the "things you wish you could say" thread

[Langue_doc]

"Meeeeeee" adults who signed up for a trip which clearly states that participants are responsible for their transportation, why would you expect total strangers to go out of their way especially during a pandemic to give you rides to and from the meeting place which is 100+ miles away? Why wouldn't it occur to you that most of us who signed up for this trip are either going a day early or coming back a day late? Why not sign up for trips that are accessible by subway and/or train? There are plenty of these on the website.

[FishProf]

Stop telling us that the minor requirement is a chance for students to "follow their passion".  WTF?  My students are following their passion IN THE MAJOR.   

Apparently that isn't the case across the board.  But it is annoying to hear it stated as if the converse is standard.

[the_geneticist]

Stop telling us that the minor requirement is a chance for students to "follow their passion".  WTF?  My students are following their passion IN THE MAJOR.   

Apparently that isn't the case across the board.  But it is annoying to hear it stated as if the converse is standard.

No kidding!  I majored in hard science because it was my passion.  Chemistry was not my passion, but I had to take so darn much of it for my major that is just became my minor.  Any "fun hobby" sorts of classes (photography, textile arts, pottery, etc) were for the arts majors ONLY.

[marshwiggle]

Stop telling us that the minor requirement is a chance for students to "follow their passion".  WTF?  My students are following their passion IN THE MAJOR.   

Apparently that isn't the case across the board.  But it is annoying to hear it stated as if the converse is standard.

No kidding!  I majored in hard science because it was my passion.  Chemistry was not my passion, but I had to take so darn much of it for my major that is just became my minor.  Any "fun hobby" sorts of classes (photography, textile arts, pottery, etc) were for the arts majors ONLY.

I just realized that no discipline is going to market itself this way; it's got to be higher-ups trying to fill spaces.

"Take a Basketweaving minor because even though it's fun, you know there's not a snowball's chance in Hell of getting a job with a major in it."

Not exactly great for recruiting.

[sinenomine]

Dear administrator: You frequently disparage others for what you see as not understanding technology, yet you constantly make errors with your calendar invitations and with Zoom. Have you heard the one about the pot and the kettle?

[Vkw10]

Please stop using the phrase "more immediately." Also, please stop telling us to follow the admonitions below, when you forward the guidelines for a report.

[fishbrains]

Stop telling us that the minor requirement is a chance for students to "follow their passion".  WTF?  My students are following their passion IN THE MAJOR.   

Apparently that isn't the case across the board.  But it is annoying to hear it stated as if the converse is standard.

No kidding!  I majored in hard science because it was my passion.  Chemistry was not my passion, but I had to take so darn much of it for my major that is just became my minor.  Any "fun hobby" sorts of classes (photography, textile arts, pottery, etc) were for the arts majors ONLY.

I took a business minor in this way. I had so many credits after switching majors, it was pretty much "Well, why the f*ck not?"

[kiana]

I took a business minor in this way. I had so many credits after switching majors, it was pretty much "Well, why the f*ck not?"

That's how I ended up with an ag studies minor. Turns out that when you do a year of ag science and then change, you're 80% of the way to an ag studies minor.

[wareagle]

How in hell could you become a vice-president for academic affairs, and not know:

1.  What the term "open enrollment" means
2.  What Chegg and CourseHero are, and yes, there are plenty of such things on the internet
3.  That ACTs and HS GPAs are strongly correlated with success in college, and no, I can't change that 
4.  That higher ACTs and higher HS GPAs are also correlated with higher SES, and again - I can't change that
5.  That grants are not just undesignated pots of money for you to help yourself when you need a few bucks
6.  Etc.

[downer]

Dear Dean

Thanks for the comments on my online course.

You say you want changes made by mid June. Does this mean you will be paying me over the summer?

I'll do the work when I get confirmation of summer pay.

Also, I won't do the work until I am sure the fall course is actually running.

Good luck with your summer activities. I will be in my back yard.

[fishbrains]

Why the f*ck do you think we would ever buy you a car? Our two cars are a 2008 Honda and a 2005 Ford. Oh yeah, and we both have f*cking jobs we get our money from! Jumpin' Jeheebus: Seriously, when you look at us, how can you think we have cash just sitting around that we want to spend on your lazy a$$? 

[permanent imposter]

How in hell could you become a vice-president for academic affairs, and not know:

1.  What the term "open enrollment" means
2.  What Chegg and CourseHero are, and yes, there are plenty of such things on the internet
3.  That ACTs and HS GPAs are strongly correlated with success in college, and no, I can't change that 
4.  That higher ACTs and higher HS GPAs are also correlated with higher SES, and again - I can't change that
5.  That grants are not just undesignated pots of money for you to help yourself when you need a few bucks
6.  Etc.

It's people like this who help me feel like less like an imposter!!!

[Morris Zapp]

Ding dong the witch is dead! So glad you will be plaguing the faculty at another university. When they hired you, they had no idea what forces of evil they were unleashing. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

[mamselle]

To the young woman featured in this article: 

    https://www.dallasnews.com/news/education/2021/06/02/texas-valedictorian-decries-heartbeat-bill-in-viral-graduation-speech/

I wish I could tell her directly how her courage was valued by those of us who worried, even just a few years ago, that teens were no longer likely to take issues seriously a act on their convictions.

I recall some random moment in 2017, while out walking, thinking of the then 1-year-old reign of terror that had already started against those who in any way differed from the WASP-y hypocrisy that that regime was fomenting, and then thinking back to friends who'd been tear-gassed at Kent State, and arrested at Selma.

I wondered where those kids were now, and where their historical descendants-in-kind had gotten to.

Seems we're in better shape than I thought.

M.

[sinenomine]

Ding dong the witch is dead! So glad you will be plaguing the faculty at another university. When they hired you, they had no idea what forces of evil they were unleashing. Be afraid. Be very afraid.

Uh oh — I hope this doesn't refer to a job candidate who recently interviewed for a position where I work....