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Telling off a student
#1
MindDetective
MindDetective
It is my last week at the university where I teach. I have had a miserable, entitled student pestering me and my poor TA all semester. He had the gall to demand I give him full points for the questions that the online exam errored on. I gave him the questions and told him to e-mail the answers back to me. This gave him extra time and was considered reasonable by other students who experienced a similar problem. To him that was unacceptable. But little did he know that I can't get fired from this job now. It is too late for that. So I told him off. I told him he was a bully and that he wasn't going to get what he wanted. Maybe things will escalate to the dean but I really stopped caring about his 24 (out of 1000) points. The student has no respect for education and is the worst of the worst point-counters. I've never told off a student like that but being on the way out is very freeing.
What's the worst you've done on your way out?
What's the worst you've done on your way out?
#2
Dave
Dave
I've never burned a bridge at any job I've ever worked at. I guess I'm just too chickenshit or haven't had the chance to meet jerks like that.
#3
fade
fade
Awesome. I did once when I was a graduate TA. I just went beyond bewildered that this one girl just could not understand the concept of slope. She seemed almost proud that she couldn't understand it. It got under my skin, and I kind of went off on her in front of the class. She never did anything about it though.
#4
Gusto
Gusto
I once used a manager sort of telling me off as an excuse to finally quit.
I had been working two part time jobs at the time, for about a month, and the newest job was the one I really wanted to keep and it showed. I kept calling into the older job to tell my boss I needed to switch or cancel shifts so that I could work a shift at my new job, etc.
Finally, the old boss took me aside at work and told me that it was getting to be too much, and that I would have to decide which job was more important to me. He was kinda shocked that I gave him my two weeks notice right there.
I had been working two part time jobs at the time, for about a month, and the newest job was the one I really wanted to keep and it showed. I kept calling into the older job to tell my boss I needed to switch or cancel shifts so that I could work a shift at my new job, etc.
Finally, the old boss took me aside at work and told me that it was getting to be too much, and that I would have to decide which job was more important to me. He was kinda shocked that I gave him my two weeks notice right there.
#5
Emrys
Emrys
I used to work at WalMart when I was a starving university student. I had finished my regular 4-10 shift, when my section manager asked if I would stay and work overnight to set up for a promotion. I needed the money, so I said yes.
Over the course of the night, I set up one of the endcap signs incorrectly. It wasn't a big deal, since it still conveyed the necessary information (item description and price). It just wasn't "corporation standard".
At 8:00 that morning, after I had worked 16 hrs straight, my store manager called me on it. On the floor, in front of customers and all my co-workers. Basically asked me how stupid I was that I couldn't put together a sign correctly. So I told him exactly what I thought of the sign, the job, and him, and walked out of the store. Never clocked out, never looked back.
I didn't just burn that bridge; I nuked it from orbit. It was the only way to be sure.
Over the course of the night, I set up one of the endcap signs incorrectly. It wasn't a big deal, since it still conveyed the necessary information (item description and price). It just wasn't "corporation standard".
At 8:00 that morning, after I had worked 16 hrs straight, my store manager called me on it. On the floor, in front of customers and all my co-workers. Basically asked me how stupid I was that I couldn't put together a sign correctly. So I told him exactly what I thought of the sign, the job, and him, and walked out of the store. Never clocked out, never looked back.
I didn't just burn that bridge; I nuked it from orbit. It was the only way to be sure.
#6
Chibibar
Chibibar
MindDetective: I never told anyone off. I just don't waste my energy on it. At least you have the email to show that you GAVE him the time and extra effort to help him and he doesn't think it is good enough? well tough cookies on him.
#7
MindDetective
MindDetective
Pretty much. He said he's going to the dean but what is the dean going to do?
#8
Espy
Espy
Good show MD.
#9
SpecialKO
Are you trading up or going to the private sector, MD?
SpecialKO
Well, he might change the student's grade and deprive him of a valuable life lesson....Pretty much. He said he's going to the dean but what is the dean going to do?
Are you trading up or going to the private sector, MD?
#10
MindDetective
MindDetective
Trading up. In my present position, I have no option for promotion (tenure), even if I am here for 20 years. I am considered purely a contractual hire. So I am moving into a position that WILL enable me to receive promotion someday. I also get higher pay and a milder climate at the new job, though it is at a smaller school.
#11
Wasabi Poptart
Wasabi Poptart
When I left my casino job, I walked into my department's office and left a note on my manager's desk that I was quitting effective immediately. I only returned to collect my last pay stub.
#12
Espy
Espy
(NSFW language)
#13
Dave
Dave
Still my favorite:
#14
sixpackshaker
sixpackshaker
A friend of mine was once told before he started his shift as a waiter that he was fired. But they expected him to finish the shift. When a customer called to him and said...
"Waiter! I need some butter."
My friend looked at him and smiled...
"If you want some butter why don't you scrape it off of your teeth?"
"Waiter! I need some butter."
My friend looked at him and smiled...
"If you want some butter why don't you scrape it off of your teeth?"
#15
MindDetective
MindDetective
Sounds like the dean has seen this kind of thing before and is prepared. He also doesn't seem too happy. 
#16
Chibibar
Chibibar
ooo now I'm curious on what the dean is gonna do.Sounds like the dean has seen this kind of thing before and is prepared. He also doesn't seem too happy.
#17
MindDetective
MindDetective
The first thing he is going to do is refer the student to the department chair. After that...?
#18
Allen who is Quiet
Allen who is Quiet
Don't forget to ask the student how talking to the dean went.
#19
MindDetective
MindDetective
And then I should go throw eggs at his house?
#20
Wasabi Poptart
Wasabi Poptart
Nah. You need to put a bag of flaming poo on his doorstep, ring the bell, and run.
#21
North_Ranger
North_Ranger
First I read that as flamingo poo, and considered it a novel trick...
Then I noticed there was no O.
Now I has a sad
Then I noticed there was no O.
Now I has a sad
#22
Emrys
Emrys
Would you consider flaming ferret poo?
#23
North_Ranger
North_Ranger
That's... an improvement...
#24
Officer_Charon
Officer_Charon
Having owned ferrets, I'll say "not really an improvemet, no"
#25
Wasabi Poptart
Wasabi Poptart
Ditto and eeewwww.Having owned ferrets, I'll say "not really an improvemet, no"
#26
Chibibar
Chibibar
lol I read that too originally. I thought it would have been awesome.First I read that as flamingo poo, and considered it a novel trick...
Then I noticed there was no O.
Now I has a sad
#28
Mathias
Mathias
When I quit Home Depot I did the "fuck you" thing to my other buddies at their registers. It wasn't really a bridge burning, but I did it in front of customers.
I have too many teaching stories to tell... let's just say I've made quite the reputation for myself as the professor you don't want to pull grade-grubbing shit on. Don't get me wrong though, if you can logically argue the rationale for an answer, I'll give it a look over.
I'm actually starting my new job at the end of this month as soon as finals are graded (after a nice week break). Kinda excited to be getting back into industry and making mo' money. I'm not burning any bridges though.
I have too many teaching stories to tell... let's just say I've made quite the reputation for myself as the professor you don't want to pull grade-grubbing shit on. Don't get me wrong though, if you can logically argue the rationale for an answer, I'll give it a look over.
I'm actually starting my new job at the end of this month as soon as finals are graded (after a nice week break). Kinda excited to be getting back into industry and making mo' money. I'm not burning any bridges though.
#29
Cajungal
Cajungal
Well done, sir! I've never done anything like that on my way out of a job, but I've had pretty good luck. Even the worst people I worked with were tolerable, and our differences could be resolved fairly easily. Someday I'd love to have that opportunity just to see if I could be honest like that. Once I gave an ex-friend what was essentially an exit interview-- letting her know that her crappy boyfriends and general behavior make me feel unsafe and that it was too painful watching her be self-destructive to hang around with her. It didn't take, though... she still calls me.
#30
Gusto
Gusto
Tin, as someone who used to work at KFC, owned by the same people as Taco Bell, I can attest to their stores' poor drainage. Well played, sir.
#31
Chibibar
Chibibar
Karma is a bitchFunny thing is, she ended up getting my position (as expected)...I think I only saw her in the store for 3 or 4 months before the entire management team was swapped out. I guess she couldn't cut the mustard.
#32
Cajungal
Cajungal
That's awesome, Tin.
#33
Chibibar
Chibibar
Did he pay? heheTwo jobs ago, I thought I had a good relationship with the company I worked for, but I didn't really get along with the new guy they'd hired to be a project manager. As an example, I spent all afternoon one day explaining to him that database normalization was standard "best practices" for something like 30 or 40 years--this dumbass wanted to de-normalize the databases so that we had duplicate raw text across all of the tables. Worse yet, he wanted to combine all of our specialized table structures (names, addresses, document information, etc) into one single giant database table. Which means we'd have had TONS of duplicate data in the database, which is a recipe for absolute disaster and which totally breaks the whole "relational" part of "relational database". It was clear the guy never really worked with computers except maybe from a management standpoint. Anyway, we butted heads a few times, but it was never openly hostile.
So, when I gave him my verbal two weeks notice, he asked me to leave immediately. So I guess he didn't like me just as much as I didn't like him...probably for making him look dumb in corporate meetings.
A half hour later he came back to my office and asked me why I wasn't gone yet, and I told him I was crafting my resignation letter, and followed it up with "And I'll probably still be here for another hour working on it..unless you plan on having security throw me out."--basically daring him to do just that. He declined, naturally.
Two days later he called me sounding desperate and asked me for the passwords for my computer and for the source code repository (which he should have had already, but evidently a couple of other key people left the job recently as well). I snorted on the phone and said "well, you know, if you'd have let me work out those two weeks, you could have just came by my desk today and I'd have been glad to help you out. As it is, my consulting rate is $75.00 hour..."
I think those are the only two times I've ever really been obnoxious leaving a job, and I feel pretty justified in both of them.
#34
sixpackshaker
sixpackshaker
Normally I only hear of IT people being shown the door when they are getting laid off or fired.
#35
Chibibar
Chibibar
Alas, I don't have any stories like that. The "worst" way I got fired was by a meeting. I was doing contract work (2 year contract) and was in 1st year. The company wasn't doing well so they called in all their contract workers (mainly IT) and had a big meeting about the company's future. after the meeting, all those attended are promptly let go THAT day.
#36
Gared
Gared
The worst I've seen for being transitioned out was at WaMu 7 years ago. We were working an insanely busy call center for consumer lending, and we'd been under a hiring freeze for months. Things were going poorly - no new employees except contractors, a new software suite that was failing badly, and it was the middle of the refi-boom of '03-'04 so we had a huge influx of new loans to service, software that couldn't hack it, and nowhere near enough employees to service all of these new loans. We'd gone from an average hold time of 2mins with an SLA of 97% before the software change to an average hold time of 3hrs with an SLA of 0% immediately following the software roll out - this thing just couldn't do shit, it was marking people as delinquent when they were paying their loans and lines on time, denying funds to people with over a million dollars available on their HELOCs, canceling credit cards, you name it.
Anyway, the call center was open from 6am to 7pm, and we had 200+ people in queue at 6am when we got to work, and sometimes in excess of 100 people still in queue at 7 when we closed, which the closing teams had to stay and take care of, but were then being disciplined for having too much OT on their paychecks. That stopped when someone was fired for clearing the queue in 2 minutes by just picking up and hanging up until the calls were gone. So April rolls around and we're pretty used to massive queues and no time between calls, but we come in one morning and there are no calls in queue. None. There's nothing holding, the SLA is 99% and the average hold time is 30sec. We log on to our computers and everyone has an email from corporate that there are going to be conference calls throughout the day and each one will involve several teams, no one is allowed to talk about what was said during the call to anyone who hasn't been in one yet, etc.
Our team's call wasn't until 1pm or so, and we get in there and hear that they're shutting down this call center and moving to a different location (which had already started taking the call volume from us that morning) that was 22.5 miles away. Now, 22.5 miles isn't that far. It's a little less that what I commute one way now, but most of the people working at that call center were already commuting for an hour or more to get to work, and the way the new call center was situated from the old one would have added about 90 minutes for most of us, so for 90% of the staff transitioning to the new location was completely out of the question. Problem was, WaMu had a policy that unless they moved your job 25 miles or more away from you, you weren't due any sort of severence package or assistance finding a new position within the company or anything nice like that. If you didn't decide to move to the new location, it was termed as a voluntary quit and you were just S.O.L. One of my buddies and I had lunch right after the meeting ended and walked the two blocks to Pike Place Brewery for some beers and burgers and came back half sloshed.
It backfired for WaMu though, they thought they were going to get the cream of the crop from our location to go to the new location and train all of the new reps, but they got a grand total of 10 transfers. The rest of us just worked until the center closed down and left the company.
Anyway, the call center was open from 6am to 7pm, and we had 200+ people in queue at 6am when we got to work, and sometimes in excess of 100 people still in queue at 7 when we closed, which the closing teams had to stay and take care of, but were then being disciplined for having too much OT on their paychecks. That stopped when someone was fired for clearing the queue in 2 minutes by just picking up and hanging up until the calls were gone. So April rolls around and we're pretty used to massive queues and no time between calls, but we come in one morning and there are no calls in queue. None. There's nothing holding, the SLA is 99% and the average hold time is 30sec. We log on to our computers and everyone has an email from corporate that there are going to be conference calls throughout the day and each one will involve several teams, no one is allowed to talk about what was said during the call to anyone who hasn't been in one yet, etc.
Our team's call wasn't until 1pm or so, and we get in there and hear that they're shutting down this call center and moving to a different location (which had already started taking the call volume from us that morning) that was 22.5 miles away. Now, 22.5 miles isn't that far. It's a little less that what I commute one way now, but most of the people working at that call center were already commuting for an hour or more to get to work, and the way the new call center was situated from the old one would have added about 90 minutes for most of us, so for 90% of the staff transitioning to the new location was completely out of the question. Problem was, WaMu had a policy that unless they moved your job 25 miles or more away from you, you weren't due any sort of severence package or assistance finding a new position within the company or anything nice like that. If you didn't decide to move to the new location, it was termed as a voluntary quit and you were just S.O.L. One of my buddies and I had lunch right after the meeting ended and walked the two blocks to Pike Place Brewery for some beers and burgers and came back half sloshed.
It backfired for WaMu though, they thought they were going to get the cream of the crop from our location to go to the new location and train all of the new reps, but they got a grand total of 10 transfers. The rest of us just worked until the center closed down and left the company.
#37
Gared
Gared
Damn Tin, you have all the good (and horrible) stories.
#38
SpecialKO
SpecialKO
This just happened to a friend of mine. He's been holding off on job-hunting while hoping that they get their funding sorted out (he really liked his job), but I'm trying to tell him to just apply to everything that's in the ballpark salary range, since he can always turn w/e offer down if the company rights itself.Heh, the worst layoff I ever got was in 2000. This was when I was making "internet money". Just a couple of weeks prior, we'd been assured that we had funding to last at least 18 more months.
So, one week before my son is born, I get a phone call on Friday saying "Well, you're not getting paid today. We're out of money. Good luck."
Nice.
#39
Null
Null
Not a quitting story, but some stories about the same obnoxious student.
Last May, after finals were done, the night before the professors were supposed to turn in grades, at 9:30pm (the college library closed at 10) a student comes in, needing to find a subject for her English Composition II research paper (which for most Comp II classes is about 3 weeks late already). She needed a poet that we had lots of information on - specifically, she wanted "a biography, a book of literary criticisms, and a reader's guide." We don't have all of those for all but a few authors. Many authors, we just have a sampling of their work. So I point her to Allen Ginsberg, since we have a ton of information on him. "Never heard of him." Three other poets - Whitman, Dickinson, William Carlos Williams - get the same result. Finally I go, "Okay, just do the paper on Maya Angelou. Your professor's already read ten or twelve papers on her this semester, we have probably 20 books by or about her." She sighs, and goes, "Fine, whatever." She looks on the shelf, grabs one of her books and says, "Oh, this one's pink, it must be good!" Looks at the cover, and says, "EWW, She's BLACK?!" I said, "Uh, yeah, she's probably the most famous african-american poet of the 20th century." (personally, I liked the work of the late Lucille Clifton better, but that's just a matter of taste) Obnoxious student goes, "Well, I'm not reading about growing up in a jungle! Find me something that's actually written in English!" I eventually found her a copy of Liar's Club by Mary Karr, which she returned two months late and in August decided to do her paper on Robert Frost.
While working on the Frost paper, she was using our online resources - Literature Resource Center is an academic database we're subscribed to. She was looking for criticisms on one of Frost's poems, and complaining she couldn't find anything. Now, Robert Frost is probably one of THE most analyzed poets in American Literature. So I check her results for literary criticisms, of poetry, by Robert Frost. 1537 results. I said, "There's over 1500 results here." And she goes, "Yeah, but, like, I only need five." So I say, "Well, there's 20 on this front page, you could look through them and pick the five that best cover what you're going for." She sneers and says, "Well thanks for nothing."
Yesterday she comes in at 5:30 and asks if she can use our copy of the Public Speaking textboook. I say, "Yes, we've got it on reserve. Reserve texts have to stay in the library though." She goes, "Well, what if I bring it back on Thursday?" I said, "You can't bring back something that doesn't leave." She goes, "I'm not staying here to study," like it was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. I say, "I'm sorry, but we don't lend out reserve books. They're on reserve so people can use them here." She goes, "Fine!" and stomps off.
20 minutes later, Dean Summit comes in and tells me the girl's filed a complaint of sexual harassment against me, and says I told her that I would only allow her to take out a book if she performed a sexual act for me. I'm really glad that there were other people around, because everyone the Dean asked said her story was a lie. If I had been alone, I don't know how I would have proven my innocence. Afterwards the Dean said that she was surprised to hear that kind of complaint against me, and that it wasn't the first time that student had tried that tactic.
TL;DR version: Obnoxious ignorant students are a pain in the ass.
Last May, after finals were done, the night before the professors were supposed to turn in grades, at 9:30pm (the college library closed at 10) a student comes in, needing to find a subject for her English Composition II research paper (which for most Comp II classes is about 3 weeks late already). She needed a poet that we had lots of information on - specifically, she wanted "a biography, a book of literary criticisms, and a reader's guide." We don't have all of those for all but a few authors. Many authors, we just have a sampling of their work. So I point her to Allen Ginsberg, since we have a ton of information on him. "Never heard of him." Three other poets - Whitman, Dickinson, William Carlos Williams - get the same result. Finally I go, "Okay, just do the paper on Maya Angelou. Your professor's already read ten or twelve papers on her this semester, we have probably 20 books by or about her." She sighs, and goes, "Fine, whatever." She looks on the shelf, grabs one of her books and says, "Oh, this one's pink, it must be good!" Looks at the cover, and says, "EWW, She's BLACK?!" I said, "Uh, yeah, she's probably the most famous african-american poet of the 20th century." (personally, I liked the work of the late Lucille Clifton better, but that's just a matter of taste) Obnoxious student goes, "Well, I'm not reading about growing up in a jungle! Find me something that's actually written in English!" I eventually found her a copy of Liar's Club by Mary Karr, which she returned two months late and in August decided to do her paper on Robert Frost.
While working on the Frost paper, she was using our online resources - Literature Resource Center is an academic database we're subscribed to. She was looking for criticisms on one of Frost's poems, and complaining she couldn't find anything. Now, Robert Frost is probably one of THE most analyzed poets in American Literature. So I check her results for literary criticisms, of poetry, by Robert Frost. 1537 results. I said, "There's over 1500 results here." And she goes, "Yeah, but, like, I only need five." So I say, "Well, there's 20 on this front page, you could look through them and pick the five that best cover what you're going for." She sneers and says, "Well thanks for nothing."
Yesterday she comes in at 5:30 and asks if she can use our copy of the Public Speaking textboook. I say, "Yes, we've got it on reserve. Reserve texts have to stay in the library though." She goes, "Well, what if I bring it back on Thursday?" I said, "You can't bring back something that doesn't leave." She goes, "I'm not staying here to study," like it was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. I say, "I'm sorry, but we don't lend out reserve books. They're on reserve so people can use them here." She goes, "Fine!" and stomps off.
20 minutes later, Dean Summit comes in and tells me the girl's filed a complaint of sexual harassment against me, and says I told her that I would only allow her to take out a book if she performed a sexual act for me. I'm really glad that there were other people around, because everyone the Dean asked said her story was a lie. If I had been alone, I don't know how I would have proven my innocence. Afterwards the Dean said that she was surprised to hear that kind of complaint against me, and that it wasn't the first time that student had tried that tactic.
TL;DR version: Obnoxious ignorant students are a pain in the ass.
#40
Tress
Tress
I want that story to end with "... and a few months later I found out she was expelled." Please tell me that's how the story ends.
#41
Gared
Gared
These are college students, right Null? How the fuck did people get to college age being that fucking entitled and not forget to breathe at some point in their lives? Thank God she's the exception to the rule.
... She is the exception to the rule, isn't she? Most college students aren't that bad?
... She is the exception to the rule, isn't she? Most college students aren't that bad?
#42
MindDetective
The thought of this happening terrifies me.
Added at: 14:30
MindDetective
I was nodding my head until I got to this part.20 minutes later, Dean Summit comes in and tells me the girl's filed a complaint of sexual harassment against me, and says I told her that I would only allow her to take out a book if she performed a sexual act for me. I'm really glad that there were other people around, because everyone the Dean asked said her story was a lie. If I had been alone, I don't know how I would have proven my innocence. Afterwards the Dean said that she was surprised to hear that kind of complaint against me, and that it wasn't the first time that student had tried that tactic.
TL;DR version: Obnoxious ignorant students are a pain in the ass.
The thought of this happening terrifies me.Added at: 14:30
Most are not. Enough are to raise an eyebrow.These are college students, right Null? How the fuck did people get to college age being that fucking entitled and not forget to breathe at some point in their lives? Thank God she's the exception to the rule.
... She is the exception to the rule, isn't she? Most college students aren't that bad?
#43
SpecialKO
SpecialKO
I am okay with students asking for favors/extra (heck, I'd call that a necessary life lesson), but getting upset with the askee for not getting that extra really pisses me off.
#44
Gared
Gared
Oh yeah, being willing to ask for help/clarification/assistance, and knowing how to ask are two of the most important things I've learned in my life to date. They've saved me countless hours of frustration and saved me from having to redo projects that I would have done wrong the first time if I hadn't asked for clarification before starting them; but the student in that story is frightening in her ignorance/laziness/entitlement. Of course, I'd like to think that if I'd been in her shoes I would have picked Ginsberg, Whitman, Dickinson, Williams or Angelou, and I'd like to think that I would be smart enough to do the research on my own - but I dropped out of college 10 years ago before I got to any really challenging classes, so we'll never know.
#45
Chibibar
Chibibar
I use to remember when I have to do my own research paper via card catalog!! yeesh kids these days.
#46
Gared
Gared
Wait, you mean libraries don't use the card catalog system anymore? Jeebus, it's worse than I thought.
#47
Chibibar
Chibibar
I meant actual card. Now it is all computer base and easy search system.Wait, you mean libraries don't use the card catalog system anymore? Jeebus, it's worse than I thought.
#48
AshburnerX
AshburnerX
Yeah, schools don't even teach the Dewey Decimal system anymore. I know I learned it in the early 90's, but it was well on it's way out even then.I meant actual card. Now it is all computer base and easy search system.
#49
Gared
Gared
So did I man, so did I. I remember the filing cabinets with the tiny little card sized drawers that were 3 or 4 feet deep. Knowing how to work that system made writing term papers so much easier - especially since we were still in Internet 1.0 back then and Wikipedia didn't exist (not that I'd really recommend using Wikipedia as a term paper source). If we wanted to get computerized encyclopedia information, we had to rely on Encarta, and it was horrible. Give me the card catalog system and a well stocked university library any day of the week.
#50
Adammon
Adammon
And that girl grew up to be, you guessed it, Governor of Alaska.Not a quitting story, but some stories about the same obnoxious student.
Last May, after finals were done, the night before the professors were supposed to turn in grades, at 9:30pm (the college library closed at 10) a student comes in, needing to find a subject for her English Composition II research paper (which for most Comp II classes is about 3 weeks late already). She needed a poet that we had lots of information on - specifically, she wanted "a biography, a book of literary criticisms, and a reader's guide." We don't have all of those for all but a few authors. Many authors, we just have a sampling of their work. So I point her to Allen Ginsberg, since we have a ton of information on him. "Never heard of him." Three other poets - Whitman, Dickinson, William Carlos Williams - get the same result. Finally I go, "Okay, just do the paper on Maya Angelou. Your professor's already read ten or twelve papers on her this semester, we have probably 20 books by or about her." She sighs, and goes, "Fine, whatever." She looks on the shelf, grabs one of her books and says, "Oh, this one's pink, it must be good!" Looks at the cover, and says, "EWW, She's BLACK?!" I said, "Uh, yeah, she's probably the most famous african-american poet of the 20th century." (personally, I liked the work of the late Lucille Clifton better, but that's just a matter of taste) Obnoxious student goes, "Well, I'm not reading about growing up in a jungle! Find me something that's actually written in English!" I eventually found her a copy of Liar's Club by Mary Karr, which she returned two months late and in August decided to do her paper on Robert Frost.
While working on the Frost paper, she was using our online resources - Literature Resource Center is an academic database we're subscribed to. She was looking for criticisms on one of Frost's poems, and complaining she couldn't find anything. Now, Robert Frost is probably one of THE most analyzed poets in American Literature. So I check her results for literary criticisms, of poetry, by Robert Frost. 1537 results. I said, "There's over 1500 results here." And she goes, "Yeah, but, like, I only need five." So I say, "Well, there's 20 on this front page, you could look through them and pick the five that best cover what you're going for." She sneers and says, "Well thanks for nothing."
Yesterday she comes in at 5:30 and asks if she can use our copy of the Public Speaking textboook. I say, "Yes, we've got it on reserve. Reserve texts have to stay in the library though." She goes, "Well, what if I bring it back on Thursday?" I said, "You can't bring back something that doesn't leave." She goes, "I'm not staying here to study," like it was the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. I say, "I'm sorry, but we don't lend out reserve books. They're on reserve so people can use them here." She goes, "Fine!" and stomps off.
20 minutes later, Dean Summit comes in and tells me the girl's filed a complaint of sexual harassment against me, and says I told her that I would only allow her to take out a book if she performed a sexual act for me. I'm really glad that there were other people around, because everyone the Dean asked said her story was a lie. If I had been alone, I don't know how I would have proven my innocence. Afterwards the Dean said that she was surprised to hear that kind of complaint against me, and that it wasn't the first time that student had tried that tactic.
TL;DR version: Obnoxious ignorant students are a pain in the ass.
#51
Null
Re: Dewey Decimal System - it is still in use, mostly by public libraries. Academic libraries are largely using Library Congress cataloging now. Some libraries have both (Dewey for older books, LC for newer).
Null
It isn't, or at least, not yet. That last bit happened last night. I have no reason to believe that she will be penalized in any fashion.I want that story to end with "... and a few months later I found out she was expelled." Please tell me that's how the story ends.
Re: Dewey Decimal System - it is still in use, mostly by public libraries. Academic libraries are largely using Library Congress cataloging now. Some libraries have both (Dewey for older books, LC for newer).
#52
Gared
Gared
I miss having a reason to be in an academic library. Public libraries are ok, I guess, but they're so full of nervous energy from all the kids who are straining to stay quiet and/or just being out of control brats. But give me a nice, quiet academic library and a selection of books to search through any day of the week and I'd be happy - though I'd be doubly happy if it was late Autumn with very few leaves left on the trees, bone chillingly cold and damp, with a hint of fog wisping across campus or mid-Winter with snow up to my knees and a howling windstorm raging outside.
Damn, I miss college. Anyone want to pay for me to go back to school full time for the rest of my life? Alternatively, anyone want to hire me to be an academic researcher?
Damn, I miss college. Anyone want to pay for me to go back to school full time for the rest of my life? Alternatively, anyone want to hire me to be an academic researcher?
#53
Officer_Charon
Officer_Charon
I... I'd just like to be able to go to college, period. ;_;
#54
MindDetective
MindDetective
You help me write a grant and we'll put some money in it for ya.I miss having a reason to be in an academic library. Public libraries are ok, I guess, but they're so full of nervous energy from all the kids who are straining to stay quiet and/or just being out of control brats. But give me a nice, quiet academic library and a selection of books to search through any day of the week and I'd be happy - though I'd be doubly happy if it was late Autumn with very few leaves left on the trees, bone chillingly cold and damp, with a hint of fog wisping across campus or mid-Winter with snow up to my knees and a howling windstorm raging outside.
Damn, I miss college. Anyone want to pay for me to go back to school full time for the rest of my life? Alternatively, anyone want to hire me to be an academic researcher?
#55
General Specific
General Specific
When I quit my last job, I didn't really do anything big or wild. It was a call center job I had been at for the last 8 years and I really hated it. Well, the company decided to move the center from here in South Carolina to Georgia, just outside Atlanta. My manager had told us they would be sending a group of us down ahead of time to help train all the newbies they'd be hiring. I was one of the few offered an assistance package and I was offered it exactly one week after they announced the move and oh yeah, he needed my answer by the very next day. Well, I figured that meant they wanted me to be one of those guys to train the newbies. I then talked to my friends and found out that most of them were going to be fired, no chance to move at all and no chance at moving to a different position. Plus, the area they'd be moving to had a higher cost of living (despite what they claimed of it being equal to here in SC), but not giving us any cost of living raises. So, I decided not to go.
The only other friend that was not going to be fired decided not to move and then was actively persecuted by management by being shifted around between 3-4 different teams on a daily and sometimes even hourly basis. Other things also began to arise. Like a coworker who was given the opportunity to move back up north where his and his wife's family both are and was given access to a website to help him with the long move. The website happened to have a page on pets, stating in a round about way that most pets "don't make" a long move and proceeded to give 2 helpful links. The first was to a pet euthanasia service, the second to a pet adoption service. I'll let your mind wrap around that one for a bit.
Almost at the very end of my time there, I was approached by the VP of the center (the very highest muck on the big mucky-muck list at our site) and asked if I would stay an extra week to help with the transition. It took all I had to not laugh in his face.
Since leaving, I have heard of other things that have happened to the company. They include,
* increased workload such that people are putting in mandatory OT in order to cover everything
* sick days have been reworked so that you now have a total of 6, on the 5th you are given a verbal warning, on the 6th you are given a final warning, on the 7th you are fired
I'm sure there's other stuff, but I can't remember right now and don't care to sit here pondering that time too much.
The only other friend that was not going to be fired decided not to move and then was actively persecuted by management by being shifted around between 3-4 different teams on a daily and sometimes even hourly basis. Other things also began to arise. Like a coworker who was given the opportunity to move back up north where his and his wife's family both are and was given access to a website to help him with the long move. The website happened to have a page on pets, stating in a round about way that most pets "don't make" a long move and proceeded to give 2 helpful links. The first was to a pet euthanasia service, the second to a pet adoption service. I'll let your mind wrap around that one for a bit.
Almost at the very end of my time there, I was approached by the VP of the center (the very highest muck on the big mucky-muck list at our site) and asked if I would stay an extra week to help with the transition. It took all I had to not laugh in his face.
Since leaving, I have heard of other things that have happened to the company. They include,
* increased workload such that people are putting in mandatory OT in order to cover everything
* sick days have been reworked so that you now have a total of 6, on the 5th you are given a verbal warning, on the 6th you are given a final warning, on the 7th you are fired
I'm sure there's other stuff, but I can't remember right now and don't care to sit here pondering that time too much.
#56
Mathias
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! Seriously, I've had a few kids role though my class that I'm surprised can put their pants on the right way.
Added at: 19:48
Yep, no longer. Not for a while actually. I think most academic libraries have been on fully computer based databases since 1998 though... I honestly have no clue how scientists did research before the advent of pubmed, sciencedirect, ExPASy, and PDB.
And yes, I remember using Encarta for my sixth and seventh grade term papers, lol.
Added at: 19:51
I still have nightmares that involve me forgetting to attend a class for an entire semester and showing up for the final exam; learning that I have zeros for every other assignment in the class. I loved the social aspect of college, but I can do without stressing over my grades.
Mathias
These are college students, right Null? How the fuck did people get to college age being that fucking entitled and not forget to breathe at some point in their lives? Thank God she's the exception to the rule.
... She is the exception to the rule, isn't she? Most college students aren't that bad?
HAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHA! Seriously, I've had a few kids role though my class that I'm surprised can put their pants on the right way.
Added at: 19:48
So did I man, so did I. I remember the filing cabinets with the tiny little card sized drawers that were 3 or 4 feet deep. Knowing how to work that system made writing term papers so much easier - especially since we were still in Internet 1.0 back then and Wikipedia didn't exist (not that I'd really recommend using Wikipedia as a term paper source). If we wanted to get computerized encyclopedia information, we had to rely on Encarta, and it was horrible. Give me the card catalog system and a well stocked university library any day of the week.
Yep, no longer. Not for a while actually. I think most academic libraries have been on fully computer based databases since 1998 though... I honestly have no clue how scientists did research before the advent of pubmed, sciencedirect, ExPASy, and PDB.
And yes, I remember using Encarta for my sixth and seventh grade term papers, lol.
Added at: 19:51
I... I'd just like to be able to go to college, period. ;_;
I still have nightmares that involve me forgetting to attend a class for an entire semester and showing up for the final exam; learning that I have zeros for every other assignment in the class. I loved the social aspect of college, but I can do without stressing over my grades.
#57
Gared
Gared
General Specific: ACS?
#58
Hailey Knight
Hailey Knight
My aunt is over 50, hasn't been to college since before I was born, and still occasionally has one of those nightmares. Like it never goes away.I still have nightmares that involve me forgetting to attend a class for an entire semester and showing up for the final exam; learning that I have zeros for every other assignment in the class. I loved the social aspect of college, but I can do without stressing over my grades.
#59
drawn_inward
drawn_inward
I never really burned any bridges, not yet anyway. Nearing the end of my time working at a DirecTV call center, I sure jacked with some asshole customers though. It most likely led to them screaming at some other poor soul, but I was so sick of dealing with chumps. I actually had a schmuck threaten to choke me if I didn't get the Sopranos on for him. I let him know that I have his credit card #, SSN, address, and asked if he still wanted to choke me. He asked to speak to my supervisor for threatening him! I transferred him to our Spanish-support center.
I haven't yelled at a student, but I feel like it is in my near future. I've given some stern lectures to some point-grubbing asshats though. They were nit-picking over essentially 1/1000 of their grade. Ugh.
I haven't yelled at a student, but I feel like it is in my near future. I've given some stern lectures to some point-grubbing asshats though. They were nit-picking over essentially 1/1000 of their grade. Ugh.
#60
MindDetective
MindDetective
I swear I will devise a non-point grading system someday that isn't deemed utterly subjective.
#61
Espy
Espy
About Null's story... I sure as hell hope that girl got expelled. Using false sexual harassment complaints is a horrible and vile thing for someone to do. The only thing worse is an false assault claim and if someone is willing to pull this kind of crap they aren't that far from pulling other stuff as well. Was there ANY punishment for her Null?
#62
strawman
Honestly, the more "perfectly objective" the grading system is, the less room they have to complain, and whether it uses points or some other final tally method will be irrelevant.
In the hard sciences and engineering, it's easy - the answer is either right or wrong. Most often the professors would happily re-grade the whole assignment/test if you felt there was an error in the grading. They could usually find several areas where they went too easy on you, re-graded to the standard, thus lowering your overall score, even if you were right about the one error. One professor would only allow one re-grade, and a re-grade had to be requested within 7 days of getting the assignment/test back, which pretty much shut down the complaining-est students. "I see you are asking questions about how the test was graded. Are you requesting that I re-grade it?"
In the more subjective classes, though, this is harder to deal with.
strawman
That's... almost logical.I swear I will devise a non-point grading system someday that isn't deemed utterly subjective.
Honestly, the more "perfectly objective" the grading system is, the less room they have to complain, and whether it uses points or some other final tally method will be irrelevant.
In the hard sciences and engineering, it's easy - the answer is either right or wrong. Most often the professors would happily re-grade the whole assignment/test if you felt there was an error in the grading. They could usually find several areas where they went too easy on you, re-graded to the standard, thus lowering your overall score, even if you were right about the one error. One professor would only allow one re-grade, and a re-grade had to be requested within 7 days of getting the assignment/test back, which pretty much shut down the complaining-est students. "I see you are asking questions about how the test was graded. Are you requesting that I re-grade it?"
In the more subjective classes, though, this is harder to deal with.
#63
Null
But naturally, that's not grounds for expulsion.
(Five visitors in total, but I'm not sure if two of them are technically administrators or not; our ToO is a bit muddled)
Null
Not even a little. Yesterday at least 3 administrators* "Dropped by to see how I was doing" - ie trying to find out if there was either a reason they can get rid of me, and or finding out if I'm planning some legal recourse. From this I found out that this same student has two restraining orders on her from OTHER STUDENTS.About Null's story... I sure as hell hope that girl got expelled. Using false sexual harassment complaints is a horrible and vile thing for someone to do. The only thing worse is an false assault claim and if someone is willing to pull this kind of crap they aren't that far from pulling other stuff as well. Was there ANY punishment for her Null?
But naturally, that's not grounds for expulsion.
(Five visitors in total, but I'm not sure if two of them are technically administrators or not; our ToO is a bit muddled)
#64
IronBrig4
IronBrig4
Yup, I often get those towards the end of the semester. In those dreams, I sit down for the final and then the professor asks for our second term paper that I hadn't heard about before. Everybody else in the class passes their paper up while I'm flipping through my syllabus, and then I find the assignment listed on the back of the last page. Then I realize that it's worth half my final grade. And at that point I wake up.My aunt is over 50, hasn't been to college since before I was born, and still occasionally has one of those nightmares. Like it never goes away.
#65
Chibibar
this girl has two restraining order on HER from other student.
She lied about sexual harrassment
and the admin is trying to rid of YOU?
Chibibar
so let me get this straight.Not even a little. Yesterday at least 3 administrators* "Dropped by to see how I was doing" - ie trying to find out if there was either a reason they can get rid of me, and or finding out if I'm planning some legal recourse. From this I found out that this same student has two restraining orders on her from OTHER STUDENTS.
But naturally, that's not grounds for expulsion.
(Five visitors in total, but I'm not sure if two of them are technically administrators or not; our ToO is a bit muddled)
this girl has two restraining order on HER from other student.
She lied about sexual harrassment
and the admin is trying to rid of YOU?
#66
Null
Of course, that's probably due, in part, to the fact that the college is already dealing with a number of lawsuits.
Null
Yes. That's the simplest way of resolving the situation, apparently.so let me get this straight.
this girl has two restraining order on HER from other student.
She lied about sexual harrassment
and the admin is trying to rid of YOU?
Of course, that's probably due, in part, to the fact that the college is already dealing with a number of lawsuits.
#67
Chibibar
Chibibar
It is good to know that admins have your back *yeesh!*Yes. That's the simplest way of resolving the situation, apparently.
#68
LittleSin
LittleSin
Null, this whole situation is disgusting.
Yeesh!
Yeesh!
#69
Espy
Espy
Holy shit dude. Yeah, I'd talk to a lawyer, sounds like the school is dropping that ball her big time and it almost severely impacted you.Not even a little. Yesterday at least 3 administrators* "Dropped by to see how I was doing" - ie trying to find out if there was either a reason they can get rid of me, and or finding out if I'm planning some legal recourse. From this I found out that this same student has two restraining orders on her from OTHER STUDENTS.
But naturally, that's not grounds for expulsion.
(Five visitors in total, but I'm not sure if two of them are technically administrators or not; our ToO is a bit muddled)
#70
Null
Null
Mind you, this is the same administration where the President is being sued for sexual harassment, and a suit for wrongful conduct - he stripped a department head of the title and pay rate without cause, but still demanded that said department head do all the work of a department head. That's a violation of apparently numerous contracts and agreements, and the arbitrator decided unanimously against the President on all counts, so that's still going to court.
#71
Chibibar
Chibibar
I have to agree with Epsy, you might want to consider getting some consultation with a lawyer. Sexual harassment is serious business and can reflect badly on you when they "think" it is true (which we know it is false via your scenario) but it is better to be safe than sorry.
#72
Wasabi Poptart
Wasabi Poptart
I have dreams like that about my old casino job. I'll dream I forgot about making a new schedule or filling out the end-of-night paperwork. Sometimes I dream I overslept for my shift. I wake up in a panic, then realize I haven't had that job in almost 10 years now.I still have nightmares that involve me forgetting to attend a class for an entire semester and showing up for the final exam; learning that I have zeros for every other assignment in the class. I loved the social aspect of college, but I can do without stressing over my grades.
#73
Gusto
Gusto
The deli I work in has been renovated three times since I started back in 2002. The only way I can remember the first iteration is in my nightmares.
#74
AshburnerX
AshburnerX
Yeah Null... you REALLY need to talk to a lawyer. If not because you need to file charges against this student, then because of the harassment/intimidation your receiving from your supervisors. If they are actually looking at firing you, despite a mountain of evidence that proves you didn't do anything, you NEED to be planning ahead.I have to agree with Epsy, you might want to consider getting some consultation with a lawyer. Sexual harassment is serious business and can reflect badly on you when they "think" it is true (which we know it is false via your scenario) but it is better to be safe than sorry.
#75
LittleSin
LittleSin
IANAL...but you need one. Yesterday.
#76
Espy
Espy
Who the hell is this Epsy fellow? Sounds like a dick.I have to agree with Epsy, you might want to consider getting some consultation with a lawyer. Sexual harassment is serious business and can reflect badly on you when they "think" it is true (which we know it is false via your scenario) but it is better to be safe than sorry.
#77
SpecialKO
SpecialKO
Null, just in case you haven't gotten it yet from the 4 other people who said it, you *need* to contact a lawyer immediately, start printing/saving emails on the subject, and making note of conversations. This can be incredibly damaging to you just from association, and I've never met a university admin who wouldn't gleefully crush the career of a service employee if it meant they could make a problem go away.
#78
Wasabi Poptart
Wasabi Poptart
THIS!Yeah Null... you REALLY need to talk to a lawyer. If not because you need to file charges against this student, then because of the harassment/intimidation your receiving from your supervisors. If they are actually looking at firing you, despite a mountain of evidence that proves you didn't do anything, you NEED to be planning ahead.
#79
Chibibar
Chibibar
sowwy.. I was typing in hasteWho the hell is this Epsy fellow? Sounds like a dick.
#80
Mathias
Mathias
Guys, lawyers do cost money. Just saying.
#81
Chibibar
Chibibar
I know, but I am not sure in Null's academic setting, but in our community college, they do take sexual harassment VERY seriously. Especially when it involves a student. You be surprise how a rumor can really tarnish your reputation in academic world even when it is not true.Guys, lawyers do cost money. Just saying.
#82
Null
Null
I did get in touch with a lawyer this morning, though when I came in this afternoon, it seems the administration found a different solution.
They're allowing the student to graduate despite not having met the criteria. They're waiving her credit hour requirements and awarding her an Associates of Arts, pre-professional degree.
They're allowing the student to graduate despite not having met the criteria. They're waiving her credit hour requirements and awarding her an Associates of Arts, pre-professional degree.
#83
Gared
Gared
What a wonderful solution. Refuse to deal with your problem and pass it on to the rest of the world - typical bureaucratic BS.I did get in touch with a lawyer this morning, though when I came in this afternoon, it seems the administration found a different solution.
They're allowing the student to graduate despite not having met the criteria. They're waiving her credit hour requirements and awarding her an Associates of Arts, pre-professional degree.
#84
General Specific
General Specific
Giving a degree to someone who didn't earn it? How could that possibly reflect well on the institution? Especially if proof found its way to the accreditation board.I did get in touch with a lawyer this morning, though when I came in this afternoon, it seems the administration found a different solution.
They're allowing the student to graduate despite not having met the criteria. They're waiving her credit hour requirements and awarding her an Associates of Arts, pre-professional degree.
#85
strawman
strawman
The easiest solution (foisting the problem on someone else in society) is often not the best solution.
But it is easy.
But it is easy.
#86
Null
Null
Yup. To quote "Dr." Austin directly, "She'll be someone else's problem now."
#87
Chibibar
Note: I put those in quote cause people who are "fluff" like Paris Hilton or Sarah Palin come to mind
Chibibar
Oh joy. You know that person is gonna be a stain on your institution in the future. It would be like "How in the world did she graduate?" of course it doesn't look good either if she actually become "well known" or "recognize" by the public.I did get in touch with a lawyer this morning, though when I came in this afternoon, it seems the administration found a different solution.
They're allowing the student to graduate despite not having met the criteria. They're waiving her credit hour requirements and awarding her an Associates of Arts, pre-professional degree.
Note: I put those in quote cause people who are "fluff" like Paris Hilton or Sarah Palin come to mind
#88
Null
Null
Her nickname on campus is already "Snooki"
#89
Mathias
I know, man. I teach at a CC too. A girl went into my office just yesterday to ask about her upcoming final, and proceeded to close the door behind her. I quickly told her to please leave it open all the way. You can never be too careful. My open door policy literally means keep it open when you're in my office.
Mathias
I know, but I am not sure in Null's academic setting, but in our community college, they do take sexual harassment VERY seriously. Especially when it involves a student. You be surprise how a rumor can really tarnish your reputation in academic world even when it is not true.
I know, man. I teach at a CC too. A girl went into my office just yesterday to ask about her upcoming final, and proceeded to close the door behind her. I quickly told her to please leave it open all the way. You can never be too careful. My open door policy literally means keep it open when you're in my office.
#90
Espy
Espy
WOW.I did get in touch with a lawyer this morning, though when I came in this afternoon, it seems the administration found a different solution.
They're allowing the student to graduate despite not having met the criteria. They're waiving her credit hour requirements and awarding her an Associates of Arts, pre-professional degree.
#91
LittleSin
LittleSin
Something like that is being released into society?
May the gods help us.
May the gods help us.
#92
Wasabi Poptart
Wasabi Poptart
I am sitting here with my mouth open in disbelief. I'm both disgusted and curious if I could get through my BS faster if I did the same thing.I did get in touch with a lawyer this morning, though when I came in this afternoon, it seems the administration found a different solution.
They're allowing the student to graduate despite not having met the criteria. They're waiving her credit hour requirements and awarding her an Associates of Arts, pre-professional degree.
#93
Steve
Added at: 00:28
Steve
Nothing like giving a student a real life experience. At my company if you are inept they won't fire you, they promote you up and out so they won't have to deal with you. They'll sell a poor worker like they are God like and by the time the unit that gets the person realized they got a poor bill of sale it's too late. I can't tell you how many of these bozos get into management.Giving a degree to someone who didn't earn it? How could that possibly reflect well on the institution? Especially if proof found its way to the accreditation board.
Added at: 00:28
Hmmm. . . I like where this is going.I know, man. I teach at a CC too. A girl went into my office just yesterday to ask about her upcoming final, and proceeded to close the door behind her.
DOH!I quickly told her to please leave it open all the way. You can never be too careful. My open door policy literally means keep it open when you're in my office.
#94
Chibibar
Chibibar
With a bit of luck, she will probably join those reality TVSomething like that is being released into society?
May the gods help us.
#96
sixpackshaker
sixpackshaker
I love the lesson they taught that young lady...
Yell SEXUAL HARASSMENT, and get what ever the hell you want.
Yell SEXUAL HARASSMENT, and get what ever the hell you want.
#97
Espy
Espy
Yeah, I feel REALLY bad for wherever she goes to work. She's gonna climb that corporate ladder, one sexual harassment charge at a time. Have fun ruining good peoples lives!I love the lesson they taught that young lady...
Yell SEXUAL HARASSMENT, and get what ever the hell you want.
#98
Gared
Gared
That right there is exactly why I no longer work for one of my former employers. I refused to be bullied by an employee who wanted to cry harassment every time something didn't go her way. She was finally disciplined for her behavior and forced to quit, but it cost me my position as well. Looking back now, it's still worth it.Yeah, I feel REALLY bad for wherever she goes to work. She's gonna climb that corporate ladder, one sexual harassment charge at a time. Have fun ruining good peoples lives!
#99
Null
Null
*sigh* Just had to tell a student the following sentence: "You can't have something before it exists."
#100
drifter
drifter
... so what did he/she request?
#101
fade
fade
Unless you're an engineer or a physicist. Just deconvolve to a non-causal system.
#102
General Specific
General Specific
I went and look up "deconvolve" since I wasn't sure what it meant. Turned out to be a convoluted process.
#103
Null
"Well, I want my account information."
*sigh* "You can't have something before it exists."
Null
The username and password for her account, since she had signed up for summer classes 10 minutes earlier. I told her the IT department creates student accounts in batches the week prior to the beginning of a semester; summer classes start here in 2 weeks, so her account won't be made for a week yet. She explained that she just wanted to log in with the as-yet-nonexistent account. I explained again that she didn't have an account yet. She then asked me to give her the password for her account. I explained that a) I don't create the accounts, so I can't just set one up for her; b) the IT department, which does create accounts, was already gone for the day (this happened about 6:30pm, we were closing at 7 since it's intersession, IT leaves at 5); and c) that IT wouldn't create her account individually, but would do it in a batch of summer students next week.... so what did he/she request?
"Well, I want my account information."
*sigh* "You can't have something before it exists."