# Not GR, class question.



## AcesWild (Nov 29, 2008)

Okay so here is the scenario.

Very rainy day in the southeast, lotsa flooding! I go to my second class and see a note on the door "9:00 am Class cancelled". So I leave. 2 hours later I get a call from the professor and she says she was stuck in traffic and called the secretary to write a note saying she would be late, instead the secretary cancelled class. She says that we still have to do the presentation even though that was our last class for the lab and I am right now in the last class for lecture.

At 3pm that day (my class would have ended at noon), they closed the campus. All classes after 3pm are to be made up on Tuesday at their assigned time in their assigned location.

She says that we need to schedule a time (that works for all 4 people) to still give her the presentation. 

Personally...she's SOL class was cancelled and not at a time where the college would require us to make it up. I do not feel that she should be able to make us come at a time that was not assigned by the college, nor do I feel that she can take points away for me refusing to present.

What do you think?


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Do you already have all the presentation stuff ready? Would it be extra hard to just do it anyway?


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Also, if you refuse to come, is that gonna affect your group members' grades?


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

Regardless it's part of the class objectives and has been factored into grading for the semester. I suppose you can not present and take a zero for the presentation and take whatever effect that has on your grade. 

Things come up - real life is a lot less flexible than "find a time that works for the four of you". She's technically not obligated to make herself available for the completion of the lab and she's giving you what sounds like a huge amount of flexibility on her part. Get the group together and get it done - if you were prepared to do it today you can do it on Tuesday - heck you should be able to do it better with another five days to prepare.

Erica


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## Finn's Fan (Dec 22, 2007)

Here's my take: You're paying good money to go to college to LEARN, not simply to get grades. If the presentation is part of that learning, then go do it. Presumably, you and your lab partners have finished the presentation, so what's the big deal about finding the time to show off your hard work?


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

Finn's Fan said:


> Here's my take: You're paying good money to go to college to LEARN, not simply to get grades.


That's what always made me mad about some of my classes. I just paid $1000 or so for this class, and you're gonna keep cancelling it? Uh, I need to learn what you're supposed to teach me. That's why I like to give Clemson University the big thumbs down.


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

I don't see the problem: it wasn't her fault the class was cancelled, but the secretary's, she's going a long way to have it organized, you've got it prepared already or were preparing it, there's more people involved then just you, it's part of the class requirements...sure, this s*cks, but there will be worse things along the way! Your last lines sound a bit like the argumenting I always heard from my high school pupils, grow up!


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## AcesWild (Nov 29, 2008)

I don't appreciate being told to grow up and would appreciate an apology for such a rude comment.

Unfortunately for her, in the end, I have the rules of the university on my side. 

She can not schedule a make up because the class was cancelled before the school was closed. She can however have us do it during a time already scheduled for the class (ie the final), I was even generous enough to say that I would come in during the scheduled time on reading day to give the presentation even though only classes starting after 3pm are to be made up on the reading day.

My issue comes with her telling another member in my group that if 3 people could present at x time then they could and the fourth member would get a lower grade.

I talked to the secretary for the department chair and actually had her laughing at the thought her response, "sooo she wants you to organize with 3 other people, find a time that works with her as well, go in solely to present and if you don't your grade will be based on an e-mailed powerpoint? Yeah, she can't do that, you really need to talk to the department chair."

Why can't she give a presentation grade based on a powerpoint? Some really awesome speakers only use 1 or 2 pictures in their presentations. Would I be willing to write a speech about my presentation? About my experiment? Heck yes. Do I need more practice giving presentations? Although practice i always nice I had a project that was exactly similar to this one, but without the group, and I also had a public speaking course. Her class thus far has taught me very little new information, if any at all, and that is unfortunate, that I didn't have a transfer credit to cover this.

Another aspect I don't get and this is where the learning comes in is that we were supposed to watch the other groups and now she just wants us to present to her, so I don't even get the benefit of hearing about what the other groups have been researching, and that's really where we lose out. 

I am waiting for the department chair to call me back and confirm and tell me course of action.


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## mylissyk (Feb 25, 2007)

You will run into people all your life that are not pleasant, unfortunately they may be your professor, your boss, a family member, etc.

It depends on what YOU want to gain from this course, are you satisified with the lower grade if you don't present? And of of course if you choose to go that route and not present you most definitely should file a formal complaint with the school. She is in the wrong, you just have to decide what is of more value to you, the grade, or making a point against the professor.


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## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

Sounds like some miscommunication between the prof and the secretary - their fault - not yours. However, if I was in your situation, I would assume that cancelling the class when I was supposed to present would not get me off the hook. Whether it has to be made up outside of class time or not is the decision of the prof/school I guess, but I wouldn't make a big deal about having to still do the presentation.

When I was in college, we had some nasty snow storms that cancelled classes (of course we didn't find out until after we had driven an hour and a half to get there) where we had presentations and final exams to write (It happened about 4 times in my last year). We had to juggle the schedules like crazy so we could fit in time to make up the presentations and exams... I even had to write one on a Saturday morning. It's part of life!


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## esSJay (Apr 13, 2009)

mylissyk said:


> ...you just have to decide what is of more value to you, the grade, or making a point against the professor.


 
Good point... you have to keep your reputation in mind, and figure out how much *more* work it will be to deal with the school to fight this! IMHO, it's not worth the extra effort...


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## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

I'm sorry if I offended you, but you did ask for my meaning...And if you do want a honest opinion, it's always nice to present all the facts, first. But a word of advice from a teacher: be careful with how you proceed, it's always very easy to get too emotional, and that is never wise if you have a difference of opinion. I hope you get an outcome that is satisfying.


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## AcesWild (Nov 29, 2008)

esSJay said:


> Sounds like some miscommunication between the prof and the secretary - their fault - not yours. However, if I was in your situation, I would assume that cancelling the class when I was supposed to present would not get me off the hook. Whether it has to be made up outside of class time or not is the decision of the prof/school I guess, but I wouldn't make a big deal about having to still do the presentation.
> 
> When I was in college, we had some nasty snow storms that cancelled classes (of course we didn't find out until after we had driven an hour and a half to get there) where we had presentations and final exams to write (It happened about 4 times in my last year). We had to juggle the schedules like crazy so we could fit in time to make up the presentations and exams... I even had to write one on a Saturday morning. It's part of life!


Exactly I am happy to present or write a speech but the point as she told us was to see others presentations. And in the end that's not what's happening...I am happy to present during class hours we may have just run out of time.


I know that some classes you have to have x amount of essays but I am not sure if we have to do an oral presentation as part of the ciriculum.


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

AcesWild said:


> Exactly I am happy to present or write a speech but the point as she told us was to see others presentations. And in the end that's not what's happening...I am happy to present during class hours we may have just run out of time.


That may have been the point to begin with, but with this new glitch in the plan, watching each other may not be an option.

My best advice is to be flexible. If you were heading out of town and wouldn't be around for her reschedule date -- and you had academic policy in your side -- then I'd say sure, fight it. Otherwise, roll with it and consider it practice for real life... which is messy and inconvenient sometimes.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

_"class was cancelled and not at a time where the college would require us to make it up"_

Real life requires us to make allowances and accomodate changes in schedules.
I think you would do better to suck it up and make time to present or decide you want to get out of it and take a lower grade. If the college is on your side you can get away with this, but it will still probably affect your grade because it WILL affect the way this professor perceives you.

If I don't perform above and beyond the call of duty at work, I either won't get a raise or it will be so small as to be insignificant. I can rant and rave about it not being fair and something being against the rules all I want and it doesn't change things.

My attitude and expections changed drastically from when I first went to college (18) to the time I returned to finish (27) because I had been out in the "real world" and had a different outlook.


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## Sivin (Nov 23, 2006)

Just do it. This is such a tiny sliver of your life. The work is supposedly done. Your time there is almost over. Don't burn bridges, don't argue with professors over this sort of thing. It's really not worth it.


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## unclelar (Oct 10, 2009)

It is not always about right and wrong. Sometimes it is about character. Life often calls us to go above and beyond what is right, these are character building moments. Think about them as opportunity to shine. There is not always a exterior reward but an inner peace. I marked other because you could use this time to give the presentation and then thank the instructor for allowing you the opportunity.


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## MurphyTeller (Sep 28, 2008)

inge said:


> ...sure, this s*cks, but there will be worse things along the way! Your last lines sound a bit like the argumenting I always heard from my high school pupils, grow up!


Yeah - pass the cheese there's plenty of whine for everyone ;-)


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## Abbydabbydo (Jan 31, 2007)

Having just been through a major flood, I can tell you we moved heaven and earth to get work made up and keep things going. If you think school is authoritarian, wait till you get to the workplace!


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

When I was in college, I remember meeting with a project group at 11:00 pm because that was the only time we were all free.

These presentations are to prepare you for the real world. Much worse situations and scenarios happen, where you need to work in the middle of the night or a holiday to meet a deadline or to fix an emergency.

It is part of your grade, and I think the professor is being fair. It would not be fair to the other students, if you did not get graded on the presentation piece and they did. The presentation of the project is a big part of your education, too, again to prepare you for presenting in the real world.


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## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

Be very cooperative with the professor. You may have her again for another class. You don't want to burn bridges.


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## coppers-mom (Jan 9, 2009)

AcesWild said:


> My issue comes with her telling another member in my group that if 3 people could present at x time then they could and the fourth member would get a lower grade.


Do you suppose this comment was made because the professor or your team mates caught onto the fact that you were not inclined to make up the presentation? I doubt they would leave you out if you had a truly valid excuse for not being able to make it at a specific time.

Good luck with your decision.


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## BUTTERSisMYmaster (Nov 30, 2007)

AcesWild said:


> My issue comes with her telling another member in my group that if 3 people could present at x time then they could and the fourth member would get a lower grade.


That is hearsay. You have no proof of the context or validity of that statement. I wouldn't allow that to affect your position or feelings on this. 

Moreover, the fact that the school canceled class after 3 and has set times for make-up has NOTHING to do with your situation. If your teacher had to cancel class 8 weeks ago because she wanted to watch soap operas that morning and then made you make up that class at another time, she could absolutely do that - and this situation is no different. Unless you go to some unaccredited school that does not require attendance, that is the case. She is being flexible... are you even busy or do you just not want to do it?


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## AcesWild (Nov 29, 2008)

Got a 13/15 on the presentation, and chocolate coins as "funding" for our proposals. Got this grade despite going 12 minutes over time. (No joke)


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## Augustus McCrae's Mom (Aug 14, 2007)

It was only worth 15 points? I might have skipped it after all:curtain: That is if it wouldn't have affected my final grade or my partners'.

But congrats!


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## AcesWild (Nov 29, 2008)

Yup I know...15 out of 200 for the project...I guess it had to have been part of the criteria for the course then you know main cirriculum to do it.


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