Times when 'That's just because it's an American text' does not hold water

[persephone_20]

Saga Pt 1Beware: I've been told this post has that 'Furious Blog Sound

Comments

[birkentree]

That response was completely out of line. It is your Honours. Not the educators. They are there to act as a guide, in the end it is your decision as to what you will study and what lines you will go down.

The department has not provided a subject dealing with area's that interest you or have an application to your academic career. It is not out of the question for you to attempt to relocate yourself into another elective which will address.

Asking you for a written history as to why you do not wish to deal with rape? Equality and Diversity. Now. Followed by student advocacy and a complaint about harrassment if you're really feeling the hate. Demanding you to discuss those issues when you've expressed discomfort is completely inappropriate.

[crazyjane13]

E&D is in hand. Try not to kill anyone in the meantime. :)

[persephone_20]

I would just hate to think of what it would have been like if I was, you know, a rape survivor. It wasn't just that it was inappropriate or uncalled for, it was the complete element of surprise.

There was no way that I could stop this diatribe without giving into her assertions that I was clearly not serious about my academic career. I felt tears springing up to my eyes when she started talking about handing something in writing in about my personal history, and I don't have have the kind of personal history that she seemed to be talking about. Given that it doesn't even guarantee the wished for response, why would someone even put themselves through that?!

I figure E&D is a close side step to the counselling service that she was suggesting, so it's no more or less than I said I would do. At this point, though, I'm ready to drop the idea of daring to take up a second subject this semester and just concentrate on my thesis instead. :(

[silviakundera]

Yeah, I agree. Go around this professor to the department head or talk to someone in the adminstrative office. You shouldn't need a written history. That's ridiculous.

[silviakundera]

I hated probably half of my professors in college. You are clearly a much nicer person than me.

I wasn't interested in most of the texts for my English major either (though not for really any valid reasons), and actually ended up switching to Spanish Literature despite not being a native speaker (those professors were generally very understanding, and I got by on honors high school spanish and lots of dictionaries. lol.)

[persephone_20]

I've been told that I definitely erred on the side of deference in the phone conversation. My only thought as I was trying to keep things reasonable was that I was going to be respectful to this person who was higher up in the department than me. And I feel as though I achieved that goal.

Guhh, I'm feeling better about the whole thing in general now, actually, now that I've gotten to sit down and plot out an essay outline, sorta along the lines of 'You don't think I have academic dedication? I'll let my marks speak for themselves, thank you very much'. Things could be worse.

[silviakundera]

I think you were right to strategically not object during the conversation. It wouldn't get you anywhere to fight with her. In those situations I just smile and nod and plot their doom. ;) Now you can just get around her issues by going over her head or playing her game if you think it's worth it.

[damien_wise]

One bad lecturer shouldn't be able to ruin Honours and future postgrad for you.
Who would you need to see to make a complaint about the power-tripping bitch?

[persephone_20]

Seeing about that tomorrow. Maybe nothing. I'm not really into making waves. But if it can help someone else out in the future, I'll at least have it on record that someone has complained in the past.