STUDENT E-MAIL
Casey,
I know I am missing two big assignments and have had bad attendance. I would like to apologize for this, I have had a family thing happening over the course of the semester and have been in St. Louis a lot over the semester. I really need the credit hours provided by this class however and am asking if there is any way that I would be able to finish the class with a passing grade at the end this semester. I know I should have been emailing you but it seems like I haven't had any time. I return to springfield on wednsday. Thank you for your patience and I am anxious for your response.
Thanks
MY RESPONSE
First of all, I am sorry to hear that you are having personal problems; sometimes life just doesn't want to cooperate with classes, and I'm not going to pretend that I haven't experienced the same thing. However, you have missed 3 assignments(350 points) because one is due on Thursday, and at this point there is simply no way for you to make a passing grade in the class. I haven't seen or heard from you since the beginning of March, and although I understand that you're having issues in St. Louis, I must adhere to the English Department guidelines. Had you communicated with me this semester, we might have been able to work something out as the semester progressed, but we only have three weeks left and it's just too late. You must get a C in ENG 110 in order to get credit for it, so your best option is going to be to just drop the course and take an "I" so that it doesn't affect your GPA.
I'm sorry it has to be this way, but I cannot allow you to have missed nearly the entire semester and still, in good conscience, give you a C in the class. It just isn't fair to the rest of the class--especially since they have been attending and participating all semester. It only takes 5 minutes to send an email, and the fact that you did not communicate with me adds to my decision. I'm sorry that this isn't the answer you are looking for, but I must do what is best for the other students as well as what is best for the department's integrity.
Best Regards
I anticipate a wealth of commentary and insight from my wonderful fellow-GAs!
7 comments:
Fair enough. I just had a student email me with the same concern this afternoon. I had emailed him to let him know that he couldn't pass the course anymore, and he emailed me back begging me to make an exception and let him finish the work.
I quoted the syllabus and told him that I'd listen to his case if he dropped by but that "I really need to pass" is not a reason for me to make an exception. It was a reason he should have made the class a priority in the first place.
casey,
i think your response was right on. there's simply no way you could pass this student. you responded with honesty and understanding, acknowleding this student was going through something, but maintained a very professional approach. there's no way a student could argue with your logic or think you were being hateful or cold.
it's so hard when students do this -- there's always this manipulative moment in their emails. i had one student, who was much like this, email me asking for extensions after long periods of absences with sentences like, "thank you in advance for your understanding." in advance?!?! ugh, i hate that! it's just a mean rhetorical trick. i think there's a paper to be written here, we can call it "the rhetoric of excuse."
You're a cold-hearted jerk, Casey! Just kidding :) I agree that you handled it appropriately. Maybe if the student had e-mailed you a couple times earlier in the semester, you could have let him/her turn in assignments via e-mail or something. I agree with you that it only takes a few minutes to send an e-mail, and any life circumstances short of kidnapping or open warfare should not prevent a student from contacting his/her instructors. By offering an "I" or "N" grade, you were more than fair.
This is what I do not understand about these excuses. If you're having long term/recurring issues of any kind, why not keep instructors up to date? How much effort does it actually take to write an email saying, "I'm having some problems right now, but I'd like to continue to try and keep up with my work?" I don't think that students understand that excuses after the fact just don't cut it.
Just a point--You as a GTA cannot grant an incomplete. In rare (very rare) instances, a GTA can confer with the Director of Composition to see if an incomplete is possible; the decision is up to the Director, who most likely will also confer with the Dept. Head. This policy is in place in order to protect GTAs from an unfair workload.
I think you handled this very professionally. You acknowledge that the circumstances aren't great, but you have to do adhere to policy.
I do have a question. Did you mean "I" or "N" for the dropping part of your e-mail? Don't question your decision, you made the right choice.
I suppose I confused "I" for "N." I think the student still gets the point aside from my misguided information. The N will still not affect his GPA, if I remember that correctly. Thanks to everyone for their helpful comments and suggestions!
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