Aaaarrrrrrggggghhhhhh!

[TPCShauna]

I am half a page from finishing my term paper for my online class that I thought was due today. The professor had not assigned the actual paper yet but it was listed on the syllabus so I've been researching and writing with today's date as my goal.

Today, he posts on the stupid class board that he is having us do a different type of paper this term than the one he had posted in the syllabus. Instead of a 5 page, single spaced paper discussing the physical and social characteristics of a hominid, he now wants us to do observations of a prosimian and primate at our local zoo and write up a 5 page, single spaced paper of THAT due on Tuesday! And our stinking final is next Thursday!

I am SO DONE with this class! I emailed him to let him know that I was almost finished writing the hominid paper based upon the info in the syllabus and he told me I should have emailed him before I started it to verify that we were doing it. Hellooooo? Isn't that what a stinking college syllabus is for? Especially in an online class? So that you can work ahead and be proactive rather than reactive?

I asked all of those questions and he responded that I can turn in the hominid paper for extra credit but that I need to do the observation paper for my grade. So, guess what I get to be doing this weekend in the 100 degree heat? That's right. Observing lemurs and chimps at my local zoo. Yippee freaking do. Then I get to write another stinking paper. Did I mention I am so done?

 

[New England Eeyore]

Oh, Shauna, that stinks!! The syllabus is not supposed to be changed mid-stream. Sounds like the professor is a dud!

 

[Kim1964]

Well, I probably can't post what I would like to because it would be considered offensive.....but so is what that professor did! I am SO sorry.

 

[ddavis860]

Wow, is there someplace you can report this? To have a syllabus for a class, and then totally change it a week before due date? That can't be right. I wonder if you are the only one that he has jerked with this... Who would ever think to email before starting a project, when it is on the official class syllabus. What a jerk!!!

So, for the new paper, hopefully you will have nice weather, and be able to enjoy the time...

and !@#$%^& out that jerk.....

 

[PrincessNancy96]

Shauna,
I have a few words for him..probably along the same lines as Kim!!!
That is just awful... I thought that was why we were handed out a syllabus... and while it may change.. notification should have went out LONG, LONG, LONG ago!! That would just royally piss me off (sorry for the dirty word!)

I wish you lived closer it's suppose to be warm but cool here this weekend and our lemurs have a new exhibit where you can almost reach them (they are caged but you can almost touch the cage now!)....

Hugs.. just remember this class is almost over.. and if you can do an evaluation of this professor, I'd so give him and not so nice review!

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

I've got nothing good to say about the professor.

Hope the Lemurs and Chimps put on a good show for you.

 

[Lisa]

That is horrible that he did that, especially with an online class that has a syllabus.

We need to do a paper on his animal behavior.

I think the heat will be a big factor with the animals behavior. HEAT=animals sleeping. In the jungle the mighty jungle the lion sleeps tonight.........

 

[Mickster]

Great, thanks Lisa, I'll be singing that ALL day...

Shauna: I'm so sorry! That would send me right over the edge, too. Hopefully, you didn't have any other plans this weekend... Good luck getting it all done! You can do it!

 

[piratesmate]

OMG!! That's ridiculous! I would be beyond that's for sure!

I've never heard of someone changing the syllabus at the last minute like this. And if he wanted to change it, why wait until less than a week before the due date to assign a 5 pg observation paper?!?!? That's ridiculous!

Try to stay cool at the zoo this weekend.

 

[TPCShauna]

Thanks, everyone. At least I don't feel out of order for being mad.

I don't get to do an eval. for this class since it's a summer course but I printed off a copy of the syllabus, a copy of the new assignment (with the posting date) and his email response to me for the assignment and I plan to take them to the Dean. I don't know that it will do any good but it should at least make me feel a bit better. Hopefully it will help future people who take the class.

It's official that it is supposed to be over 100 degrees here tomorrow. I plan to go right at 10:00 when the zoo opens in the hopes that they will actually be doing something. That way I can hopefully get home before it gets too hot.

It's nice to know I wasn't too out of line for being mad. Y'all reinforced my extreme grouchiness!

 

[Avalon_toon]

Shauna - I'm a university prof., and I can say with certainty that your prof absolutely should not have done this, and as far as the regulations at most universities go, cannot insist that you do an assignment not listed in the class syllabus. A syllabus is a contract between student and prof. That is why most profs try to build in some flexibility into the syllabus - saying, assignment x will be on this topic, unless otherwise noted by prof. by y date... Taking the stuff to your Dean is a good idea. I would strongly urge you to take your completed original assignment, too, though - otherwise, the Dean may conclude you are just using the excuse of the change of assignment to get out of doing the new one (without actually having done the other one.) Good luck!