The Adjunct

Thanks to the miracle of carbon copy, I just learned that prior to my telephone conversation earlier this morning, my student has already been talking to the division dean…and had already been told it was up to me. Notice the student does not volunteer that she had already been told no by me about a dozen times.

These emails took place after my emails with the student, but before our conversation.

Division Dean,

You are the Dean of Language Art department? My name is Student I got your information from college web site, I have a request, I need a late drop. My story is I enrolled in English 1B with professor STAFF. About three weeks before Nov 13 I stop going to class but did not try to drop until Nov 12 when I try to drop online. Unfortunately my record is on hold and I could not do it and I could not go in to school the next day because the school is close in observance of Veterans day. I send two emails to professor STAFF on Nov 12 and 13 asking him to drop me from the class but he said he did not received the emails even though the same address is used with other correspondence with the professor he did receive. I can not mistype the address on those emails drop request because his email is in my address book and I am selecting it every time I sent email to professor STAFF. I have the two emails that I sent to professor STAFF. Can you help? Thanks.

Regards,

Student

Hello Student,

In order for me to approve a late drop your instructor needs to initiate the paperwork and approve it. Then he needs to send it to me for approval.

best,

Division Dean

Division Dean, I will call professor STAFF to ask him to start the paperwork but if he won’t do it can you talk to him? Also how long do I have to do this? I am sorry for my procrastination.

Thanks sincerely,

Student

Hi Student,

I will not approve any late drops unless the instructor has approved it and the reasons are valid. You need to talk to Professor STAFF and request that he approves the late drop because of the miscommunication with the email.

This should be done ASAP.

best,

Division Dean

Right about now is when our phone conversation took place. Let me point out that the dean was quite clear that she can’t (and won’t) do anything unless I approve. I have already told the student I do not approve, and in our phone conversation I was also quite clear on this point. So here’s the email the student sent, with a CC to me, and my department chair.

Division Dean,

I talked to professor STAFF just now and he said that he will not do the late drop because it is my responsibility to follow up. He said that I am an annoyance to you that you do not care about what happened and as he is concerned this conversation is final and don’t call him anymore. I only call him once just now! That’s a lot to take in so early in the day.

Thanks for everything,

Student

So I was forced to write a letter with a CC to both the division dean and my department chair.

Student,

I did say that my decision was final, but I never referred to you as an annoyance. I did request that you not call me at home at 8:00 in the morning, and that request still stands.

I know that you may feel that I do not care about the difficulties of your situation, but I do. However, given that you did not have excessive absences as of the drop date, it was up to you to drop the class if you no longer wished to attend. I did not hear any desire from you to drop the class until the very end of the quarter.

I am sorry, but I will not be requesting a late drop for you.

-Professor STAFF

At 8:00 AM my phone rings. It is the student who had been writing me about getting a late drop from the class. I really hate it when they give out our phone number to students. If you want to get a feel for this conversation, just read re: Drop out loud.

Student: Will you request a late drop?

Me: No.

Student: Why not.

Me: Because it was your responsibility to drop, and you waited until the end of the quarter to contact me.

Student: So, will you request a late drop?

Me: No.

Student: But WHY NOT?

Right around the time my left ear started to bleed, she finally broke from the circle.

Student: I will go to the dean and she will make you give me a late drop.

Me: The dean can’t do that. It is my call, not hers.

Student: I will convince her.

Me: Again, she doesn’t have the ability to force me to give you a late drop.

Student: So you will give me a late drop if I don’t go to the dean?

On and on. Finally, it was time for me to end this conversation. Again, since this was a phone call, I am paraphrasing.

Me: As I said before, my decision is final. I have explained my reasons, and I will not change my stance on this. Going to the dean will not help, because there is absolutely nothing she can do and you are just going to be pestering her needlessly. I need to go now.

Student: You cannot stop me from going to the dean!

Me: Feel free. In the future, please do not call me at 8:00 AM.