Do you think a college professor has the right to do this?

[Jessica86]

^ I totally agree that it was her respondsibility to inform the professor and discuss options. I disagree that by being ten minutes late to class should make you void from college. College is not an entitlement, it needs to be worked for and payed for. That said she worked to pay for it and handled a difficult situation in a negative way but that does not make her a bad, childish, immature person. It makes her human, she responded to a bad situation in a bad way. So did the professor. Like many here I paid for college myself and I would not have accepted that......Colleges just like everything in the US is based on capitalism. They want that money and need it, I would really like to hear how the rest of this played out.

Like I stated I think the blame is on both of them and I hope an amicable solution can be found. College professors do deserve much respect and are even mentors for many people, the problem I have with this whole situation is that the professor did not act in a professional manner. Like I said I have had many wonderful professors but also many egotistical, power hungry professors and I do not think this one deserves all the credit he is getting.

 

[goofy!]

^ I totally agree that it was her respondsibility to inform the professor and discuss options. I disagree that by being ten minutes late to class should make you void from college. College is not an entitlement, it needs to be worked for and payed for. That said she worked to pay for it and handled a difficult situation in a negative way but that does not make her a bad, childish, immature person. It makes her human, she responded to a bad situation in a bad way. So did the professor. Like many here I paid for college myself and I would not have accepted that......Colleges just like everything in the US is based on capitalism. They want that money and need it, I would really like to hear how the rest of this played out.

Like I stated I think the blame is on both of them and I hope an amicable solution can be found. College professors do deserve much respect and are even mentors for many people, the problem I have with this whole situation is that the professor did not act in a professional manner. Like I said I have had many wonderful professors but also many egotistical, power hungry professors and I do not think this one deserves all the credit he is getting.

I see you just joined today.

 

[Jessica86]

I see you just joined today.

Thank you!! I have been a long time lurker and I wanted to join this discussion, I know I have a different opinion but I didn't want anyone to think I was a troll lol!

 

[goofy!]

Ds is a junior at a university.

While he has never mentioned any profs locking the doors when class starts, numerous profs of his have a better solution.

The give 5 question clicker quizzes at the start of every class. Not only does it serve as attendance, but if you miss enough of the quizzes, you start dropping your grade.

 

[Aisling]

The professor had a right to do it, but I think he/she should have had some self-control and spoke to your niece privately after class to her her no more lateness will be tolerated.

 

[heatherwillmom]

Has everyone noticed that the OP hasn't posted for a while? i wonder if they really wanted everyone's opinion

 

[crashbb]

^ I totally agree that it was her respondsibility to inform the professor and discuss options. I disagree that by being ten minutes late to class should make you void from college. College is not an entitlement, it needs to be worked for and payed for. That said she worked to pay for it and handled a difficult situation in a negative way but that does not make her a bad, childish, immature person. It makes her human, she responded to a bad situation in a bad way. So did the professor. Like many here I paid for college myself and I would not have accepted that......Colleges just like everything in the US is based on capitalism. They want that money and need it, I would really like to hear how the rest of this played out.

Like I stated I think the blame is on both of them and I hope an amicable solution can be found. College professors do deserve much respect and are even mentors for many people, the problem I have with this whole situation is that the professor did not act in a professional manner. Like I said I have had many wonderful professors but also many egotistical, power hungry professors and I do not think this one deserves all the credit he is getting.

Actually, I totally disagree that the prof handed it in a bad way. He did berate her, he simply told her to leave. I don't believe that the blame is on both of them - the blame rest solely with the niece. Frankly, given how rude the niece admitted to being, I suspect that there is even more to the story.

She created the bad situation, by not discussion it with her prof./work and gets no credit from me.

Oh, and "welcome".

 

[Swan4Me]

Same old routine you played out when you went under the name Papa Deuce and I see you haven't changed, even though your screen name has. You posted something controversial expecting everyone to agree with you, then give petty responses when everyone calls you out for what is clearly wrong behaviour.:

I did a search and it's odd-the last thread started by him was a teacher rant


I think the "neice" was in the wrong-she should have gotten with the Prof the first day her schedule made her late.

 

[luvmy3]

I think online classes are a great idea......as far as the distractions from someone walking into class, it is quite a pain but college prepares us for a career and the "real world". Distractions are always a part of that world, while on the job a person may be working on a project but the phone rings, someone stops to talk to them, a sudden meeting is called....it is a total pain but is part of the job. It is unfair that other students have to deal with this distraction but distractions are a part of life. Maybe some of the students don't mind because they think it is great that a mom of three, working a fulltime job is making a great attempt to get a degree. Shouldn't college also teach us how to be tolerant and human?

Um, no. Besides even if it was, if you don't know that by the time you are in college, or in your 30s like the OPs niece then there is nothing college can teach you about it.

But college should also teach you how to be responsible for your own life. If you have a scheduling conflict. . .you better learn how to make that clear and find a solution. It is NOT the profs job to read your mind. You would not expect that in a job situation. .. how is this different?

I have actually had profs that have said that they don't care at all what your attendance is. . .but you are dang well responsible for the coursework. I thought that was great. . .but I learned right quick that it wasn't that easy and you have to be there everyday, on time. . .or you were scr*wed.

Again. . .if you can't figure out what collegiate life is all about than maybe you don't deserve to be there. The profs only responsibility is to be there and to lecture. . .everything else in college is on you. Studying. . .getting notes. . forming study groups. ..scheduling a meeting during office hours. . .that's all on you! We are not talking about jr high or even high school. Profs are NOT going to track you down when you have a missing assignment! It's not their job!!! You are a supposed adult. . . act like one!

It IS like a real life job. I've had some great bosses. . and some not so good. BUT you have to be proactive. They can't read your mind. ..and it's really not their job to. There are other people lined up behind you. . .just waiting. Same for college. I went to a CC and seriously had some of my best profs there. . .BUT there are waiting lists. . not everybody gets into every class. If you are going to act like an ignoramus taking somebody elses spot. . then keep moving! This niece was WAY out of line! I seriously can't believe that she thought showing up late for that many weeks and not bringing it up to the prof was ok. REALLY?? What friggin planet is she from?

And then to top it off with that entitlement attitude. . .I'm paying so you have to teach me crap?! Uh. . .so what? It's akin to somebody that only shows up when they feel like it or doesn't do any of the outside studying and gets mad that they haven't learned enough to pass the class. This is NOT high school! It's more rigorous and it's all up to you! If you can't cut it. .. than you can't. Move aside and open a spot for somebody that understands that you speak up as soon as you have as scheduling conflict! Grow up or get out!

Hambirg I don't always agree with you but you are spot on here

^ I totally agree that it was her respondsibility to inform the professor and discuss options. I disagree that by being ten minutes late to class should make you void from college. College is not an entitlement, it needs to be worked for and payed for. That said she worked to pay for it and handled a difficult situation in a negative way but that does not make her a bad, childish, immature person. It makes her human, she responded to a bad situation in a bad way. So did the professor. Like many here I paid for college myself and I would not have accepted that......Colleges just like everything in the US is based on capitalism. They want that money and need it, I would really like to hear how the rest of this played out.

It really isn't a difficult situation, many of the posters here have spoken about similiar experiences and how they have handled it. She handled it in an irresponsible immature way. That doesn't make her a bad person but the way she handled it does nothing to prove she is anything other than childish.
As far as paying for it, what does that have to do with anything? I have seen that numerous times here, and its a weak argument.
Do you really believe that because she paid for it, she is entitled to act like that? No, sorry it doesn't work that way. When you pay for college, you are paying to be educated, she had that opportunity but she chose not to use it. She chose to continue to come into class late, disrupt the other paying students, she chose to disegard the Prof.s classroom policy. Thats her own fault, the college lived up to their end, she was the one who didn't. People "pay" for things all the time, but they still have a responsibilty to take care of those things in order to get their moneys worth. I mean lets say I buy a car and never change the oil and the engine seizes. I paid for it, using your logic my car should be fixed by the dealer (without expense to me) since I did pay for it. Weak.

 

[scrapquitler]

ETA... If I was going to be 10 minutes late to every single class, I would have talked to the professor about it a LONG time ago.

I agree. The smart thing would have been to let the professor know.

He should be okay with it, it's not like it's for the whole semester, the semester is almost over now. I did however have some professors who were more strict than others.

 

[Mkrop]

I think online classes are a great idea......as far as the distractions from someone walking into class, it is quite a pain but college prepares us for a career and the "real world". Distractions are always a part of that world, while on the job a person may be working on a project but the phone rings, someone stops to talk to them, a sudden meeting is called....it is a total pain but is part of the job. It is unfair that other students have to deal with this distraction but distractions are a part of life. Maybe some of the students don't mind because they think it is great that a mom of three, working a fulltime job is making a great attempt to get a degree. Shouldn't college also teach us how to be tolerant and human?

Are you the niece???????


I think the prof was extremely TOLERANT when he did not kick her out during her first late class.

Welcome to the real world!

 

[MrsPete]

The professor has the right to set the tone in his or her classroom, and -- as the leader of that classroom -- he has the right to make the rules. Likely, students coming in late throw him off and are stressful to him, so he's made a rule about it.

Most of my college professors were very laid-back and didn't care much about behavior, but I remember a few who had specific rules tailored to their own pet-peeves:

- One of my professors couldn't stand to have students come in late, and he made it clear on the first day: He'd close the doors when class began, and if you were not "in", you'd better not open that door. Likewise, you'd better not leave his class early. However, he gave a break halfway through the three-hour class, and you were welcome to enter/leave at the midway point.

- One of my professors couldn't abide newspapers in class. I can understand him being bothered by students reading newspapers during his lecture.

- A few couldn't stand food in class. In particular, one blind professor had a seeing-eye dog, and it's perfectly understandable that food odors might attract the dog's attention.

We didn't have cell phones or laptops when I was in college, but I'd bet lots of professors have rules about those today.

Bottom line: It's his classroom, and he makes the rules.

Your niece would've been wise to go speak to him ahead of time when she realized that this was going to happen. I'm sure that it appeared to him that she was just leaving home late -- consistantly -- for his class, which made him think that the class wasn't a priority for her. This lack of communication backed them both into a corner, and led to the confrontation that you described. Your niece was also wrong to back-talk the professor. Her better option would've been to leave, then explain herself later in private. It was pride that got the best of her.

 

[MrsPete]

But college should also teach you how to be responsible for your own life . . . I have actually had profs that have said that they don't care at all what your attendance is. . .but you are dang well responsible for the coursework.

Yes, this was my experience in college as well. Few of my professors took attendance, and it was very evident in a few classes. In particular, I remember my Biology 101 class: The teacher told us on the first day of class that she'd teach exactly the same class at 10:00 and at 2:00 (making up those times -- just pretend I'm right), and we were free to attend either lecture. I alternated between them, and the room was frequently only 2/3 full . . . until test day (when we had to attend our scheduled session). Then it was jam-packed. I would've liked to have known the average grade in that class -- it was so obvious that so many people skipped regularly. Either they found Biology much easier than I did, or they failed.

However, that was 20 years ago. Today college professors have a new tool in their arsenal: The Smart Response System (the most popular name brand being Senteo). They require students to purchase a remote-control-type device for about $40, and they can use this to track attendance and to have students answer questions mid-lecture. So the professor lectures on such-and-such for a bit, then pops up 2-3 questions . . . and he can instantly find out that 80% of the students understood question #1, but only 10% were able to answer question #2 correctly. It's making lecture-hall classes more interactive.

 

[mjkacmom]

I see you just joined today.

 

[MrsPete]

Something no one has mentioned (that I could see).

If the prof (at the front of the room - so as far from the back door as possible), could notice her coming in, then everyone noticed her coming in (and was disturbed by her).

Hmmm . . . thinking back to my college classrooms, some had doors in the back and the professor had to walk the length of the room to get to his spot, but MOST lecture halls had doors in the front.

Most of the lecture halls in which I had classes were equipped with two sets of double doors in the front of the classroom, and the professor's raised "stage" stood between those doors. Most had no back doors at all because they "backed up to" another lecture hall. Oh, and all had raised stadium-seating.

However, that's all beside the point. The professor makes the rules and announces them on the first day. If the student doesn't like them, he has the choice to change the class.

 

[GinnyEmma]

The niece is just an adult snowflake. Sure it is good to go back to school, but a class is a committment. If you think that it is entirely for your own benefit you are self centered and selfish even if you are a mom.

As far as distractions being good because the real world has distractions? That is too too funny. Everyone is paying for the class. Not just the princess. It is rude to disrupt a class, or speaker anywhere. Why would a classroom be any different?

 

[MrsPete]

The niece is just an adult snowflake. Sure it is good to go back to school, but a class is a committment. If you think that it is entirely for your own benefit you are self centered and selfish even if you are a mom.

As far as distractions being good because the real world has distractions? That is too too funny. Everyone is paying for the class. Not just the princess. It is rude to disrupt a class, or speaker anywhere. Why would a classroom be any different?

True.

 

[GinnyEmma]

Oh my! So is "jessica" the snowflake niece or big cuddle bear?

 

[crashbb]

She tells me that she slips in the door and quietly takes a seat in the back row, so as to cause as little disturbance as possible.

Something no one has mentioned (that I could see).

If the prof (at the front of the room - so as far from the back door as possible), could notice her coming in, then everyone noticed her coming in (and was disturbed by her).

Hmmm . . . thinking back to my college classrooms, some had doors in the back and the professor had to walk the length of the room to get to his spot, but MOST lecture halls had doors in the front.

Most of the lecture halls in which I had classes were equipped with two sets of double doors in the front of the classroom, and the professor's raised "stage" stood between those doors. Most had no back doors at all because they "backed up to" another lecture hall. Oh, and all had raised stadium-seating.

However, that's all beside the point. The professor makes the rules and announces them on the first day. If the student doesn't like them, he has the choice to change the class.

Since the OP said that she slipped in and took a seat in the back row, I just assumed that she was coming in near the back row. Most of our lecture theatres did have doors at the very back, so it seemed sensible to me.

As you say, doesn't really matter.

 

[Glynis]

Ds is a junior at a university.

While he has never mentioned any profs locking the doors when class starts, numerous profs of his have a better solution.

The give 5 question clicker quizzes at the start of every class. Not only does it serve as attendance, but if you miss enough of the quizzes, you start dropping your grade.

I attended a class once where students would sneak out after attendance was taken. It got really bad, to the point where over half the class would leave. Finally one day, the prof took attendance, started his lecture, and sure enough, slowly the class dwindled down. At one point, he locked the door, took some papers out of his briefcase, and handed them to the rest of us. It was the final exam! He handed them out, and GAVE US THE ANSWERS! Then he collected them again, and put them in his briefcase. A few weeks later, at the date of the real final, the missing students got a real surprise when they were handed a final that had been written the night before, and the rest of us were given donuts.

Ah, college!