Favorite student emails

[the_geneticist]

Got this one today:

Hello [firstname],

I am writing this email to inform you that I contracted an illness with flu-like symptoms and I will not be able to attend the [basketweaving] discussion session on [date  time]. Would I be able to get the documentation so that I could make up for this absence?

Thank You,
[confused about who does what stu]

Stu,
The documentation is that YOU provide a medical note to show you are too ill to be in class.  There is an online form for you to submit said documentation.

And, I still don't know WHICH CLASS you are in.  There are several [Basketweaving] classes.  Depending on the class, you have either missed a quiz, a worksheet, or a project check-in.

[downer]

Student emails me saying that they didn't realize they had signed up for an online class and wants to meet me in person for me to explain the course requirements to me. Apparently the student does not like online classes.

Unfortunately for the student, I didn't provide a sympathetic or accommodating response. I did suggest they withdraw. I pointed them to the syllabus and the LMS for the sought explanations.

[artalot]

Dear Professor Artalot,
I'm sorry I've been missing class. I've had a lot to do with [other class], but once I've finished my work for [other class] I'll come back to yours. Can you tell me what I've missed?

So, what you're saying is that another class is more important than mine, but you still think I should help you.
Usually, I get these emails later in the semester. Props for revealing your priorities before midterms.

[kaysixteen]

That answer would be your fantasy reply to this wholly-inappropriate student email... but how did you really deal with it?

[onehappyunicorn]

I usually reply something to the effect that they can make that choice and choices come with consequences.
Students are responsible for keeping up with the material, I suggest that they may want to check in with a classmate if they want insight on what they missed. My classes are not self-paced, I suggest they make sure to check blackboard for assignment deadlines and my late-work policy.
I don't give grades, I record what happened in the course.

[artalot]

I haven't replied. Attendance is not required in the class and I told students they are welcome to let me know if they will miss, but unless it's something that will mean lots of missed class, I don't need to know and I probably won't even answer the email.

[the_geneticist]

I tell them to get notes from a friend and to look at the syllabus for the policy on late work.

[kiana]

I had an interesting discussion related to this this week. We are scrutinizing high DFW courses (which I often teach). Admins wanted to know how many of the failing students were "disengaged"- as in not turning anything in. The answer was almost zero based on who attempted the last 2 exams of the semester.

But how engaged can you be if you score a 35/100 on an exam? Either you are just randomly filling in bubbles on the scantron- which means you are faking being "engaged" or you are so clueless/lost that an intervention is needed- why are you in this course? But of course admin just wanted to know how many took the exams.

Are exams the only thing that's graded? If I measure disengagement by people who missed more than half of the homework over the last two months, about 90% of failing students are disengaged.

[Caracal]

Got this one today:

Hello [firstname],

I am writing this email to inform you that I contracted an illness with flu-like symptoms and I will not be able to attend the [basketweaving] discussion session on [date  time]. Would I be able to get the documentation so that I could make up for this absence?

Thank You,
[confused about who does what stu]

Stu,
The documentation is that YOU provide a medical note to show you are too ill to be in class.  There is an online form for you to submit said documentation.

And, I still don't know WHICH CLASS you are in.  There are several [Basketweaving] classes.  Depending on the class, you have either missed a quiz, a worksheet, or a project check-in.

Ugh, I do hate when students don't tell me what class they are in. If it's midway through the semester and its a smallish upper level class I know who they are, but in big classes, I usually don't.

I'm not crazy about the medical note. I've come down w an annoying  cold (I tested, it isn't covid) I don't teach Friday, but if I did, I would have cancelled my classes. There's no way my voice would make it through a class and even if it would, I'm pretty gross and nobody wants to have me up in the front of class blowing my nose and spreading my germs around. I didn't go the doctor, however. My throat is sore, but it isn't that bad, so I doubt it's strep. Usually these things take a pretty predictable course for me, and start improving in a day or two. If it isn't getting any better by Monday, I might go to the doctor, but I doubt that will be necessary. Is it really reasonable to make students go to the doctor in situations in which I wouldn't? At best, it's just a hassle for a student who has to go to the health center when they really probably just need to go back to sleep, but it is also a waste of medical resources if students are going to the doctor or health center just because they need a note. Besides, what does a note prove? If you tell the doctor you don't feel well, they believe you.

[the_geneticist]

With tele-health appointments from the campus health center, they can always get a note.

[Caracal]

With tele-health appointments from the campus health center, they can always get a note.

But that just makes it incredibly convenient for a student, who is so inclined, to just lie to the medical provider. You can do that in person too, it isn't like doctors have magic illness detectors-if you tell them you don't feel well, they will believe you-but if you have to go down to the health center to get a note many students might decide its easier to just go to class. Of course, they might actually be sick and decide that anyway...

Besides, it's still a waste of resources for the health center. Students who actually need to see a medical provider are going to have to wait longer because the people at the health center are spending all their time telling people who have a headache that they should get some rest and drink some water.

There really is no problem with just believing students when they say they are sick. If they want to lie about it, that's going to be their problem when they don't know the material.

[downer]

I try to avoid situations where students have to prove they were really ill. But sometimes there are big exams where it is a bigger problem if they miss. I at least want to discourage them from missing those exams by making them have to make an effort to find an excuse.

[MarathonRunner]

[quote author=Caracal link=topic=274.msg123249#msg123249 date=1676737753

There really is no problem with just believing students when they say they are sick. If they want to lie about it, that's going to be their problem when they don't know the material.
[/quote]

Since H1N1 our university hasn't required a physician's note for absences. For exams, students do have to sign a form attesting they were ill, but it doesn't require any proof. Students who are actually ill benefit, students who aren't actually ill tend to fail anyway, even when provided the opportunity to make up the exam or other missed work.

I like this system. Instructors don't have to judge or police student absences or excuses. Students who are genuinely ill benefit and don't potentially infect others. Students who lie typically fail anyhow.

[Caracal]

I try to avoid situations where students have to prove they were really ill. But sometimes there are big exams where it is a bigger problem if they miss. I at least want to discourage them from missing those exams by making them have to make an effort to find an excuse.

I just have a make up exam at the end of the semester, which works fine for my classes, but other people on here have said they just have the final also count for a missed exam. I still let students take make ups in my office, but with the make up at the end as an option, students who are just malingering are generally just going to delay further. It also means that if students have some bigger kind of medical problem, or family emergency can just focus on getting caught up without having to go back and study for an exam.

[downer]

I try to avoid situations where students have to prove they were really ill. But sometimes there are big exams where it is a bigger problem if they miss. I at least want to discourage them from missing those exams by making them have to make an effort to find an excuse.

I just have a make up exam at the end of the semester, which works fine for my classes, but other people on here have said they just have the final also count for a missed exam. I still let students take make ups in my office, but with the make up at the end as an option, students who are just malingering are generally just going to delay further. It also means that if students have some bigger kind of medical problem, or family emergency can just focus on getting caught up without having to go back and study for an exam.

Is the make up exam at the end of the semester a variation of the midterm, or some other assignment? Do all students in a course get the same make up exam?
Do you devote a class session to the make up exam, or is it part of your exam week?
Is this work essays, short answer, or multiple choice?

I am thinking of making more of my assignments being done in class, to avoid students using AI to do their work for them.