Thumbsucking Losers Known As College Students Unprepared For The Real World (Where There Are No Trigger Warnings, Etc.)
A U of Iowa professor put up a "public art piece" [photo at link] referred to by Vanessa Miller in the Iowa Gazette as a "Ku Klux Klan-likened sculpture."
Predictably, in today's pussified America, students who were offended "asked for and received exceptions from or assistance with class work due to the display's impact on their schedule or 'state of mind'":
"A very small number of students requested assistance with academic courses because the display impacted their ability to fully engage in classes at that time," said Jeneane Beck, senior director of UI News Media Relations....[Chemistry professor Christopher M.] Cheatum said one student missed a makeup exam at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 5 -- about eight hours after the statue in question was dismantled and more than an hour after meeting with administrators on the topic. That student emailed a professor just before midnight Dec. 5 to report he had missed classes and "was not in my right mind to be able to think about chemistry concepts tonight."
"This student, by his own admission, had 1.5 hours after the event(s) in question were over to gather himself and prepare for the exam," Cheatum wrote in his email to administrators. "If we were to allow an exception in this case, we would then set a precedent that being involved in some protest or political action is a legitimate basis for missing an exam, which we might then have to accommodate for other protest situations, to which we would not be so sympathetic."
Cheatum said the faculty was inclined to decline the student's request -- even though the test accounted for 15 percent of the course score and, thus, a significant part of the final grade. But they wanted administrative input before making a final call, Cheatum wrote.
The next day, Vice President for Student Life Tom Rocklin sent an email mentioning social media buzz around "extensions for students affected by current and recent events" and said Helena Dettmer, associate dean for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, had advised faculty to approve it. Rocklin also provided a contact in the Dean of Students Office for others "who need accommodations" to help them "sort through options and sometimes advocate on their behalf."
These kittens are likely to graduate college expecting to be coddled and swaddled in the work world. Good luck with that. I wouldn't hire you. Maybe somebody will.
This is also not the stuff entrepreneurialism is made of. I spent much of last week at a big psych conference, worked my ass off on Sunday to catch up on my column, and then woke up with a migraine on Monday. Did I take my teddy bear and go to bed? No, I shoveled down some Naproxen and got cracking (with a couple naps and more Naproxen in between).
via @Popehat
Well, it's not that you're wrong, but when these students look around at all the faculty and other government employees who fill up their lives, they don't see anyone who ever made a living in the private sector. They don't see why anyone should have to think hard about providing something which someone would choose to pay hard-earned money for, and then spend a lifetime learning how to do it well.
I mean, despite your apparent cynicism, you might be too hopeful about these students....
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at March 3, 2015 1:06 AM
The kid who couldn't focus on his "chemistry concepts", I'm imagining him trying that same excuse in my company. We'd laugh in his face, tell him to suck it up and get to work, and make some notes for his next performance review. On the other hand, if he can successfully sling that kind of BS, he might have a great career in sales ahead of him.
bkmale at March 3, 2015 7:10 AM
It seems as though universities are only interested in cranking out new Ph.D.s to keep their ranks full, and legions of indoctrinated "activists" to serve as shock troops. Take a spin through Tumblr some time. The stuff these kids actually believe will make your head spin.
Farmer Joe at March 3, 2015 8:22 AM
- for
It was late.
Crid [CridComment at Gmail] at March 3, 2015 9:19 AM
A professor named "Cheatum?" Hmmm.
I don't know how many of the students claiming to have been traumatized were actually traumatized and how many were simply taking advantage of the situation, but I'll but more were taking advantage than were traumatized.
College students will take any advantage they can.
==============================
STORY:
Two university students went out partying on a Sunday night, despite having a major exam the next day.
Unfortunately for them, they partied too much and overslept the exam.
They went to the professor and explained that they had a flat tire on returning from a weekend trip to visit the father of one of them (he had taken ill) and missed the exam due to the mishap.
They asked to be able to make up the exam.
After careful thought, the professor agreed to create a make-up exam.
For the make-up exam, the professor took their cell phones and put the students in separate room where he handed each of them an exam with only one question on it.
The question: which tire?
==============================
Conan the Grammarian at March 3, 2015 9:43 AM
@Conan: I don't know how many of the students claiming to have been traumatized were actually traumatized and how many were simply taking advantage of the situation, but I'll but more were taking advantage than were traumatized.
I won't bet against you. But I do wonder how many students really are claiming some kind of trauma, and how many other students are embarrassed or outraged at their classmates' presumption? I'd guess of that latter group, some are surely tempted to say, "Too traumatized to take that exam, eh? Well, check your privilege and suck it up. The rest of us have work to do!"
Or would that be insensitive?
Old RPM Daddy (OldRPMDaddy at GMail dot com) at March 3, 2015 10:34 AM
This is also not the stuff entrepreneurialism is made of. I spent much of last week at a big psych conference, worked my ass off on Sunday to catch up on my column, and then woke up with a migraine on Monday. Did I take my teddy bear and go to bed? No, I shoveled down some Naproxen and got cracking (with a couple naps and more Naproxen in between).
Good for you. I have no sympathy for these people, any more than I did for Sunny Jim the brilliant mathematician in last week's thread, who became suicidal after being exposed to the women's studies course or whatever it was.
Nut up, buttercups.
Kevin at March 3, 2015 11:21 AM
I thought it looked like a wizard...
Niki at March 3, 2015 12:21 PM
*Wizards* trigger me. I once saw a movie where there was an evil one.
Leo at March 3, 2015 1:09 PM
Also, I'm triggered by the use of the word 'trigger', because guns MURDER people.
Leo at March 3, 2015 1:11 PM
Embarrassed? Perhaps a few.
Outraged? Not enough.
Too many people treat the unwillingness of others to pull their own weight in society as "that's their problem, not mine." Or are afraid of being seen as insensitive if they get upset about able-bodied people permanently feeding at the welfare / disability trough.
(Note: I'm not talking about the permanently disabled or the temporarily disadvantaged who need a helping hand)
Conan the Grammarian at March 3, 2015 4:47 PM
Not to mention your fear of horses ... and Roy Rogers.
Conan the Grammarian at March 3, 2015 4:48 PM
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