The Fora: A Higher Education Community

Maybe they could allow food trucks to come to campus.

It's pretty horrible to think of a campus of 12,000 with no dining options whatsoever.  And pretty astonishing that any school that size could get itself into such a situation.  For now I guess everybody will just have to brown-bag it.  It's what I did through six years of grad school.  We had dining services on campus.  I just couldn't afford them.  Good thing I really liked peanut butter.

Quote from: FishProf on Today at 08:31:47 AM

Quote from: downer on Today at 08:29:15 AMI admire the hardassity of the policy.

I don't see it as hardassity (but I will accept the label for myself), the exam is compromised once someone leaves.

The rule here for final exams (that has been in place for ages) is that people can be allowed in late until half an hour after the exam stars, but people can't leave until after an hour, so there's no possible overlap.

Quote from: Parasaurolophus on Today at 08:10:32 AM

Quote from: marshwiggle on Today at 08:04:13 AMIt's fine for students to "denounce" oppression; what they need to be made to understand that history is a long game. Whatever they do right now is unlikely to have any visible impact, but the concerted actions of people with influence and authority, over time, will change things for the better.

So is the idea that they should just wait until they have influence and authority, and then they should work for incremental change?

They have very little power right now, but they're hoping to influence some of the people with more power to start changing things for the better. What's wrong with trying to exert some influence, even if they're not successful? Is that not part of long-term incremental change for the better?

Remember the truckers in Ottawa, and blockading bridges to the U.S.? The idea that anyone who thinks they can support a righteous cause by engaging in illegal activity undermines the whole idea of what a democratic society is about. Legitimate protest is an opportunity to get people to hear your message, so that you have the chance to win them over to it. Extorting them into doing what you want in order to get on with their lives makes winning them over to your cause irrelevant.

Quote from: EdnaMode on April 23, 2024, 12:46:56 PMAt my institution, faculty are not allowed to schedule meetings in the conference rooms, and in the School of Engineering, all the scheduling goes through one person and I'm not sure how they manage to keep their job. Here's a synopsis of an email exchange.

Dear Glennis (not her real name),
Dr. Smith, Dr. Jones, Dr. Who, and I would like to schedule a meeting on Friday of this week sometime between noon and 4:30 PM. We do not care which conference room we are in as long as it has a projector and screen.
Thanks,
E M

Good afternoon, Dr. Mode,
I have scheduled Room 123 in our building for your meeting on Thursday at 10:30 AM.
Glennis

Glennis,
We cannot meet on Thursday, the only time we all have available this week is on Friday between noon and 4:30.
Thanks,
E M

Dr Mode,
My apologies, I changed it to 1:30 on Thursday.
Glennis

Glennis,
Again, none of us can meet on Thursday, we can only meet on FRIDAY between noon and 4:30. No other days or times will work.
Thank you,
E M

Dr. Mode,
So, does 1:30 on Friday in room 123 in our building work for you all? Let me know and I'll schedule that for you.
Glennis

Glennis,
Yes, that works, thank you for setting it up for us.
E M

And thankfully, the meeting did appear on all of our calendars. Finally.

Its like working with students.

Quote from: downer on April 23, 2024, 02:43:50 PMNassau Community College isn't on the brink of collapse, but it is going through hard times. Massive consolidation of departments, and they have got rid of all their food services.

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/institutions/community-colleges/2024/04/17/nassau-community-college-consolidates-departments
https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nassau-community-college-cafeteria-cafe-snack-bar-close/

Given the massive taxes residents of Nassau County pay, it's a little ironic. But their property taxes don't go towards the community college.

I am betting the vendor probably had a long term contract and was planning profit based off of pre-2021 or earlier enrollment numbers.  Either way, most colleges wouldn't be able to cough up 300K immediately to adjust a contract.

Quote from: FishProf on Today at 08:31:47 AM

Quote from: downer on Today at 08:29:15 AMI admire the hardassity of the policy.

I don't see it as hardassity (but I will accept the label for myself), the exam is compromised once someone leaves.

Well, for the exams this semester I gave them the questions 2 weeks previous. Many still hardly write anything or get it mostly wrong.

Quote from: downer on Today at 08:29:15 AMI admire the hardassity of the policy.

I don't see it as hardassity (but I will accept the label for myself), the exam is compromised once someone leaves.

Same class as Tuesday, but today we are going on a field trip.  I cave an extensive explanation of where, when, why, what, and how they needed to navigate, prepare, and conduct the lab today.

Inquiring minds want to know what the half of the class that either didn't show or was late will do this afternoon....

Quote from: FishProf on Today at 08:26:47 AM

Quote from: downer on Today at 08:10:55 AMGiving exams in for classes, I can be confident that some students will finish the exam and leave before other students even turn up to take the exam.

I don't allow that.  Once someone leaves, no one else can start.

I admire the hardassity of the policy.