Thank the students, and explain to them that the legalities of your profession do not allow you to accept gifts outside of certain limits.

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What about hookers and strippers?[/QUOTE]

Only acceptable in poli-sci and kinesiology graduate studies as co-op term evaluations.

Asian cultures tend to do this more often, I find. My parents and grandparents are always bugging me to send gifts to my professors, and I keep telling them it's just not done.

Pbbt. They know it ain't going to help their grades.

Seems fine to me. HG up there has it right; if you're worried, just disclose it, I guess. But I wouldn't. I've given a gift to a professor before, but I waited until I was no longer her student so it would feel less awkward.

I gave my Japanese teacher sake once as a gift.

Nothing special behind it.

I give my boss gifts, doesn't mean I want a pay rise or a promotion. Just like to say thanks for being a fuckin' awesome boss.
People can be nice without wanting something in return, fucking rare I know.

And if your asking if you can accept it? Yes, you can. Your their professor in-school, doesn't mean you can't be friendly out of school. I used to go see my art teacher Kylie every week after school and we'd play Warcraft and order take-away. We just got along, nothing to it.

...Aaaaand now I'm thinking giving my Thesis supervisor a bottle of wine as thanks for bearing with me might be a bad idea.

Nah, you're fine, as long as it didn't include a note that said, "we should drink this together in the bathtub." And even then... that could be taken a number of different ways.

Did you guys catch the part about the scholarship? That's the part I'm most concerned about.

I don't think I would've thought twice about giving a prof something. But now that I'm on the other side of the desk, it's just making me wonder. Don't get me wrong...I'm not writhing on the floor here in ethical agony. I was just curious about your (the collective your) take on it.

(Who WOULDN'T drink a bottle of wine in the bathtub with NR?)

I think if you keep people informed, you're probably okay. It may be a bit in the gray area but it doesn't seem like any lines were actually crossed.

I still agree with HG--it should be fine. Ask/tell someone above you if you're worried.

Eh I wouldn't worry too much about it Fade. I actually hung out with my undergrad profs on a number of occasions while still in their classes ('course they were tenured too). I don't see a conflict of interest if he'd already won the scholarship.

bhamv3 said:

Asian cultures tend to do this more often, I find. My parents and grandparents are always bugging me to send gifts to my professors, and I keep telling them it's just not done.

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^^--- This is one of the reason.

Asian culture (and many others) usually give small gifts to professors to show respect and appreciation. Some do it just because tradition dictates it (they do it cause it is done that way) I highly recommend that you tell your supervisor of the gift so it is known and recorded. Thank the student and let them know it is not common for student to give professors gift but you will accept it (in some culture it is "offensive" to decline the gift)

I say you give their gifts back in disgust. Hilarity ensues...

Chazwozel;331628][QUOTE=fade said:

Okay, I didn't put the actual question in explicit words...is it right to accept the gift?

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Only if they're blowjobs.[/QUOTE]
I like to think that he's giving them the gift in that case.

Unless your county's board of education has a policy about not accepting gifts from students then you are fine; as long as the gifts are nothing considered illegal per your school/BoE rules. My wife is a high school teacher and she usually receives gifts from a few of her seniors. But if it feels wrong then don't accept them. You are the boss in your classroom and if you want to establish a personal policy about not accepting gifts then set that up at the beginning of next semester or school year.

Also, see the fruit basket scene from A Christmas Story.

I buy my professors a book they would take interest in as a gift.

I wouldn't worry too much about it. The scholarship was already awarded.

Plus the Doctorate hood was worn so that students could throw coins into it. That way they could show their appreciation anonymously.

Hey, that's got to be better than what I make. It's depressing that my master's students go out of here with oil company contracts for 2-3 times what I make. Sure makes me think about going down that road. But then I realized that I do whatever the hell I want whenever I want and get paid for it.

fade said:

Hey, that's got to be better than what I make. It's depressing that my master's students go out of here with oil company contracts for 2-3 times what I make. Sure makes me think about going down that road. But then I realized that I do whatever the hell I want whenever I want and get paid for it.

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I wish industry was like that. Even though I got to boss people around, I still had to report to a committee of hosers. The best were meetings with the dumbass suits who don't know shit about science.

Right now I'm pretty much 'post-docing' at an academic lab. The P.I. is lazier than I am. We get along great.

Cajungal said:

I still agree with HG--it should be fine. Ask/tell someone above you if you're worried.

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Heh, Cajungal thinks I'm mercurial!

Chazwozel;332383][QUOTE=fade said:

Hey, that's got to be better than what I make. It's depressing that my master's students go out of here with oil company contracts for 2-3 times what I make. Sure makes me think about going down that road. But then I realized that I do whatever the hell I want whenever I want and get paid for it.

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I wish industry was like that. Even though I got to boss people around, I still had to report to a committee of hosers. The best were meetings with the dumbass suits who don't know shit about science.

Right now I'm pretty much 'post-docing' at an academic lab. The P.I. is lazier than I am. We get along great.[/QUOTE]
I can see the attraction of academia. Yesterday the guy I'm consulting for had a complete hissy fit during a meeting and stormed out. He later came back and apologized to everyone, except for the guy who pissed him off (who's lab space we're using for 90% of the work), whom he told to go fuck himself. His behavior will have zero consequences, whereas that shit would not fly in industry.

I think you should disclose it to the selection committee (or the school board as may be appropriate), but don't worry about it otherwise.

You should be as crossing Ts and dotting Is as possible, because even the suspicion of an ethics violation, even completely untrue, can hurt you politically.