A student calls at 5:30pm asking Pat for the "university code"? Pat has no idea what the student is talking about or why the student is talking to Pat.
"What code are you referring to?"
"The code that I need for my FAFSA."
Not a question for Pat's department at all. "Hold on, I am going to transfer you to financial aid," Pat tries to remain cheerful and helpful although this is a ridiculous waste of her time and the student has virtually no reason to be calling a random department within the university for this information.
The student is mumbling something to their parent in the background, "Wait! Are you sending me to the testing center?"
Did Pat say that? Why would Pat do that? "No....I am going to transfer you to a department that actually deals with FAFSA and financial aid,"
Pat doesn't wait for a response. pat hits transfer. Too bad no one will answer at financial aid for the student because the office is closed......still not Pat's problem.
Friday, April 30, 2010
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Stamp This
The end of the semester brings out the ridiculousness in students.
A student walks into the department and asks Pat to stamp his paper received.
"Sure," replies Pat, "What professor is it for?"
"Actually it's for a professor in another department," The student replies.
"Oh....ok," Pat hands the paper back, "Take it to that department."
"Well, there's no one there."
"They should have a drop box or something if students are able to turn things in to the department," Pat has no idea why the student would come here in the first place and why he is not taking no for an answer.
"Yeah, but there's no one there to stamp it with the time. I need it stamped." The student seems to think that it is then Pat's responsibility to step in here.
Pat picks up her stamp, "This stamp is for this department. I stamp things and then I take them from the student and put it in the professor's box. I don't hand it back to the student...."
Phyllis is impatient just listening in, "We DON'T stamp for other departments. Sorry."
The student turns his pleading eyes back to Pat.
"Listen, this stamp means that it was received by our department- not another one. My stamping your paper is not going to help you. You could slap a random thing on there and it would mean about the same thing. It is never going to mean that it was received by that other department."
The student leaves disappointed. Ok.....now that was just silly.
A student walks into the department and asks Pat to stamp his paper received.
"Sure," replies Pat, "What professor is it for?"
"Actually it's for a professor in another department," The student replies.
"Oh....ok," Pat hands the paper back, "Take it to that department."
"Well, there's no one there."
"They should have a drop box or something if students are able to turn things in to the department," Pat has no idea why the student would come here in the first place and why he is not taking no for an answer.
"Yeah, but there's no one there to stamp it with the time. I need it stamped." The student seems to think that it is then Pat's responsibility to step in here.
Pat picks up her stamp, "This stamp is for this department. I stamp things and then I take them from the student and put it in the professor's box. I don't hand it back to the student...."
Phyllis is impatient just listening in, "We DON'T stamp for other departments. Sorry."
The student turns his pleading eyes back to Pat.
"Listen, this stamp means that it was received by our department- not another one. My stamping your paper is not going to help you. You could slap a random thing on there and it would mean about the same thing. It is never going to mean that it was received by that other department."
The student leaves disappointed. Ok.....now that was just silly.
Tuesday, April 27, 2010
30 Minute Commute Excuse
A certain part-time professor is collecting final portfolios and specifically tells her students to have their work in to the department by 4pm.....because she is coming to pick them up at 4pm.
A student waltzes in at 4:35pm and informs Pat that she is dropping off a paper for this professor. Pat says ok and lets the student know that the professor has already come to pick them up.
"Oh- yeah, I know. I'm late," The student responds nonchalantly.
Pat is more concerned about the student missing this deadline than the student is.
"You might want to send your professor an e-mail and let her know that you have turned it in and it's in her box," Pat tries to help.
The student feels the need to defend her lateness at this point for some reason, "I live further away than most students....it takes me 30 minutes to get here so I didn't make it in time."
"ok....." replies a confused Pat. Pat doesn't know why the student is telling her this in the first place and in the 2nd place this is not a legitimate excuse for being late. Pat tries to get back to the point, "Seriously though, please send her an e-mail so that she knows that you turned it in. She may not physically come back to campus this semester and she will fail you if she assumed that you didn't turn it in." Pat assumes that this information should be pretty clear but it is apparently news to the student.
Pat should have just taken it without trying to help- it's the student's own fault. At the same time though, Pat does not want to see this student next semester coming in to file a complaint about her professor who failed her and claimed that she didn't turn in a paper when she did. Pat would be the one to deal with her though because she would come in to the department 30 minutes after it closed and Pat would be the only one there....she probably still won't be able to figure out that commuting time next semester.
As the student walks out of the room Phyllis makes a comment quite loudly, not caring if the girl hears. "I live 30 minutes away but it's fine because I just leave my house 30 minutes before I have to be here and I still get to work on time."
Pat and Phyllis have a good laugh.
A student waltzes in at 4:35pm and informs Pat that she is dropping off a paper for this professor. Pat says ok and lets the student know that the professor has already come to pick them up.
"Oh- yeah, I know. I'm late," The student responds nonchalantly.
Pat is more concerned about the student missing this deadline than the student is.
"You might want to send your professor an e-mail and let her know that you have turned it in and it's in her box," Pat tries to help.
The student feels the need to defend her lateness at this point for some reason, "I live further away than most students....it takes me 30 minutes to get here so I didn't make it in time."
"ok....." replies a confused Pat. Pat doesn't know why the student is telling her this in the first place and in the 2nd place this is not a legitimate excuse for being late. Pat tries to get back to the point, "Seriously though, please send her an e-mail so that she knows that you turned it in. She may not physically come back to campus this semester and she will fail you if she assumed that you didn't turn it in." Pat assumes that this information should be pretty clear but it is apparently news to the student.
Pat should have just taken it without trying to help- it's the student's own fault. At the same time though, Pat does not want to see this student next semester coming in to file a complaint about her professor who failed her and claimed that she didn't turn in a paper when she did. Pat would be the one to deal with her though because she would come in to the department 30 minutes after it closed and Pat would be the only one there....she probably still won't be able to figure out that commuting time next semester.
As the student walks out of the room Phyllis makes a comment quite loudly, not caring if the girl hears. "I live 30 minutes away but it's fine because I just leave my house 30 minutes before I have to be here and I still get to work on time."
Pat and Phyllis have a good laugh.
Monday, April 19, 2010
Take It Up With a Higher Authority
A certain obnoxious student is quite upset with the departmental adviser because they do not have enough credits to graduate. The adviser has explained that in order to receive a bachelor's degree you need to have completed a certain amount of credit hours. Most obnoxious students are not satisfied with a final word on the matter and prefer to speak to a "superior" or another individual that will do something to help them just to shut them up.
Pat explains that this amount of credit hours in not the departmental advisor's decision....it is not even the departmental chair's decision. It was not determined by the University president even. This is mandated by the state. Perhaps if the student continues to have a problem with these requirements he should take it up with his state representative.
The departmental chair recommends taking it up with the highest authority if he is going to continue to pursue this issue, "Take it up with God," She says. Perhaps He will take pity on this student, despite his rudeness, and send personal revelation to the advisor.....although the advisor says that she will need that in writing......
Best of luck obnocious student!
Pat explains that this amount of credit hours in not the departmental advisor's decision....it is not even the departmental chair's decision. It was not determined by the University president even. This is mandated by the state. Perhaps if the student continues to have a problem with these requirements he should take it up with his state representative.
The departmental chair recommends taking it up with the highest authority if he is going to continue to pursue this issue, "Take it up with God," She says. Perhaps He will take pity on this student, despite his rudeness, and send personal revelation to the advisor.....although the advisor says that she will need that in writing......
Best of luck obnocious student!
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)