Why Do Universities Do This S&@#?!

[duckman]

The schedules came out yesterday for the summer and fall semesters, and they don't have a single Women's Literature class available. I have only 15 hours of classes to complete before I start student teaching next spring, and they leave one of those classes off the schedule. My advisor, Dr. Super Bitch, says she won't sign off taking a class while student teaching. Now, I may either have to work out a way to do an independent study of the mentioned literature, or go over her head to get approval in the spring causing undue tension between me and her. I fear she may take it out in her evaluations of my teaching in the future if I do the later. Why can't the English Department make sure there is at least one class available for each area? :mad:

[Pumpy Tudors]

Would somebody please e-mail duckman and tell him that Izulde hacked his account?

[Drake]

Quick and brutal answer:

1. There wasn't a faculty member available who wanted to teach it.
2. Their course history trends indicated that not enough students were going to be interested in it to make offering this course financially worthwhile for the department.

If I were you, I'd contact your department and let them know that you're interested in taking this course. If they can get enough similar comments, they'll offer it.

[duckman]

Would somebody please e-mail duckman and tell him that Izulde hacked his account?
<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
:D

[stevew]

The schedules came out yesterday for the summer and fall semesters, and they don't have a single Women's Literature class available. I have only 15 hours of classes to complete before I start student teaching next spring, and they leave one of those classes off the schedule. My advisor, Dr. Super Bitch, says she won't sign off taking a class while student teaching. Now, I may either have to work out a way to do an independent study of the mentioned literature, or go over her head to get approval in the spring causing undue tension between me and her. I fear she may take it out in her evaluations of my teaching in the future if I do the later. Why can't the English Department make sure there is at least one class available for each area? :mad:

Can't you just take it in the summer somewhere else?

[duckman]

Can't you just take it in the summer somewhere else?
That might be a possibility. I'll check with some of the other universities in the area to see if I can find a transferrable credit for that requirement.

[stevew]

On a side note, if you can figure out how to graduate before you student teach, normally you can save a great deal on the tuition for that semester.

[duckman]

Quick and brutal answer:

1. There wasn't a faculty member available who wanted to teach it.
2. Their course history trends indicated that not enough students were going to be interested in it to make offering this course financially worthwhile for the department.

If I were you, I'd contact your department and let them know that you're interested in taking this course. If they can get enough similar comments, they'll offer it.

1. There is only one professor who teaches all three Women's Literature classes.
2. You're probably right, but I have a hard time believing it because all English majors have to have one Women's Literature class.

[Izulde]

Be forewarned though that summer tuition costs can be pretty ugly, depending on the school.

[gottimd]

Wow, who has an advisor named Dr. Super Bitch. I would've requested a new advisor, see if they have Dr. Hot Female Slut, I think she is hungarian.

[JediKooter]

What the heck is Women's Literature? Do you have to study Cosmo and O?

[Izulde]

What the heck is Women's Literature? Do you have to study Cosmo and O?

Studying literature by women authors.

Basically, you get a bunch of Womyn in the class who are like "Grrr man! We hate man! Adrienne Rich squeee! We <3 Virginia Woolf 2!!!!!"

[st.cronin]

women authors.

does not compute

[waitforit]

if you can't find anything, and will have access to it the internet, I would recommend finding an online class somewhere.

[st.cronin]

if you can't find anything, and will have access to it the internet, I would recommend ... wait for it ... finding an online class somewhere.

fixed

[duckman]

Be forewarned though that summer tuition costs can be pretty ugly, depending on the school.
That's not a problem with me. I'm in the Veteran's Administration Voc Rehab program.

[JediKooter]

Studying literature by women authors.

Basically, you get a bunch of Womyn in the class who are like "Grrr man! We hate man! Adrienne Rich squeee! We <3 Virginia Woolf 2!!!!!"

Great, the next thing they'll want to do is vote.

[Tigercat]

Great, the next thing they'll want to do is vote.

Samuel L. Jackson suggests we start using chains and restraints before its too late.

[King of New York]

If you are required to take a class in Women's Literature to graduate, and your school does not offer a course in that area in the fall and discourages you from taking one in the spring, then, yeah, you have a right to be angry with your school.

I would not go over your advisor's head, though, especially if she is the one who will evaluate your student teaching. I would also do my best not to let her realize that you consider her to be Dr. Super Bitch.

Summer school is your best bet. Even if you did get permission to take a course while you are doing your student teaching, you would regret it--first-time teaching absorbs more time and energy than anyone ever imagines.

Don't knock Women's Lit. courses. The male/female student ratio is what, 1:20 in those courses? Shrewd male undergraduates understand the advantages of that.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Shrewd male undergraduates understand that roughly half the room hates them & the other half are more interested in each other than in any man.

Fixed that for you ;)

[Izulde]

Fixed that for you ;)

Precisely.

[duckman]

If you are required to take a class in Women's Literature to graduate, and your school does not offer a course in that area in the fall and discourages you from taking one in the spring, then, yeah, you have a right to be angry with your school.

I would not go over your advisor's head, though, especially if she is the one who will evaluate your student teaching. I would also do my best not to let her realize that you consider her to be Dr. Super Bitch.

Summer school is your best bet. Even if you did get permission to take a course while you are doing your student teaching, you would regret it--first-time teaching absorbs more time and energy than anyone ever imagines.

Don't knock Women's Lit. courses. The male/female student ratio is what, 1:20 in those courses? Shrewd male undergraduates understand the advantages of that.

Well, I just looked up the class schedules for the four other universities in my area, and they don't even carry a Women's Lit class. I am very frustrated by this. It's either trying to do an independent study on women authors or going over Dr. Super Bitch's head. Neither is very pleasing.

I just emailed the head of Women's Studies since she teaches the classes to see about doing the independent study. If that goes well, I still will need permission from Dr. Super Bitch in order to substitute the requirement with the study. If she nixes that, then I'll go over her head in the spring.

I really don't have a choice. My Voc Rehab contract will run out in August 2008 because I have used up all of the 48 months by then. I can't afford missing graduation over one stupid class.

[JW]

Take Men's Literature instead. Your paper can be on the psycho-social history of pubic hair in Playboy.

[JediKooter]

Samuel L. Jackson suggests we start using chains and restraints before its too late.

Something about seeing Christina Riccis' panty taco, makes me actually want to see that movie.





Good luck with the class Duckman.

[Mountain]

What about going to the dean of your department and seeing if they will allow you to substitute another course in its place. I know my university will do this in these types of situations.

[sooner333]

I would do an independent study. Usually you just write a paper and talk to a professor about it. At least that's what I'm doing here at OU in my ind. study for 1 hour. Ten page paper due by the end of the semester on a topic of my choice. I imagine it couldn't be too different up I-35 a little bit.

[duckman]

What about going to the dean of your department and seeing if they will allow you to substitute another course in its place. I know my university will do this in these types of situations.

I just spoke with Dr. Super Bitch about my situation. She suggested substituting because of it. It still needs to be approved by the department chair and dean, but it looks like problem solved. :)