My TA: The Bitch!
 

Emails will direct the situation, which I am sharing.
--------------------------------
Hi <Fresh>,

As I told you, you had to give me concert review
#3. Remember that you cannot pass the course
without it.

Best,
<TA>
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<TA>,

I'm sorry, I was going to attend a concert because I did not attend one
prior to our last discussion. But then I looked on the sheet and there
were no more available to attend, so I couldn't turn anything in. I am
sorry for this. But I thought I would just receive a zero for this grade,
it did not say I would not pass the course if I did not complete the assignment. I have made every discussion and was going to try to attend a
late concert to make this up, but I have nothing to attend. I know it is
my fault but I cannot fail the course because I did not turn in a homework
assignment. Please consider this.

P.S.

Also, I just wanted to let you know every weekend this semester I have been involved in dance practices for the AAA club and their Fashion Show. I am in many scenes so the majority of my weekend is dedicated to practicing, I apologize for not attending the final concert but this is one of the reasons why. I simply cannot fail a class because I did not turn in this homework assignment, the syllabus does not specify that at all. Again, I apologize for not turning it in but it cannot make me fail this course.

<Fresh>
-----------------------------------------
Hi <Fresh>,

You don't understand the seriousness of the situation. If you don't hand in
this assignment, we cannot give you a pass grade. "F" is the only grade you
can receive. But I checked Krannert calendar, and found that there are
still concerts you can attend. Here are the concerts:
UI Symphony Orchestra, on Dec. 7 (TODAY) from 7:30pm
The Nutcracker, on Dec. 8 from 2pm and 7:30pm
Champaign-Urbana Symphony Orchestra , on Dec. 8 from 7:30pm

You must attend one of them and write a review.
Remember that we cannot let you pass the course without this assignment.

Best,
<TA>
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<TA>

I am sorry, the seriousness of the situation? That does not make any sense why you have to fail me, the syllabus did not state that anywhere. It is one homework assignment, I take blame for missing it but it is not worth a failure of the class. This is very unfair of you to ask me to do on finals weekend, and I will contact <Professor> about this, this weekend I need to be studying not attending a concert. Nowhere was it ever specified a student would fail the course if one homework assignment was not turned in. If <Professor> dictates that it is worth a failing grade then I will attend a concert this weekend, despite the unfairness of the affair. If it turns out I actually need to do this, I will email it.
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<Professor>

Hello, I am a student in your MUS 130 class. I have an issue with my TA, <TA>. I did not turn in the last concert review and was ready to accept a grade of zero. I am sorry for not completing the assignment, but <TA> has told me that since I did not turn that in I will fail the course. I feel this is entirely unfair, one two accords. First off, the syllabus and your directions and hers (before this) never said a student would fail the course for an incomplete homework assignment. I find that incredulous that I would fail this course which I enjoy because of one homework assignment. I am owning up and accepting a zero but a failure of the course is very unfair. She has demanded that I go see a concert this weekend, this finals weekend and write a paper about that. I have much to study for and cannot afford to attend a concert that is unnecessary. No where was it spoken or written that a single incomplete homework assignment would be the cause of a failure in your course. I would appreciate if you could mediate this situation because I feel it is vastly unfair to the student to be required to make this up when it was never ever specified throughout the semester. Thank you, Professor.

<Fresh>

why dont you just lie about attending the concert? review it based on what youve heard about it.

LJ: my profs in the past have also required proof of attendance such as a ticket stub, sometimes signed by a certain person at the event(s).

Fresh: It may not even be up to the TA. Notice how she says "we" instead of "I". It might be the prof's policy and the TA is merely the messenger. I feel your pain, I had some shit TA's back when I went to Ohio U who don't really give a rat's ass about you or your completion of the course. Contacting the prof was the right thing to do. See if you can set up an in person meeting or at least a phone call.
In addition, I would hold your tongue just a little bit because if you come off in attack mode to the prof, he/she will be much less open to working out a solution than if you stay cool and calm and reasonable. I would work the "Going to a concert is going to eat up valuable studying time because I intend to do my best on all my exams, including yours" angle instead of "It's not fair!", even though you're right the punishment for not doing the assignment doesn't fit failing the entire course.

bullitt's right. drop the "not fair" business. if they are anything like my old prof's the they would simply respond with a laugh and "welcome to life kid." this is one of those times in life when you are going to have to swallow your pride and suck a little butt to get what you need.

welcome to life kid.

right on target lookout - sad but true.

fresh, if it doesn't say in the course outline that you can't pass without at least handing in an attempt at every assignment, then you should go see your faculty head however, before you do that, you should check your college/uni guidlines. Sometimes it's stated there that if you don't at least attempt every assignment you may not pass the subject. Over here it would be considered incomplete.

Dear <Fresh>

Your TA <TA>'s policy about missing assignments was one that was in place
when the course was previously taught. However, since such a policy was not
announced explicitly in the syllabus, I will not hold to it, and you will not
be failed for missing one assignment.

It is a pity nonetheless that you have managed your time so that you
"cannot afford to attend a concert." Getting the maximum value for your
tuition money is the wisest approach to college.

Best wishes,
<Professor>
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Well then....

sounds like a good prof to me.

I think you got off easy. I wouldn't tolerate such whining. You're not in grade school any more. Homework? Coursework? It's all the same. You should be way past the level of insignificant makework that doesn't really count. please. :rolleyes:

You got lucky with that prof on a technicality. Count your blessings and learn from it.

Monster is dead-on! Learn and leave it be. You got very lucky.

Do you have anything to say yourself, classic?

So fresh, will you still pass the subject if not that particular assignment?

Glad the professor was willing to let it go on a technicality. But make sure you learn your lesson from this. In the real world, your employer doesn't have to give you a syllabus at the beginning specifying what will get you fired and what will simply make you lose your Christmas bonus.

When you're less worked up about stuff, go back and re-read your emails again. They were of a confrontational nature right off the bat--it is never a good idea to tell someone in charge what they "can't" do to you. You were right, but you handled it in a very dangerous manner, which almost always counts for more.

I hate, HATE failing students. I take it very personally that the students put me in a position of having to enforce the consequences of their poor choices.

Yeah, I'll do my homework from now on.

Nope, monster pretty much covered it right before me. thanks for asking though.

I'm glad you are going to do your homework from now on. From the begging of the read through the posts on this thread, I've been thinking...GO TO A CONCERT. The TA even gave you some suggestions.

You blew off the assignment, because you thought the consequences would be different. You found out the consequences and threw a fit, rather then sucking it up, and going to one of the concerts. You are very lucky the Prof didn't back the TA.


Glad things worked out for you. Very lucky if you ask me.

Sure.

you don't take criticism well do you fresh? ;)

I know I'd have talked to my professor. Academics are important, I wouldn't want a "rules or die" TA ruining my GPA. It IS a dog eat dog world, so why not have some comfort of knowing you won't have a failed course on the resume? I'd ensure my passing grade without a whim.

I'm pretty sure no one here has suggested he shouldn't have asked the question. Just that maybe the TA did have point and maybe fresh should have managed his time better, and then it wouldn't have been an issue. As was rightly pointed out, there's not too many bosses out there who would allow you to get away with not doing something because you didn't have time. Most bosses would simply find someone to do the job who does have the time.

That being said, and having been a uni student before, there are some items of assessment which do seem totally pointless or unreasonable and it is different at uni than in the real world.

I'd say being held accountable for things that are pointless or unreasonable is one of the ways in which university life is MOST like the real world!

Maybe. I suppose it works both ways. I personally don't like uni. I don't think the course i was doing had a lot of relevant information at all. I did learn some interesting stuff though. It just didn't have a whole lot to do with teaching kids english.

Having worked at several universities, including yours, fresh, I have to say that I would have been a hard ass and failed you. Accountability is just one of those things that as a TA you have to do. You have to stick to your guns and not let any student slide for any reason. That's how the real world works... it sucks, but you're better for it in the end.

U of I has such a good School of Music - I know you would have had no trouble finding a concert to attend.

It's not fair!!! Waaaaaah!!!

They gave you your options now just go do it.

Fresh- In the real world that I hope they are preparing you for, repeating "but this isn't fair", isn't going to work. Enjoy it now. You are going to have real trouble after college if you can't do such an easy assignment without pitching a fit.

It doesn't say that in the syllabus. It doesn't say that in the syllabus...I think you need to get hit in the head with one. You aren't thinking straight.
:)

You were clearly trying to get out of a homework assignment and are clearly trying to manipulate everyone involved (pitching a baby fit)........Everyone but you can see this clearly as evidenced by your e-mails. I bet they mentioned the manditory assignment during a class you missed or some such nonsense. You don't want to start getting out of everything on the account of a small technicality...That is what death row inmates rely on.

Oh and pointing out that you were too busy doing other things to do their assignment is never a good arguement. (I still try that one but I include the fact that it is their things I am busy with)

I keep reminding my students that they chose one of the few disciplines where the ink on the degree isn't worth a damn. Their 4 years here are a sprint through a hardware store, and all that matters are the tools they grab on the way through. Once you hit the industry, nobody cares, even a little bit, what grade you got in a freshman "Concert Music" course.