I teach at a university where many students don’t have a mailing address. Fewer have email addresses. So at the end very semester, grades (often handwritten are) are passed out individually. If students are unable to pick them up, they can stop by in at the beginning of the fall semester in September or October. During the next week students will decide whether to accept the grades or, for about $4.50, have the grades reviewed in hopes of receiving a higher grade. Rather than going to a committee which would determine whether the grade was fair based on examination of the student’s quizzes, homework and exams, the appeal consists of a group of people double-checking the professor’s math. At no point is the student allowed to present evidence, question the teacher or in any way explain why the grade should be changed. The student isn’t even allowed to look at his/her final exam. If the appeal is successful, the student’s money is refunded. Grade changes are rare.
Even with the cards obviously being in favor of the teacher, most will stay away from campus for the next week. It’s a conflict avoidance thing. Those who do come in to work on summer projects will hide within the confines of their offices, scurrying from doorway to doorway hoping to avoid detection by their students. We look like rodents peeking out of our tunnels, watching the skies for predators which might swoop down on us at any moment.
Suddenly I have a craving for cheese…
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1 comment:
Meerkat - that was the word I couldn't find when writing this.
Or lemming. We are, afterall, on a mountain. If someone would just lead the pack over the edge...
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