I came here to learn about the body, not your sexism and politics
August 7, 2013 8:22 PM Subscribe
I have a professor who constantly makes sexist comments and drops right-wing political commentary into a class where it's totally irrelevant, and I'm not the only one in class who notices. I am documenting instances of these behaviors to report to school higher-ups. What's the best way to frame my complaints, make sure they're seen by the right person, and maybe get some classmates on board with me? Examples and snowflakes below.
The class is the first semester of human anatomy, at a big urban community college. I'm especially pissed about the inclusion of politics in a class like this, because anatomy by my estimation is about as apolitical as it gets. Here are some of the instances I've documented so far. (I write down exact quotes in my class notes when I catch something that seems egregious, and have a running e-mail draft ready to send to someone, whenever):
-A lecture about DNA transcription and translation totally went off the rails, with an extended analogy about the process of transcribing print writing to cursive. During that side conversation, the subject of signatures on birth certificates came up, somehow. (Don't ask me.) Professor took the opportunity to comment "what kind of person doesn't have a birth certificate?" in clear reference to Obama. (This at a school where lots of students come from circumstances which make them less likely to have birth certificates.)
-When talking about fatty tissue distribution in bodies, professor said that fat distributes itself more in women's breasts, hips, thighs, etc "and that makes them more attractive to me" with this gross smirk. That set off some kind of Gift-of-Fear subconscious response in me; I'm really not inclined to go to office hours now. He also uses tons of irrelevant sexual examples and role-plays women in a high mocking voice, similar to the behavior described in this askme.
-In a discussion about the blood-brain barrier, prof mentioned that pathogens that cross that barrier are often deadly, so if you get that kind of disease "your days are numbered...especially under Obamacare."
-In a discussion about the part of the brain that controls impulses, "most people, if they see an attractive person don't jump on them, rip their clothes off, and have their way with them...but they do in the Middle East."
My gut says to report this behavior to someone at semester's end, beyond a negative class evaluation, but I get periodic pangs of 'would I really be this offended if the guy agreed with me politically?' Also, I don't really know how to go about reporting, so procedural questions below:
-My first instinct would be to send the things I've documented on to the department chair. Is that likely the right person? If not, who is? My roommate (a professor at a different institution) suggested that I also run any e-mail by the totally awesome prof from the same department who taught my class last semester. My instinct says that he's probably fully aware of current prof's jackassery and can't do anything about it, but maybe I'm wrong?
- Should I just send whatever I send by myself? Try to quietly see if people would sign on to a letter I wrote? See if other people would also feel comfortable sending their own accounts? (I know no one is satisfied with the class, for a number of reasons, but I'm shy and don't really have class friends, and don't see myself as an organizer type.)
-I know I can frame the sexist comments as "unprofessional" and "hostile classroom environment," but what about the political stuff? Same? I'm afraid that I'm letting my way-the-hell-left-of-center views cloud my judgment here.
-My roommate also suggested mentioning somewhere that I am passing this class by a good margin and on the honor roll, as a way of deflecting suspicions that I'm only complaining because I have low grades. Is that really necessary?
If it makes any difference, the department is quite large, and I can arrange things such that I never take one of this guy's classes again or need his recommendation.
Suggestions, experiences, and assurances that I am not just a pissed-off surly lefty looking to make trouble all welcome.
The class is the first semester of human anatomy, at a big urban community college. I'm especially pissed about the inclusion of politics in a class like this, because anatomy by my estimation is about as apolitical as it gets. Here are some of the instances I've documented so far. (I write down exact quotes in my class notes when I catch something that seems egregious, and have a running e-mail draft ready to send to someone, whenever):
-A lecture about DNA transcription and translation totally went off the rails, with an extended analogy about the process of transcribing print writing to cursive. During that side conversation, the subject of signatures on birth certificates came up, somehow. (Don't ask me.) Professor took the opportunity to comment "what kind of person doesn't have a birth certificate?" in clear reference to Obama. (This at a school where lots of students come from circumstances which make them less likely to have birth certificates.)
-When talking about fatty tissue distribution in bodies, professor said that fat distributes itself more in women's breasts, hips, thighs, etc "and that makes them more attractive to me" with this gross smirk. That set off some kind of Gift-of-Fear subconscious response in me; I'm really not inclined to go to office hours now. He also uses tons of irrelevant sexual examples and role-plays women in a high mocking voice, similar to the behavior described in this askme.
-In a discussion about the blood-brain barrier, prof mentioned that pathogens that cross that barrier are often deadly, so if you get that kind of disease "your days are numbered...especially under Obamacare."
-In a discussion about the part of the brain that controls impulses, "most people, if they see an attractive person don't jump on them, rip their clothes off, and have their way with them...but they do in the Middle East."
My gut says to report this behavior to someone at semester's end, beyond a negative class evaluation, but I get periodic pangs of 'would I really be this offended if the guy agreed with me politically?' Also, I don't really know how to go about reporting, so procedural questions below:
-My first instinct would be to send the things I've documented on to the department chair. Is that likely the right person? If not, who is? My roommate (a professor at a different institution) suggested that I also run any e-mail by the totally awesome prof from the same department who taught my class last semester. My instinct says that he's probably fully aware of current prof's jackassery and can't do anything about it, but maybe I'm wrong?
- Should I just send whatever I send by myself? Try to quietly see if people would sign on to a letter I wrote? See if other people would also feel comfortable sending their own accounts? (I know no one is satisfied with the class, for a number of reasons, but I'm shy and don't really have class friends, and don't see myself as an organizer type.)
-I know I can frame the sexist comments as "unprofessional" and "hostile classroom environment," but what about the political stuff? Same? I'm afraid that I'm letting my way-the-hell-left-of-center views cloud my judgment here.
-My roommate also suggested mentioning somewhere that I am passing this class by a good margin and on the honor roll, as a way of deflecting suspicions that I'm only complaining because I have low grades. Is that really necessary?
If it makes any difference, the department is quite large, and I can arrange things such that I never take one of this guy's classes again or need his recommendation.
Suggestions, experiences, and assurances that I am not just a pissed-off surly lefty looking to make trouble all welcome.
And I totally agree about acing the class- def gives you more legitimacy, however unfair that may be.
posted by jojobobo at 8:29 PM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by jojobobo at 8:29 PM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
College professor here. I am an academic freedom zealot, but this is totally unacceptable behavior. This person is a disgrace to the profession and you should feel fully justified in trying to stop this crap. Don't wait until the end of the semester. But written documentation won't do much. Even if you're a star student, it's your word against his. You could try to circulate a petition among students in the class, but this could come back to hurt you. My best advice? Cellphone video of several classroom outbursts sent anonymously to the dept. chair and the academic dean with a note saying: "Please fix this problem immediately or I will post a copy of this to reddit."
posted by R. Schlock at 8:30 PM on August 7, 2013 [54 favorites]
posted by R. Schlock at 8:30 PM on August 7, 2013 [54 favorites]
Start surreptitiously recording the class.
posted by Jacqueline at 8:42 PM on August 7, 2013 [12 favorites]
posted by Jacqueline at 8:42 PM on August 7, 2013 [12 favorites]
Best answer: From my experience as a faculty member, although not at your institution, my informal advice is:
1. Don't go to another faculty member. They are not empowered to do anything other than tell the department head, and it may put them in a very awkward position. Plus the department head has more power but might not actually know what they should do.
2. Do look for an office or division whose name suggests it deals with institutional diversity, discrimination, LGBTQ* affairs, etc. and ask them for advice (feel free to make it hypothetical until you know more) about how one would proceed in a situation like this.
3. Do follow the advice of R. Schlock and document this with video/audio. Don't submit an anonymous complaint; they are often not actionable and if that's the case will totally backfire. Universities are horrified by this sort of behavior and the system is on your side -- you don't need to get all vigilante with the social media quite yet.
4. Your university may offer free legal advice to students; you might want to consider consulting them as the racist comments (re: Middle East and Obama's birth certificate) at the very minimum may be considered illegal.
When I had students come to me in a similar situation (augmented by the fact that students were being put in physical danger), I sent them to our department head. The head at the time (no longer) was unfamiliar with university policy on this point, and gave the students incorrect information that ended up forcing the situation to remain the same -- which was not his intent. I was belatedly advised, upon expressing frustration about this to someone with more experience in this area, to tell students to record relevant incidents -- and call the police if there was immediate danger. I don't think you can call the police, here, since there's no physical risk/obvious crime being committed, but I do believe that people in a diversity-type role will know exactly what to do in the context of your university, and will want to help you.
This is appallingly out of line, and I hope that you have an effect. I am a liberal person in a conservative state, and even though I teach cultural studies, where politics are very, very relevant and present, I still somehow manage not introduce my personal politics into the classroom in these egregious ways. Anatomy, as you say, should be a politically neutral space. His comments suggest prejudices that are so uncontrolled that they may very well be leaking into his grading, treatment of students, and even choice of material. You are not being a hyper-sensitive left-winger.
posted by obliquicity at 8:46 PM on August 7, 2013 [17 favorites]
1. Don't go to another faculty member. They are not empowered to do anything other than tell the department head, and it may put them in a very awkward position. Plus the department head has more power but might not actually know what they should do.
2. Do look for an office or division whose name suggests it deals with institutional diversity, discrimination, LGBTQ* affairs, etc. and ask them for advice (feel free to make it hypothetical until you know more) about how one would proceed in a situation like this.
3. Do follow the advice of R. Schlock and document this with video/audio. Don't submit an anonymous complaint; they are often not actionable and if that's the case will totally backfire. Universities are horrified by this sort of behavior and the system is on your side -- you don't need to get all vigilante with the social media quite yet.
4. Your university may offer free legal advice to students; you might want to consider consulting them as the racist comments (re: Middle East and Obama's birth certificate) at the very minimum may be considered illegal.
When I had students come to me in a similar situation (augmented by the fact that students were being put in physical danger), I sent them to our department head. The head at the time (no longer) was unfamiliar with university policy on this point, and gave the students incorrect information that ended up forcing the situation to remain the same -- which was not his intent. I was belatedly advised, upon expressing frustration about this to someone with more experience in this area, to tell students to record relevant incidents -- and call the police if there was immediate danger. I don't think you can call the police, here, since there's no physical risk/obvious crime being committed, but I do believe that people in a diversity-type role will know exactly what to do in the context of your university, and will want to help you.
This is appallingly out of line, and I hope that you have an effect. I am a liberal person in a conservative state, and even though I teach cultural studies, where politics are very, very relevant and present, I still somehow manage not introduce my personal politics into the classroom in these egregious ways. Anatomy, as you say, should be a politically neutral space. His comments suggest prejudices that are so uncontrolled that they may very well be leaking into his grading, treatment of students, and even choice of material. You are not being a hyper-sensitive left-winger.
posted by obliquicity at 8:46 PM on August 7, 2013 [17 favorites]
Don't submit an anonymous complaint; they are often not actionable and if that's the case will totally backfire. Universities are horrified by this sort of behavior and the system is on your side -- you don't need to get all vigilante with the social media quite yet.
The question is whether OP wants the faculty member censured or just for the behavior to stop. If the former, then your advice is certainly correct. But that process can be tortuous and, depending on OP's plans, the risk to her reputation (letters of recommendation, missed research opportunities, etc.) is real and has to be considered. I'm not saying it's fair. I'm saying that your presentation of the grievance process is, in my experience, a little too rosy.
The course I've suggested: video documentation of multiple events, anonymous contact with dept. chair and administration, and a threat to go public if action is not taken, will stop this behavior cold. There's nothing a dean hates more than negative attention.
OP may not get the satisfaction of a public scandal, but from the way the question is presented, I get the impression that she'd prefer simply to learn the material and get on with her life.
posted by R. Schlock at 9:01 PM on August 7, 2013
The question is whether OP wants the faculty member censured or just for the behavior to stop. If the former, then your advice is certainly correct. But that process can be tortuous and, depending on OP's plans, the risk to her reputation (letters of recommendation, missed research opportunities, etc.) is real and has to be considered. I'm not saying it's fair. I'm saying that your presentation of the grievance process is, in my experience, a little too rosy.
The course I've suggested: video documentation of multiple events, anonymous contact with dept. chair and administration, and a threat to go public if action is not taken, will stop this behavior cold. There's nothing a dean hates more than negative attention.
OP may not get the satisfaction of a public scandal, but from the way the question is presented, I get the impression that she'd prefer simply to learn the material and get on with her life.
posted by R. Schlock at 9:01 PM on August 7, 2013
Depending where you are located, you should be careful about surreptitiously recording another person; laws vary. And generally speaking, in terms of ethics and not legality: if you have a complaint you should sign your name to it.
Good luck. I agree several of the comments you've characterized here are unprofessional and inappropriate, particularly given the class topic. They warrant complaint. On the other hand a few others do strike me, as you say, as the complaints of a "pissed-off surly lefty." In this instance as elsewhere, pick your battles.
posted by cribcage at 9:04 PM on August 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
Good luck. I agree several of the comments you've characterized here are unprofessional and inappropriate, particularly given the class topic. They warrant complaint. On the other hand a few others do strike me, as you say, as the complaints of a "pissed-off surly lefty." In this instance as elsewhere, pick your battles.
posted by cribcage at 9:04 PM on August 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
The official grievance process is long and frustrating, which is why I still suggest that the OP find out what it is in order to make an informed decision. Not knowing, and doing the wrong thing, can eliminate choices unintentionally. And in my experience, it also left the faculty member in question uncensured and untouched, even though the procedure followed looked a lot more like the scenario recommended by R. Schlock -- so the behavior continues.
posted by obliquicity at 9:25 PM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by obliquicity at 9:25 PM on August 7, 2013 [1 favorite]
My best advice? Cellphone video of several classroom outbursts sent anonymously to the dept. chair and the academic dean with a note saying: "Please fix this problem immediately or I will post a copy of this to reddit."
Threatening your professor, the chair, or the dean is not good advice.
posted by donajo at 9:28 PM on August 7, 2013 [9 favorites]
Threatening your professor, the chair, or the dean is not good advice.
posted by donajo at 9:28 PM on August 7, 2013 [9 favorites]
As Oblicity mentioned above, the best course of action here is to get an appointment, in person, at one of the student-centered administrative offices (Dean of Students, Office of X Affairs, etc.) entirely outside of the department. Obliquicity and R. Schlock have done a great job of describing the best-case and worst-case scenarios, respectively. Before you can decide what to do, you'll need to gather more evidence about the culture of your university and the support systems in place.
Once you've found someone in the relevant dean's office, talk the entire situation out, making sure you've been promised confidentiality. Find out what the protocols are for reporting something like this and what your responsibilities would be if you pursued it through various channels. Let your confidante know you're considering staying anonymous but would consider putting your name to the complaint if that would make it more effective. Ask them if you can get assistance getting other students in the class on board.
It may take you a few tries, but hopefully you'll eventually find someone who is both supportive and honest. I agree with others who have said that you should foreground the sexism and racism while leaving politics out of it as best you can. I disagree with the suggestion of leading with blackmail: while a recording of class may, at some point, have its place (and you're justifying in making one at this point, IMO) you should be very careful about sharing it, and dumping it on reddit should be your last resort.
posted by pretentious illiterate at 9:31 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
Once you've found someone in the relevant dean's office, talk the entire situation out, making sure you've been promised confidentiality. Find out what the protocols are for reporting something like this and what your responsibilities would be if you pursued it through various channels. Let your confidante know you're considering staying anonymous but would consider putting your name to the complaint if that would make it more effective. Ask them if you can get assistance getting other students in the class on board.
It may take you a few tries, but hopefully you'll eventually find someone who is both supportive and honest. I agree with others who have said that you should foreground the sexism and racism while leaving politics out of it as best you can. I disagree with the suggestion of leading with blackmail: while a recording of class may, at some point, have its place (and you're justifying in making one at this point, IMO) you should be very careful about sharing it, and dumping it on reddit should be your last resort.
posted by pretentious illiterate at 9:31 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
I'm a Prof; this is waaaaaaay over the line. Video documentation (or just audio--easier to do surreptitiously) is a good idea. See if your school has an ombudsman's office or a Dean of Undergraduate Education or Dean of Students; someone you can report this to who is outside of this guy's department or the School of Biology (or whatever it is at your school) altogether. There might even be a "Sexual Harassment Office" or some such who can advise you. Otherwise I'd take it to the Dean's office in your school. This needs attention from someone outside of the guy's department and someone who will understand their duty to keep your name out of the process while the investigation is going forward. I'm so sorry you're being subjected to this gross unprofessionalism. If you do go visit this prof in his office (and there's no reason you shouldn't if you have questions about course material etc.) take a friend along with you.
posted by yoink at 9:33 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
posted by yoink at 9:33 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
Oh, and while I understand that R. Schlock was being supportive, DON'T make any threats about taking footage to Reddit or what have you. If you don't get support from the administration you can think about stunts like that, but if you come in making threats you'll sound more like you're interested in scoring your 15 minutes of fame than genuinely concerned that this guy is being an asshat.
posted by yoink at 9:35 PM on August 7, 2013 [8 favorites]
posted by yoink at 9:35 PM on August 7, 2013 [8 favorites]
There is no class-related reason or need for the professor to be bringing in his political views in the manner described, and doing so arguably creates a hostile classroom environment for some students, which, while perhaps not against any specific legally protected categories of people, is highly unprofessional, not an example of good teaching, and likely at least frowned upon if not actionable at your particular college. Some of the rest of it is straight up sexual harassment. This is pretty serious.
Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be taken seriously by your college's administration:( It's highly unlikely, for example, that this prof has suddenly started to make all of these bigoted and unprofessional remarks in this one class this year; more than likely, he has a long history. Do document it as fully as possible, including by video. I've had students who record my classes with the little camera on their computers, for later review to help them learn, eg. if they have difficulty concentrating on the class while also taking notes, so you might not even need to be surreptitious about the recording, depending on how you spin it.
Your college should have an Equal Opportunity Officer or office on campus, whose job it is to deal with these sorts of situations in a way that is respectful and helpful to you. Bring your video here first. But keep a copy - sometimes institutional structures prevent equal opportunity officers from actually being able to do much of anything; and a small part of their job may be not just to be an advocate, but to help protect the college from liability. If there is a student women's group on campus, they might be helpful as well. There's likely an official complaint process. Many places I've been at, this involves starting at the department head/chair level, working your way up through deans, various committees, and vp academics. The effectiveness of such processes also varies a lot by college. If there is an equal opportunity office, they should be able to give you information about the process. An office of student life should have this sort of information as well. Search your college's web site for a harassment policy, also, which should include a complaint process. For extra verification/ammunition, does your college have a student social network or something where you could post a question asking for other students' and alumni experiences with this prof? Try to collect as much information as you can. It's totally fair to try to remain anonymous or not complain too loudly until after the class is finished and your grade has been posted, however, if you are worried about him retaliating against you via your grade for the course, by the way. Go with your gut and your own comfort level on this.
What you do next likely depends on how well the official complaint channels work. If they don't work, you'd need to look into campaigns applying social pressure to the department and administration to lean on them to fix the problem. What that might look like depends on a lot of specific details though. I might be able to suggest more specific advice with more details, if you wanted to MeMail me.
posted by eviemath at 9:41 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
Unfortunately, that doesn't necessarily mean that it will be taken seriously by your college's administration:( It's highly unlikely, for example, that this prof has suddenly started to make all of these bigoted and unprofessional remarks in this one class this year; more than likely, he has a long history. Do document it as fully as possible, including by video. I've had students who record my classes with the little camera on their computers, for later review to help them learn, eg. if they have difficulty concentrating on the class while also taking notes, so you might not even need to be surreptitious about the recording, depending on how you spin it.
Your college should have an Equal Opportunity Officer or office on campus, whose job it is to deal with these sorts of situations in a way that is respectful and helpful to you. Bring your video here first. But keep a copy - sometimes institutional structures prevent equal opportunity officers from actually being able to do much of anything; and a small part of their job may be not just to be an advocate, but to help protect the college from liability. If there is a student women's group on campus, they might be helpful as well. There's likely an official complaint process. Many places I've been at, this involves starting at the department head/chair level, working your way up through deans, various committees, and vp academics. The effectiveness of such processes also varies a lot by college. If there is an equal opportunity office, they should be able to give you information about the process. An office of student life should have this sort of information as well. Search your college's web site for a harassment policy, also, which should include a complaint process. For extra verification/ammunition, does your college have a student social network or something where you could post a question asking for other students' and alumni experiences with this prof? Try to collect as much information as you can. It's totally fair to try to remain anonymous or not complain too loudly until after the class is finished and your grade has been posted, however, if you are worried about him retaliating against you via your grade for the course, by the way. Go with your gut and your own comfort level on this.
What you do next likely depends on how well the official complaint channels work. If they don't work, you'd need to look into campaigns applying social pressure to the department and administration to lean on them to fix the problem. What that might look like depends on a lot of specific details though. I might be able to suggest more specific advice with more details, if you wanted to MeMail me.
posted by eviemath at 9:41 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]
Okay, okay. Soberer heads have prevailed. Don't go making threats.
*grumble grumble*
But yoink has it, I think. If you just simply try to go over the prof's head without figuring out the personalities involved and the institutional processes, you're asking for a world of hurt. Your best case should be to have the behavior stopped and to get on with your life. You're in school to prepare yourself for life after school. Getting embroiled in a big back and forth over inappropriate comments in a classroom is a distraction from your educational goals. In all likelihood, it's also probably giving this half-assed, captive audience abusing teabagger the kind of attention he's craving.
Unless you're waking up to activism, in which case, go fight the good fight. You'll learn a lot from this.
My core impression still stands: anonymous, informal and effective is better for you as a student than public, procedural and protracted.
posted by R. Schlock at 9:43 PM on August 7, 2013
*grumble grumble*
But yoink has it, I think. If you just simply try to go over the prof's head without figuring out the personalities involved and the institutional processes, you're asking for a world of hurt. Your best case should be to have the behavior stopped and to get on with your life. You're in school to prepare yourself for life after school. Getting embroiled in a big back and forth over inappropriate comments in a classroom is a distraction from your educational goals. In all likelihood, it's also probably giving this half-assed, captive audience abusing teabagger the kind of attention he's craving.
Unless you're waking up to activism, in which case, go fight the good fight. You'll learn a lot from this.
My core impression still stands: anonymous, informal and effective is better for you as a student than public, procedural and protracted.
posted by R. Schlock at 9:43 PM on August 7, 2013
I don't know how your local system works, but do you have a nominated or elected student representative who can raise the grievance? We have them for exactly this situation - they can raise issues in formal, minuted meetings, but without naming sources ("one of the students has raised a complaint").
posted by firesine at 11:39 PM on August 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by firesine at 11:39 PM on August 7, 2013 [2 favorites]
I can only answer one part of the question, which is to say that your professor's behavior is very inappropriate. It wouldn't have been cool in 2005 if an anatomy professor was making cracks about Dick Cheney's heart condition while discussing the vena cava, and it's not cool that your professor is ad-libbing about birth certificates and Obamacare now.
Not to mention the Middle-Easterners-Are-Rapists dig: that is totally egregious. It's beyond "political" and into "racist."
I hope you find a way to report this, one which with luck will get him to stop talking this way in the classroom.
posted by feets at 11:43 PM on August 7, 2013
Not to mention the Middle-Easterners-Are-Rapists dig: that is totally egregious. It's beyond "political" and into "racist."
I hope you find a way to report this, one which with luck will get him to stop talking this way in the classroom.
posted by feets at 11:43 PM on August 7, 2013
The crack about Obamacare, ok, even as a pretty radical lefty, I'd be annoyed and roll my eyes but I'd just let it slide as an example of free speech that I don't happen to agree with or like. But everything else you've described falls into the racist/sexist/creepy category and you should absolutely do something. It's grossly inappropriate and unprofessional.
posted by katyggls at 12:12 AM on August 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
posted by katyggls at 12:12 AM on August 8, 2013 [7 favorites]
It may sound circuitous, but if you can find an alumnus willing to take your case anonymously to the school, that can be quite effective. As a student, you have to be mindful of rousing the ire of the institution, as institutions can sometimes rise up to protect themselves from any controversy by simply not addressing the issue.
Alumni have a different status. They can be active members of the university community, and the university doesn't hold any power over them.
posted by nickrussell at 2:23 AM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Alumni have a different status. They can be active members of the university community, and the university doesn't hold any power over them.
posted by nickrussell at 2:23 AM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
It may sound circuitous, but if you can find an alumnus willing to take your case anonymously to the school,
Whatever happened to the idea of people speaking up for themselves? ActionPopulated I assume you are paying tuition at this institute? You are therefore a customer and have every right to tell the professor to his face what you think of his teaching style. It is not the school's standards that apply here, but your own. If you don't like it. Speak up. Why do you think you need someone else to stand up for you?
You would be surprised at how this is often more effective this is than going through a bureaucracy of people all covering their asses. The guy is probably aware of it, you don't litter your language with stuff like that if you don't intend to be provocative, but being called out on it is something else altogether.
You don't need to threaten with anything. Just say "Professor Dickweed, that comment you made about Obamacare/Middle East/Whatever." (Wait for him to acknowledge it). "Yeah, I don't appreciate that and wish you wouldn't do it. I'm paying tuition to learn anatomy and I am not interested in hearing your political views. It's inappropriate and unwanted. Please stop."
That's it. Don't get into a discussion or argument. Be terse and unfriendly and to the point - and then leave.
This is not a woman man power thing - get any nonsense like that out of your head - this is a customer and supplier thing and the customer has all the power in such a relationship. Use it.
posted by three blind mice at 3:14 AM on August 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
Whatever happened to the idea of people speaking up for themselves? ActionPopulated I assume you are paying tuition at this institute? You are therefore a customer and have every right to tell the professor to his face what you think of his teaching style. It is not the school's standards that apply here, but your own. If you don't like it. Speak up. Why do you think you need someone else to stand up for you?
You would be surprised at how this is often more effective this is than going through a bureaucracy of people all covering their asses. The guy is probably aware of it, you don't litter your language with stuff like that if you don't intend to be provocative, but being called out on it is something else altogether.
You don't need to threaten with anything. Just say "Professor Dickweed, that comment you made about Obamacare/Middle East/Whatever." (Wait for him to acknowledge it). "Yeah, I don't appreciate that and wish you wouldn't do it. I'm paying tuition to learn anatomy and I am not interested in hearing your political views. It's inappropriate and unwanted. Please stop."
That's it. Don't get into a discussion or argument. Be terse and unfriendly and to the point - and then leave.
This is not a woman man power thing - get any nonsense like that out of your head - this is a customer and supplier thing and the customer has all the power in such a relationship. Use it.
posted by three blind mice at 3:14 AM on August 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
Academics, like policemen, tend to close ranks under threat. Tread carefully. (Brit, we may do things differently here.) Are there not student bodies who could take this up?
posted by epo at 4:03 AM on August 8, 2013
posted by epo at 4:03 AM on August 8, 2013
this is a customer and supplier thing and the customer has all the power in such a relationship. Use it.
Not when the "supplier" is issuing a grade, the "customer" doesn't. The "I'm paying your salary" approach is guaranteed to rub certain faculty members (and higher ed staff in general) the wrong way and would be counterproductive. Please don't take that route.
In reference to the original question, does your school have a student handbook? The Dean of Students office at the university where I work publishes information about grievance procedures in what amounts to an online student handbook. Institutions vary, but I'd say that at our school the equal opportunity & diversity office and Dean of Students are more helpful in situations like this than the ombuds office, which tends to be the Cover Your Ass department.
I think that in making a complaint you are going to have to go with the hostile environment sexual harassment angle in order to make anything stick. The political comments are inappropriate for a science class but probably not grievable, and if this prof has been at the school for a while his department probably knows about them.
posted by camyram at 4:30 AM on August 8, 2013 [6 favorites]
Not when the "supplier" is issuing a grade, the "customer" doesn't. The "I'm paying your salary" approach is guaranteed to rub certain faculty members (and higher ed staff in general) the wrong way and would be counterproductive. Please don't take that route.
In reference to the original question, does your school have a student handbook? The Dean of Students office at the university where I work publishes information about grievance procedures in what amounts to an online student handbook. Institutions vary, but I'd say that at our school the equal opportunity & diversity office and Dean of Students are more helpful in situations like this than the ombuds office, which tends to be the Cover Your Ass department.
I think that in making a complaint you are going to have to go with the hostile environment sexual harassment angle in order to make anything stick. The political comments are inappropriate for a science class but probably not grievable, and if this prof has been at the school for a while his department probably knows about them.
posted by camyram at 4:30 AM on August 8, 2013 [6 favorites]
If your university has an academic ombud, I would start there. In all likelihood, they will 1- keep your identity anonymous from the department, including the professor, and 2- Contact both the department chair and the professor and tell them there has been a complaint, and get their side of the story. In all likelihood, the chair will see your (anonymous) claims as plausible, knowing the professor. I really hope this will be sufficient to stop the behavior; even if the prof denies anything inappropriate, this should cow him into being more careful, and if someone else complains in the future, the chair's/ombud's patience will be lower. I'm not sure how effective the social media option will be, but that would not be my first choice here.
this is a customer and supplier thing and the customer has all the power in such a relationship. Use it.
No disrespect to poster, but this is not a good idea. You're not a customer, you're a student, and students who project an air of knowing how things ought to be are not taken seriously. This is a situation of unequal power, which, at my university, is one of the reasons the ombud's office exists.
Finally, I would avoid mentioning the term sexual harassment. I sat through a bizarre faculty meeting last spring where the university informed us that even if a student came to one of us in confidence with a sexual harassment claim, their interpretation of recent Title IX changes was that we were required to report the incident, including the student's name, to some campus-wide sexual harassment office. The process did not seem like one that would have a clean outcome.
posted by deadweightloss at 5:23 AM on August 8, 2013
this is a customer and supplier thing and the customer has all the power in such a relationship. Use it.
No disrespect to poster, but this is not a good idea. You're not a customer, you're a student, and students who project an air of knowing how things ought to be are not taken seriously. This is a situation of unequal power, which, at my university, is one of the reasons the ombud's office exists.
Finally, I would avoid mentioning the term sexual harassment. I sat through a bizarre faculty meeting last spring where the university informed us that even if a student came to one of us in confidence with a sexual harassment claim, their interpretation of recent Title IX changes was that we were required to report the incident, including the student's name, to some campus-wide sexual harassment office. The process did not seem like one that would have a clean outcome.
posted by deadweightloss at 5:23 AM on August 8, 2013
I think you're upset by this guy's politics, and it's making things that are not actionable cross into things that are actionable, making the whole of them less pointed.
Disclaimer: I majored in Political Science, so there was obviously a lot more opportunities for political commentary. But most of my professors made at least a few snarky comments about politics and news-of-the-day, or about their personal politics. It seemed to be accepted by that department and others. If you comment about the Obama-type stuff, it is likely to be interpreted as "political axe to grind" and your entire complaint will be ignored. Especially "What kind of person doesn't have a birth certificate?" Even if you feel it was about Obama, it'd be really hard to prove.
However, things like "and that's what makes YOU so attractive to me" and things about Middle Easterners being rapists are clear sexism and racism. If you distill those types of incidents, you are much more likely to get a swift response.
posted by corb at 6:24 AM on August 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
Disclaimer: I majored in Political Science, so there was obviously a lot more opportunities for political commentary. But most of my professors made at least a few snarky comments about politics and news-of-the-day, or about their personal politics. It seemed to be accepted by that department and others. If you comment about the Obama-type stuff, it is likely to be interpreted as "political axe to grind" and your entire complaint will be ignored. Especially "What kind of person doesn't have a birth certificate?" Even if you feel it was about Obama, it'd be really hard to prove.
However, things like "and that's what makes YOU so attractive to me" and things about Middle Easterners being rapists are clear sexism and racism. If you distill those types of incidents, you are much more likely to get a swift response.
posted by corb at 6:24 AM on August 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
I would be very careful about recording the class. My school's policy manual explicitly forbids recording classes without the explicit permission of the instructor.
If you and a few other students in the class raise concerns about the behavior of the instructor, that is just as good, institutionally speaking, as having a recording of him cracking a sexist jokes.
posted by BrashTech at 6:26 AM on August 8, 2013
If you and a few other students in the class raise concerns about the behavior of the instructor, that is just as good, institutionally speaking, as having a recording of him cracking a sexist jokes.
posted by BrashTech at 6:26 AM on August 8, 2013
OK, ask for permission to record the classes, do so in class.
posted by epo at 6:35 AM on August 8, 2013
posted by epo at 6:35 AM on August 8, 2013
Well I guess I'll be the sole voice of dissent here: I think you are overreacting, based on his political views. All of those things sound rather tame to me.
The rapists thing is maybe a bit over the line, but clearly a current events reference. He can drop all his Fox-news knowledge in snarky asides if he wants -- that might make him a bad, or dislikable professor, but I hardly think this is a serious breach of professional conduct.
It wouldn't have been cool in 2005 if an anatomy professor was making cracks about Dick Cheney's heart condition while discussing the vena cava
Uhm, yeah it would have been?
posted by wrok at 7:10 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
The rapists thing is maybe a bit over the line, but clearly a current events reference. He can drop all his Fox-news knowledge in snarky asides if he wants -- that might make him a bad, or dislikable professor, but I hardly think this is a serious breach of professional conduct.
It wouldn't have been cool in 2005 if an anatomy professor was making cracks about Dick Cheney's heart condition while discussing the vena cava
Uhm, yeah it would have been?
posted by wrok at 7:10 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
You should attack this through the beauracracy, but I think thath the most powerful thing you could do is just say something after he makes a comment.
For instance, Professor: Arms are attached to the torso, and the torso houses boobies and bleeding pinko hearts, tee hee.
You, speaking up, loud, not raising your hand: What does that have to do with ANATOMY CLASS TOPIC? I didn't see that covered in our assigned reading.
posted by WeekendJen at 7:11 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
For instance, Professor: Arms are attached to the torso, and the torso houses boobies and bleeding pinko hearts, tee hee.
You, speaking up, loud, not raising your hand: What does that have to do with ANATOMY CLASS TOPIC? I didn't see that covered in our assigned reading.
posted by WeekendJen at 7:11 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
It wouldn't have been cool in 2005 if an anatomy professor was making cracks about Dick Cheney's heart condition while discussing the vena cava
I had a law school professor put a fact pattern about the hilarious death of "Chick Deney" from a botched heart surgery on a final exam.
I will join with wrok on this one. If I would have lodged a complaint for every left-leaning wisecrack I heard a professor give in college, graduate school, or law school, I would have never left the department head's office. A riff about John Ashcroft putting librarians into death camps, while droll, did not facilitate my learning of the assigned material.
While I would not teach a class in the way you describe, I thought the whole purpose of academic freedom and tenure was so that professors could have the freedom to say incredible offensive things (even sexist or racist). I would finish the semester and not take his classes anymore.
posted by Tanizaki at 7:58 AM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
I had a law school professor put a fact pattern about the hilarious death of "Chick Deney" from a botched heart surgery on a final exam.
I will join with wrok on this one. If I would have lodged a complaint for every left-leaning wisecrack I heard a professor give in college, graduate school, or law school, I would have never left the department head's office. A riff about John Ashcroft putting librarians into death camps, while droll, did not facilitate my learning of the assigned material.
While I would not teach a class in the way you describe, I thought the whole purpose of academic freedom and tenure was so that professors could have the freedom to say incredible offensive things (even sexist or racist). I would finish the semester and not take his classes anymore.
posted by Tanizaki at 7:58 AM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
The purpose of academic freedom via tenure is so that they can research unpopular things, not so they can be racist or sexist assholes in class.
I'd let the political stuff go, because it's fairly mild and not really directed at any group. For the other stuff, I would see if there is a way to get a recording of the classes and speak to your student ombudsman first, as they are likely to be able to aim you in the right direction given the specifics of how your school works -- they all do it differently. Even if you cannot get a recording, speak to the ombudsman.
posted by jeather at 8:08 AM on August 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
I'd let the political stuff go, because it's fairly mild and not really directed at any group. For the other stuff, I would see if there is a way to get a recording of the classes and speak to your student ombudsman first, as they are likely to be able to aim you in the right direction given the specifics of how your school works -- they all do it differently. Even if you cannot get a recording, speak to the ombudsman.
posted by jeather at 8:08 AM on August 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
Depending on your state, secretly recording someone is a crime. Don't do this.
posted by ewiar at 8:11 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by ewiar at 8:11 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
I know someone (let's call them X) who was in a similar position once. This advice from above would have been bad in that case:
You don't need to threaten with anything. Just say "Professor Dickweed, that comment you made about Obamacare/Middle East/Whatever." (Wait for him to acknowledge it). "Yeah, I don't appreciate that and wish you wouldn't do it. I'm paying tuition to learn anatomy and I am not interested in hearing your political views. It's inappropriate and unwanted. Please stop."
Don't underestimate how vicious a classroom tyrant might become, at you directly and publicly, if you call him out on his shit in this manner. In the case of X, the instructor actually screamed at students habitually and called them stupid.
Do seek out the relevant office and ensure that blowback can't come at you. And don't wait until the end of the semester. The relevant office may take it more seriously if it's an "acute" situation.
X found that the administration had known the guy was a fuckhead and had been waiting for some time for a student to bring them specifics. X continued to attend his classes after the administration visit(s); the instructor was none the wiser. In the end... I don't recall whether X actually got him fired or not, but it was looking very likely IIRC.
I agree with some posters above that you might wanna leave out, or at least de-emphasize considerably, the politics stuff in your complaint. The sexism is less likely to be dismissed. Creating a hostile classroom environment is something a lot of institutions take very seriously.
FWIW, X also found that talking with classmates outside of class about the professor's behavior (who were of course unanimously agreed that he was a fuckhead) was helpful for self-motivating and -emboldening. Most students just don't want to go to administration.
posted by Z. Aurelius Fraught at 8:15 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
You don't need to threaten with anything. Just say "Professor Dickweed, that comment you made about Obamacare/Middle East/Whatever." (Wait for him to acknowledge it). "Yeah, I don't appreciate that and wish you wouldn't do it. I'm paying tuition to learn anatomy and I am not interested in hearing your political views. It's inappropriate and unwanted. Please stop."
Don't underestimate how vicious a classroom tyrant might become, at you directly and publicly, if you call him out on his shit in this manner. In the case of X, the instructor actually screamed at students habitually and called them stupid.
Do seek out the relevant office and ensure that blowback can't come at you. And don't wait until the end of the semester. The relevant office may take it more seriously if it's an "acute" situation.
X found that the administration had known the guy was a fuckhead and had been waiting for some time for a student to bring them specifics. X continued to attend his classes after the administration visit(s); the instructor was none the wiser. In the end... I don't recall whether X actually got him fired or not, but it was looking very likely IIRC.
I agree with some posters above that you might wanna leave out, or at least de-emphasize considerably, the politics stuff in your complaint. The sexism is less likely to be dismissed. Creating a hostile classroom environment is something a lot of institutions take very seriously.
FWIW, X also found that talking with classmates outside of class about the professor's behavior (who were of course unanimously agreed that he was a fuckhead) was helpful for self-motivating and -emboldening. Most students just don't want to go to administration.
posted by Z. Aurelius Fraught at 8:15 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Whoa, lots of useful information here! I just found the school handbook online, and there is in fact an office of "diversity and equity." Looks like that's my first stop. I'm also going to start recording, though there's not much class left in this semester and he's been slightly more restrained lately, so I don't know if that will capture anything out of line. (That, and the offending stuff is one-off comments tacked onto the end of otherwise mostly relevant lecture.)
Some other possibly useful clarifications:
-The grade for this class is entirely multiple choice scantron tests+attendance. I'm not worried that reporting would have any repercussions for my grade.
-I already have a degree from another school; the classes I'm taking here are for a career change. If I needed academic recommendations, I could get them from my prior school (or my favorite other prof here) and not need to worry about this guy. Given this, and the fact that I have time on my hands and some know-how in dealing with bureaucracies, I don't mind attaching my name to a complaint.
-Since this is a community college, campus student groups and alumni networks are not as robust here as they are at 4-year schools. Going through the school's official administrative channels by myself is probably my best bet.
-I've thought about the "but liberals complain about Dick Cheney too" angle, and I think the difference in this particular case is audience. Here's something I wrote to another friend who brought up that point:
When you make a comment about "what kind of person doesn't have a birth certificate," as a teacher at a school like [this community college], you should know damn well what kind of students don't have birth certificates. Undocumented students. Students who may have lost theirs during periods of homelessness. Students who've lost everything while incarcerated. Etc. In this situation, that sort of comment comes off as "What kind of people are the students I'm teaching? What kind of people does my school serve?" If you're going to hold that kind of attitude, I have to question what you're doing teaching at a community college like this. Nobody is in community college teaching for the money. It had better be a thing you do because you're drawn to the mission and the kind of students community colleges typically serve.
Likewise, in the case of the Middle East comments; I don't know if anyone in my class now is of Middle Eastern descent, but there sure as hell are a bunch of Middle Eastern students in the school at large. Someday a comment like that is going to be much more relevant to someone else and hurt them much more than it hurt me.
posted by ActionPopulated at 8:24 AM on August 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
Some other possibly useful clarifications:
-The grade for this class is entirely multiple choice scantron tests+attendance. I'm not worried that reporting would have any repercussions for my grade.
-I already have a degree from another school; the classes I'm taking here are for a career change. If I needed academic recommendations, I could get them from my prior school (or my favorite other prof here) and not need to worry about this guy. Given this, and the fact that I have time on my hands and some know-how in dealing with bureaucracies, I don't mind attaching my name to a complaint.
-Since this is a community college, campus student groups and alumni networks are not as robust here as they are at 4-year schools. Going through the school's official administrative channels by myself is probably my best bet.
-I've thought about the "but liberals complain about Dick Cheney too" angle, and I think the difference in this particular case is audience. Here's something I wrote to another friend who brought up that point:
When you make a comment about "what kind of person doesn't have a birth certificate," as a teacher at a school like [this community college], you should know damn well what kind of students don't have birth certificates. Undocumented students. Students who may have lost theirs during periods of homelessness. Students who've lost everything while incarcerated. Etc. In this situation, that sort of comment comes off as "What kind of people are the students I'm teaching? What kind of people does my school serve?" If you're going to hold that kind of attitude, I have to question what you're doing teaching at a community college like this. Nobody is in community college teaching for the money. It had better be a thing you do because you're drawn to the mission and the kind of students community colleges typically serve.
Likewise, in the case of the Middle East comments; I don't know if anyone in my class now is of Middle Eastern descent, but there sure as hell are a bunch of Middle Eastern students in the school at large. Someday a comment like that is going to be much more relevant to someone else and hurt them much more than it hurt me.
posted by ActionPopulated at 8:24 AM on August 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
College faculty typically have wide latitude for political commentary. Not for sexist remarks and sexual harassment. As eviemath notes, your college almost certainly has an Equal Opportunity Officer, as well as a harassment policy. Make an appointment, and talk to this person. You should be able to make your complain anonymously - a call to the office should confirm this. It's unacceptable, and affects your ability to get your education.
Many students use a smartphone or pocket recorder as a way to take notes, so audio documentation shoulkd be easy, and you probably don't have to be any more surreptitious than setting the phone to record (Evernote has such a function).
If the students you're referring to are non-white, or a different nationality, the birth certificate comment may be construed as racial or national origin discrimination. When you make your report, be as factual as possible, but also explain how the comments have affected you emotionally and educationally.
posted by theora55 at 8:32 AM on August 8, 2013
Many students use a smartphone or pocket recorder as a way to take notes, so audio documentation shoulkd be easy, and you probably don't have to be any more surreptitious than setting the phone to record (Evernote has such a function).
If the students you're referring to are non-white, or a different nationality, the birth certificate comment may be construed as racial or national origin discrimination. When you make your report, be as factual as possible, but also explain how the comments have affected you emotionally and educationally.
posted by theora55 at 8:32 AM on August 8, 2013
I think the difference in this particular case is audience
I think your update made your cause less sympathetic. I suspect that your classmates are just as adult as you are and can handle the slings and arrows heard in the classroom without an advocate to lead a charge on their behalf. I assure you that they could handle that wisecrack just like I handled wisecracks about Dick Cheney or anyone else. You might think about the underlying assumption that your classmates are somehow more fragile than other people.
If you're going to hold that kind of attitude, I have to question what you're doing teaching at a community college like this. Nobody is in community college teaching for the money. It had better be a thing you do because you're drawn to the mission and the kind of students community colleges typically serve.
The professor's reasons for teaching at the community college are not relevant at all. The school does not need you to vet him to make sure that he is sufficiently on-board with the "mission". If you go forward with reporting this, I would recommend against this line of argument.
posted by Tanizaki at 8:39 AM on August 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
I think your update made your cause less sympathetic. I suspect that your classmates are just as adult as you are and can handle the slings and arrows heard in the classroom without an advocate to lead a charge on their behalf. I assure you that they could handle that wisecrack just like I handled wisecracks about Dick Cheney or anyone else. You might think about the underlying assumption that your classmates are somehow more fragile than other people.
If you're going to hold that kind of attitude, I have to question what you're doing teaching at a community college like this. Nobody is in community college teaching for the money. It had better be a thing you do because you're drawn to the mission and the kind of students community colleges typically serve.
The professor's reasons for teaching at the community college are not relevant at all. The school does not need you to vet him to make sure that he is sufficiently on-board with the "mission". If you go forward with reporting this, I would recommend against this line of argument.
posted by Tanizaki at 8:39 AM on August 8, 2013 [4 favorites]
I had to do this, I had a professor show up drunk to class on the regular. He also had a thing where if you turned in a paper, and you liked your grade, you could take that as your grade and you didn't have to come to class anymore.
I wrote a dispassionate letter, citing observable incidents, without commentary, conjecture or opinion.
Professor X frequently comes to class and stumbles into the walls and furniture. Professor X is hard to understand because of his slurred speech.
You get the idea. You'll have to take down his statements verbatim, but do not add any comments of your own.
You don't have to add that folks in your class may not have birth certificates. Or that you are uncomfortable with his sexist remarks.
I was given the opportunity to do an independant study with the dean (Middlemarch. yay.) The professor was Professor Emeritus shortly thereafter.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:45 AM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
I wrote a dispassionate letter, citing observable incidents, without commentary, conjecture or opinion.
Professor X frequently comes to class and stumbles into the walls and furniture. Professor X is hard to understand because of his slurred speech.
You get the idea. You'll have to take down his statements verbatim, but do not add any comments of your own.
You don't have to add that folks in your class may not have birth certificates. Or that you are uncomfortable with his sexist remarks.
I was given the opportunity to do an independant study with the dean (Middlemarch. yay.) The professor was Professor Emeritus shortly thereafter.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 8:45 AM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Tanizaki, a professor has wide latitude for comments of a political nature but you are focusing on those to the exclusion of the Asker's reports about the comments of a sexual nature. Instructors DO NOT have the right to create an uncomfortable classroom atmosphere by making leering sexual comments or by joking about sexual assault. If this is brought to the attention of the appropriate authorities on campus they will, quite properly, be shocked at what this person is saying and doing in class and they will, quite properly, put pressure on him to mend his ways.
As for the specific comment about birth certificates, Action Populated is actually perfectly correct to suggest that an instructor should show sensitivity to the particular student body they are teaching. This is not a matter of "if you say X you will be fired on the spot"--in which case your abstract statements of principle might have some relevance--it is a matter of "what things might you be advised to bear in mind about the people in your classroom and their particular sensitivities." An instructor may, in some cases, have a "right" to be an insensitive jerk, but that doesn't mean that his/her superiors do not have an equal right (and obligation) to ask him/her not to be.
Let me also add, in reference to an earlier, ill-informed, comment, that the relationship of student to professor is nothing remotely similar to the relationship of a "customer" to a "supplier." The professor's salary does not in any but the most vaguely remote way depend upon the satisfaction of any individual student in the class. In the US, instructors are usually the final judges of a student's work in the class (in other words, it is usually extremely difficult for a student to make the case that an instructor has graded their work unfairly in retaliation for a complaint). To suggest that a student who is unhappy or uncomfortable about something their professor/instructor has done should in all cases simply address their concerns directly to their instructor is just wildly irresponsible.
posted by yoink at 8:54 AM on August 8, 2013 [5 favorites]
As for the specific comment about birth certificates, Action Populated is actually perfectly correct to suggest that an instructor should show sensitivity to the particular student body they are teaching. This is not a matter of "if you say X you will be fired on the spot"--in which case your abstract statements of principle might have some relevance--it is a matter of "what things might you be advised to bear in mind about the people in your classroom and their particular sensitivities." An instructor may, in some cases, have a "right" to be an insensitive jerk, but that doesn't mean that his/her superiors do not have an equal right (and obligation) to ask him/her not to be.
Let me also add, in reference to an earlier, ill-informed, comment, that the relationship of student to professor is nothing remotely similar to the relationship of a "customer" to a "supplier." The professor's salary does not in any but the most vaguely remote way depend upon the satisfaction of any individual student in the class. In the US, instructors are usually the final judges of a student's work in the class (in other words, it is usually extremely difficult for a student to make the case that an instructor has graded their work unfairly in retaliation for a complaint). To suggest that a student who is unhappy or uncomfortable about something their professor/instructor has done should in all cases simply address their concerns directly to their instructor is just wildly irresponsible.
posted by yoink at 8:54 AM on August 8, 2013 [5 favorites]
My college experience is many years in the past, but this professor sounds out of line to me.
I'd point out that while the prof might not have started his classroom commentary this year, it may well be that no one has complained about it before. As we've seen in recent discussions here on the blue about harassment in the science fiction and skeptical communities, sometimes objectionable behavior goes on for some time, and is even well known on the grapevine, before someone steps up and makes a formal complaint -- and when it happens, many more examples seem to come to light.
I'd definitely suggest looking for the university ombudsman or similar official, and agree that having a recording of some kind is a good idea.
posted by Gelatin at 9:02 AM on August 8, 2013
I'd point out that while the prof might not have started his classroom commentary this year, it may well be that no one has complained about it before. As we've seen in recent discussions here on the blue about harassment in the science fiction and skeptical communities, sometimes objectionable behavior goes on for some time, and is even well known on the grapevine, before someone steps up and makes a formal complaint -- and when it happens, many more examples seem to come to light.
I'd definitely suggest looking for the university ombudsman or similar official, and agree that having a recording of some kind is a good idea.
posted by Gelatin at 9:02 AM on August 8, 2013
-My first instinct would be to send the things I've documented on to the department chair. Is that likely the right person? If not, who is?
The chair is a colleague of your professor, and not their supervisor. I would recommend taking this out of the professor-chair-dean-provost line and going to whatever independent office exists to handle complaints of harassment and discrimination. At my university this is called the "Office of Institutional Equity", which is a division of human resources. It depends on the institution, but they can have a significant amount of power to remedy problems like this. They might direct you to some sort of resolution procedures inside the relevant college or department, but I would start outside that. This sounds like an HR problem, not an academic problem, and you should make sure you've exhausted your HR options first.
posted by kiltedtaco at 9:13 AM on August 8, 2013
The chair is a colleague of your professor, and not their supervisor. I would recommend taking this out of the professor-chair-dean-provost line and going to whatever independent office exists to handle complaints of harassment and discrimination. At my university this is called the "Office of Institutional Equity", which is a division of human resources. It depends on the institution, but they can have a significant amount of power to remedy problems like this. They might direct you to some sort of resolution procedures inside the relevant college or department, but I would start outside that. This sounds like an HR problem, not an academic problem, and you should make sure you've exhausted your HR options first.
posted by kiltedtaco at 9:13 AM on August 8, 2013
If you're going to hold that kind of attitude, I have to question what you're doing teaching at a community college like this.
It's fine to share this sort of sentiment with your friends or on AskMe, but I'd suggest you omit it when speaking to anybody from the school (eg, Office of Diversity and Equity). It doesn't come off well.
Someday a comment like that is going to be much more relevant to someone else and hurt them much more than it hurt me.
I speak up for others on occasion. I think it's important to do. There are circumstances where, when something truly out-of-line is happening, we all have a responsibility not to leave the person(s) being marginalized alone with the weight of standing up.
Having said that, there's a spectrum. Sometimes you stand up because it's necessary. Other times what's happening is maybe objectionable, but not so objectionable that it requires a rescue squad; people can object for themselves if they're feeling slighted. And sometimes, if you're honest with yourself, the truth is that you're standing up for your own internal reasons and it doesn't have much at all to do with actual feelings being felt by other people who exist.
Personally, I don't think the birth certificate crack rises to the top of that heap. More to the point, when you find yourself speculating that maybe-someday-somebody-else-will-something, that's often a sign you should maybe pause and count to ten. Now, obviously it's your complaint and therefore your prerogative to include whatever you want. But I suspect you'll have a different experience if you limit yourself to, "The professor often makes sexual comments that are unrelated to the topic. Here are some examples..."
posted by cribcage at 9:16 AM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
It's fine to share this sort of sentiment with your friends or on AskMe, but I'd suggest you omit it when speaking to anybody from the school (eg, Office of Diversity and Equity). It doesn't come off well.
Someday a comment like that is going to be much more relevant to someone else and hurt them much more than it hurt me.
I speak up for others on occasion. I think it's important to do. There are circumstances where, when something truly out-of-line is happening, we all have a responsibility not to leave the person(s) being marginalized alone with the weight of standing up.
Having said that, there's a spectrum. Sometimes you stand up because it's necessary. Other times what's happening is maybe objectionable, but not so objectionable that it requires a rescue squad; people can object for themselves if they're feeling slighted. And sometimes, if you're honest with yourself, the truth is that you're standing up for your own internal reasons and it doesn't have much at all to do with actual feelings being felt by other people who exist.
Personally, I don't think the birth certificate crack rises to the top of that heap. More to the point, when you find yourself speculating that maybe-someday-somebody-else-will-something, that's often a sign you should maybe pause and count to ten. Now, obviously it's your complaint and therefore your prerogative to include whatever you want. But I suspect you'll have a different experience if you limit yourself to, "The professor often makes sexual comments that are unrelated to the topic. Here are some examples..."
posted by cribcage at 9:16 AM on August 8, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: One more clarification--the "what are you doing teaching at a community college as a tea partier" line of reasoning is definitely for my lefty friends and mefi alone. I stuck it here because that block of text was copied verbatim from a thing I wrote for a friend. Reading the responses here, it's clear that the sexual comments are the bigger and more actionable concern.
posted by ActionPopulated at 9:21 AM on August 8, 2013
posted by ActionPopulated at 9:21 AM on August 8, 2013
Personally, I don't think the birth certificate crack rises to the top of that heap.
The nice thing about taking her concerns to the appropriate channels is that she needn't worry, at all, about her own private judgment (or anyone here's private judgments) as to whether these rise to an appropriate level of "seriousness" or not. That she can leave to the appropriate authorities to decide. If they don't think the birth certificate crack mattered, they won't bring it to the professor's attention. If they do, they will.
posted by yoink at 9:22 AM on August 8, 2013
The nice thing about taking her concerns to the appropriate channels is that she needn't worry, at all, about her own private judgment (or anyone here's private judgments) as to whether these rise to an appropriate level of "seriousness" or not. That she can leave to the appropriate authorities to decide. If they don't think the birth certificate crack mattered, they won't bring it to the professor's attention. If they do, they will.
posted by yoink at 9:22 AM on August 8, 2013
While I would not teach a class in the way you describe, I thought the whole purpose of academic freedom and tenure was so that professors could have the freedom to say incredible offensive things (even sexist or racist).
No.
In any event, the politics stuff is irritating, but highly unlikely to get your professor disciplined. OTOH, racist/sexist material is absolutely actionable; what you describe is utterly unprofessional behavior.
Do be aware that at some schools, going outside the administrative chain of command may simply result in administrators bumping your complaint down to whatever point(s) you skipped. When I had a department-level admin job, I occasionally encountered students who had immediately escalated to Nuclear-Powered Administrator Level, only to find themselves stuck with yours truly.
(Oh, and a tenure-line community college instructor may well be making very good money. An adjunct is another matter.)
posted by thomas j wise at 9:49 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
No.
In any event, the politics stuff is irritating, but highly unlikely to get your professor disciplined. OTOH, racist/sexist material is absolutely actionable; what you describe is utterly unprofessional behavior.
Do be aware that at some schools, going outside the administrative chain of command may simply result in administrators bumping your complaint down to whatever point(s) you skipped. When I had a department-level admin job, I occasionally encountered students who had immediately escalated to Nuclear-Powered Administrator Level, only to find themselves stuck with yours truly.
(Oh, and a tenure-line community college instructor may well be making very good money. An adjunct is another matter.)
posted by thomas j wise at 9:49 AM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
One more clarification--the "what are you doing teaching at a community college as a tea partier" line of reasoning is definitely for my lefty friends and mefi alone.
I think you may want to examine your own prejudices. It seems clear that you, yourself, have some political discrimination - "what are you doing teaching at a community college as a tea partier" does not sound neutral at all. It sounds like you have Very Strong Ideas about who exactly should be educating at community colleges - left-leaning people of a particular stripe - in which this guy does not fit, and it's informing your anger.
I think your strongest cases are on sexism and racism, but you don't really seem to want to focus on that very much - you are strongly fixated on the political comments. The political commentary is not an actionable problem. Racism and sexism are.
For it to be objectionable, it has to be objectionable to the degree that you would be strongly offended even if it were levied on your behalf.
For example: let us suppose your anatomy professor had instead said, "Unlike Cheney, the fellow on the operating table actually has a heart." Would you have been violently offended that he was bringing politics into the classroom, or would you have laughed and thought it was a little funny?
If the latter, you aren't upset he's being political, you're upset that he's puncturing your sacred cows.
Re the birth certificate: It is not out of line for someone in an American classroom to assume everyone has a birth certificate. Citizens do. Legal immigrants generally have to provide proof of birth. Even the students you talk about - who might have temporarily lost their birth certificates during homeless or incarcerated periods (and really, how many of these are you even talking about?) have birth certificates. They may not have physical copies of them, but they have them. Your focus on this as a truly egregious thing loses the impact of the stuff about racism and sexism.
posted by corb at 10:13 AM on August 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
I think you may want to examine your own prejudices. It seems clear that you, yourself, have some political discrimination - "what are you doing teaching at a community college as a tea partier" does not sound neutral at all. It sounds like you have Very Strong Ideas about who exactly should be educating at community colleges - left-leaning people of a particular stripe - in which this guy does not fit, and it's informing your anger.
I think your strongest cases are on sexism and racism, but you don't really seem to want to focus on that very much - you are strongly fixated on the political comments. The political commentary is not an actionable problem. Racism and sexism are.
For it to be objectionable, it has to be objectionable to the degree that you would be strongly offended even if it were levied on your behalf.
For example: let us suppose your anatomy professor had instead said, "Unlike Cheney, the fellow on the operating table actually has a heart." Would you have been violently offended that he was bringing politics into the classroom, or would you have laughed and thought it was a little funny?
If the latter, you aren't upset he's being political, you're upset that he's puncturing your sacred cows.
Re the birth certificate: It is not out of line for someone in an American classroom to assume everyone has a birth certificate. Citizens do. Legal immigrants generally have to provide proof of birth. Even the students you talk about - who might have temporarily lost their birth certificates during homeless or incarcerated periods (and really, how many of these are you even talking about?) have birth certificates. They may not have physical copies of them, but they have them. Your focus on this as a truly egregious thing loses the impact of the stuff about racism and sexism.
posted by corb at 10:13 AM on August 8, 2013 [3 favorites]
From what I see, this is a boundary-crossing creep, not some kind of sex-discriminating harasser. He probably thinks he's being friendly, but mostly he's being unprofessional. Whether I'm right or you're right about the sexism, it's apparent something is worthy of complaint.
posted by Sunburnt at 11:13 AM on August 8, 2013
posted by Sunburnt at 11:13 AM on August 8, 2013
Depending on the school, the political commentary may well be actionable. Community colleges can have different formulations of academic freedom clauses than four-year colleges; unionized and non-unionized colleges often have different rules and standards in this respect, etc. Further, many community colleges are quite serious about their mission of providing educational opportunities for underserved populations, and ActionPopulated's analysis of why the political comments mentioned are problematic is right on the button. Yes, the sexist and racist comments are another level of egregious and, depending on duration and pervasiveness, may cause legal problems for the prof or the college, where the political comments may only be against local college policies.
As a student and now professor in a science-related area, all of the comments described are absolutely outside of the norm, in my experience. The prof's political "jokes" have nothing to do with anatomy, the actual subject of the class. At least the sexually harrassing crap is vaguely related.
posted by eviemath at 10:50 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
As a student and now professor in a science-related area, all of the comments described are absolutely outside of the norm, in my experience. The prof's political "jokes" have nothing to do with anatomy, the actual subject of the class. At least the sexually harrassing crap is vaguely related.
posted by eviemath at 10:50 PM on August 8, 2013 [1 favorite]
Have you thought about ratemyprofessor? Regardless of what the college does, it may be useful to warn potential future students away from his classes. You could encourage fellow students (who share your concerns) to rate him as well. This might not stop his awful teaching style, but it could prevent future students from having to put up with it (without engaging a protracted battle with the college).
posted by el io at 1:10 PM on August 11, 2013
posted by el io at 1:10 PM on August 11, 2013
« Older Iron-rich/protein-rich vegan freezable meals! | Looking for a production/entertainment accountant... Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by jojobobo at 8:28 PM on August 7, 2013 [3 favorites]