What do you think the verdict should be?
- Thread starter I have WHAT in my yard?
- Start date
Fail him:
He failed to show up for the scheduled exam. He knew when it was, hadn't studied enough, and decided he had an "out". One hour isn't sufficient notice for anything. He didn't use his time appropriately; not your problem. He "had to stay up all night" to finish a project. This guy has poor time management skills, and thinks you owe him a break because he can't get it together.
If he had e-mailed you and shown up at the exam to talk to you; I would take a different position. IMHO, he simply blew off the exam because he was unprepared. He had no confirmation you had received the e-mail, no confirmation that he would be allowed to take the exam on another date, no reason to assume he would be allowed to take a later date. HE JUST DIDN"T SHOW UP!!! If another student just didn't show would you flunk them? If so, flunk this guy.
He failed to show up for the scheduled exam. He knew when it was, hadn't studied enough, and decided he had an "out". One hour isn't sufficient notice for anything. He didn't use his time appropriately; not your problem. He "had to stay up all night" to finish a project. This guy has poor time management skills, and thinks you owe him a break because he can't get it together.
If he had e-mailed you and shown up at the exam to talk to you; I would take a different position. IMHO, he simply blew off the exam because he was unprepared. He had no confirmation you had received the e-mail, no confirmation that he would be allowed to take the exam on another date, no reason to assume he would be allowed to take a later date. HE JUST DIDN"T SHOW UP!!! If another student just didn't show would you flunk them? If so, flunk this guy.
Guys, she can't just fail him. There are very specific rules to follow. Based on what she has told us, if she fails him on the final he has a very real appeal. It could all backfire and bite her in the tush. She is an adjunct professor. They have very limited protection under most administrations. There are usually people lining up for those jobs (especially in this economy when a lot of educators are out of work).
As much as it stinks, you should let him come on the scheduled exam time and take a variation on the test. Yes, it stinks that you will have to drive in (but that it isn't technically his fault that you live and hour and half away). Yes, it stinks that you will have to make an alternate test (but again, not his fault). Yes, it stinks that he wasn't responsible enough to make his mind up early enough for you to make alternate plans. But, you did say that they could have more time. Given that there was a second testing date that is easily interpreted as taking the test at either time. You don't think you gave him a deadline for letting you know about time. In your head that meant the test taking more time in hours. In his head it meant taking more time in days. Either way he did let you know before the final that he wanted the second testing date. He has technically followed all the rules you set up. He just waited until the last minute.
Trust me that I think he is playing you, but sadly he is playing you within the rules. Read him the riot act. Put him on the bad list. Make the test all discussion. Come on here and rant about him. I am with you all the way. But, you have to follow policy and follow the rules established for the class. Based on what you have told us he has a valid point. I'm sorry.
As much as it stinks, you should let him come on the scheduled exam time and take a variation on the test. Yes, it stinks that you will have to drive in (but that it isn't technically his fault that you live and hour and half away). Yes, it stinks that you will have to make an alternate test (but again, not his fault). Yes, it stinks that he wasn't responsible enough to make his mind up early enough for you to make alternate plans. But, you did say that they could have more time. Given that there was a second testing date that is easily interpreted as taking the test at either time. You don't think you gave him a deadline for letting you know about time. In your head that meant the test taking more time in hours. In his head it meant taking more time in days. Either way he did let you know before the final that he wanted the second testing date. He has technically followed all the rules you set up. He just waited until the last minute.
Trust me that I think he is playing you, but sadly he is playing you within the rules. Read him the riot act. Put him on the bad list. Make the test all discussion. Come on here and rant about him. I am with you all the way. But, you have to follow policy and follow the rules established for the class. Based on what you have told us he has a valid point. I'm sorry.
I hate it but I have to agree with CityGirl. This kid knows what he's doing and is staying JUST within the rules, but barely. He should go on to law school.
- Jan 16, 2009
- 2,895
- 14
- 183
I have WHAT in my yard? :
I am so flocking annoyed right now.
I was scheduled to give a final exam next week. More than half of the students requested an alternate time because so many did not want to have to wait that late. I did not either since I celebrate Solstice and wanted to change the day. So, I told the students we would change the day to the last class day. That would mean they would only have 90 minutes instead of 160 minutes to take the exam. But, the exam was exactly like the one given at mid-term which took the majority of the students 40 minutes.
I told them a week in advance and said, "If you think you will need more time, let me know and we will make alternate arrangements." I don't know if I said a specific deadline for when you had to notify me.
So today a student did not show up for the exam.
After the exam I found an e-mail from him from one hour before he was supposed to take it saying he had decided that he needed more time to take the exam. !!!!
I bend over backwards to accommodate students. I swear. But, I told him he really messed up that if he "decided he needed more time" that close to exam time he should have come to the exam and discussed it with me.
He had over a week to let me know so we could make alternate arrangements!! I live (which he knew) an hour and a half away so he is asking me to make a 3 hour round trip to accommodate him when I could have easily given him more time today had he contacted me PRIOR to the exam!!
An e-mail one hour before his exam is not acceptable to me (I'm not checking my e-mail when I am teaching!!)
So, I have three choices. Fail him. Come up with an alternate project for the exam. Or have to spend essentially a day going back in to give him an exam that I will have to create for him since everyone else has already taken the exam!
I hate failing students for bad decisions, but this is a doozy. In his response he makes it worse by saying he wanted more time not just to take the exam, but more time to prepare!! He does not get more time than anyone else had!!
I am so annoyed I am throwing it out to this group. A mixed bag of ages and education levels.
Which do I do?
Fail him (for the exam)
Create an alternate project
Create another exam and go back in to give it to him.
Is there any way to give him a P and not an actual grade? I would think if he needed this class a P would force him to retake the course for a grade that affects his GPA.
I am so flocking annoyed right now.
I was scheduled to give a final exam next week. More than half of the students requested an alternate time because so many did not want to have to wait that late. I did not either since I celebrate Solstice and wanted to change the day. So, I told the students we would change the day to the last class day. That would mean they would only have 90 minutes instead of 160 minutes to take the exam. But, the exam was exactly like the one given at mid-term which took the majority of the students 40 minutes.
I told them a week in advance and said, "If you think you will need more time, let me know and we will make alternate arrangements." I don't know if I said a specific deadline for when you had to notify me.
So today a student did not show up for the exam.
After the exam I found an e-mail from him from one hour before he was supposed to take it saying he had decided that he needed more time to take the exam. !!!!
I bend over backwards to accommodate students. I swear. But, I told him he really messed up that if he "decided he needed more time" that close to exam time he should have come to the exam and discussed it with me.
He had over a week to let me know so we could make alternate arrangements!! I live (which he knew) an hour and a half away so he is asking me to make a 3 hour round trip to accommodate him when I could have easily given him more time today had he contacted me PRIOR to the exam!!
An e-mail one hour before his exam is not acceptable to me (I'm not checking my e-mail when I am teaching!!)
So, I have three choices. Fail him. Come up with an alternate project for the exam. Or have to spend essentially a day going back in to give him an exam that I will have to create for him since everyone else has already taken the exam!
I hate failing students for bad decisions, but this is a doozy. In his response he makes it worse by saying he wanted more time not just to take the exam, but more time to prepare!! He does not get more time than anyone else had!!
I am so annoyed I am throwing it out to this group. A mixed bag of ages and education levels.
Which do I do?
Fail him (for the exam)
Create an alternate project
Create another exam and go back in to give it to him.
Is there any way to give him a P and not an actual grade? I would think if he needed this class a P would force him to retake the course for a grade that affects his GPA.
CityGirl is right-- in lots of schools the administration will always side with passing the student, making alternate arrangements, or catering to a (real or invented) life situation. I was at a state school and the students ALWAYS appealed failures, often successfully. Employers are already complaining that this generation of new grads is the most entitled they've ever seen. They're not wrong.
That said, the *other* students now have a grievance if this kid takes a similar final on the originally scheduled day. They can argue that he's had unfair extra time to study. Is your department head a reasonable resource? Maybe s/he's dealt with this before, and at any rate you'll see how the wind is blowing in administration should this get ugly.
Again, good luck
That said, the *other* students now have a grievance if this kid takes a similar final on the originally scheduled day. They can argue that he's had unfair extra time to study. Is your department head a reasonable resource? Maybe s/he's dealt with this before, and at any rate you'll see how the wind is blowing in administration should this get ugly.
Again, good luck
I have to disagree with citygirl. When the date for the exam changed, it was only offered on the one day. The kid didn't show. The OP specifically said, contact me and we will discuss an alternate date. This guy didn't make contact to discuss anything; he sent an excuse for not showing. I don't know what the rules are for adjunct staff; but the guy's email clearly shows he knows that he shouldn't be allowed to do this. The whole "if you allow this you will be my knew favorite person" shows he knows he is in the wrong. If he knows she lives an hour and a half from school, he also knows that sending an e-mail one hour before a scheduled exam is unlikely to arrive in time.
I don't think any 20-year-old can realistically expect that an e-mail, an hour prior to an event, is enough notice. He should have learned that lesson by middle school.
If for some reason the OP feels that the administration would not support a failing grade, the huge project would be my suggestion. Me, I've kinda vindictive, and I would fail him for general illiteracy and rudeness.
I don't think any 20-year-old can realistically expect that an e-mail, an hour prior to an event, is enough notice. He should have learned that lesson by middle school.
If for some reason the OP feels that the administration would not support a failing grade, the huge project would be my suggestion. Me, I've kinda vindictive, and I would fail him for general illiteracy and rudeness.
Last edited:
- Thread starter
- #58
Sadly, citygirl is correct.
I have already told the dept chair what happened and while she is cool with the date change he is playing within the very strictest reading of the rules. He is most definitely playing me. An e-mail from him today stating that he knew I was not following the rules and he believed that this allowed him the chance to take the exam on either date shows me this.
I bent the rules for everyone's benefit and he is taking full advantage.
I still have not figured out exactly what I am going to do, I was up half the night alternating between being furious at him and mad at myself for ever thinking I should bend the rules to meet the needs of the students. And truthfully - I DO celebrate Solstice and want to be home that morning.
He is just a little creep in my mind at this point. And the worst thing is that he will learn the exact same lesson so many on wall street learned - I screw people over and I behave unethically and I win.
I am seriously sick over this at this point. If he had had any serious life event I would have been annoyed and dealt - getting played by a 20 year old who knows that my employment has no protection yanks my chain.
I have already told the dept chair what happened and while she is cool with the date change he is playing within the very strictest reading of the rules. He is most definitely playing me. An e-mail from him today stating that he knew I was not following the rules and he believed that this allowed him the chance to take the exam on either date shows me this.
I bent the rules for everyone's benefit and he is taking full advantage.
He is just a little creep in my mind at this point. And the worst thing is that he will learn the exact same lesson so many on wall street learned - I screw people over and I behave unethically and I win.
I am seriously sick over this at this point. If he had had any serious life event I would have been annoyed and dealt - getting played by a 20 year old who knows that my employment has no protection yanks my chain.
fail- he wanted more time to study not more time to take the exam. and you are right, email is not acceptable communication unless it's to say "sorry I missed the exam". but the other side, if you didn't give a deadline, make him do a very big project.
He has to grow up sometime. Fail him is my choice. It takes a big jolt sometimes to straighten kids out. You can be sympathetic and supportive, but he had the same chances as everyone else. Not fair to the ones who did the work and followed directions. He is 20? not too much a kid anymore. needs to cut the apron strings on mommy figures and take responsibility.
(Mother who raised three families and have them calling me to thank me for being tough and making them learn the hard way.)
(Mother who raised three families and have them calling me to thank me for being tough and making them learn the hard way.)
Similar threads
New posts New threads Active threads
-
Threads with more replies in the last 15 days
-
