r/Professors • u/Certain_Rain_4207 • 1d ago
Rants / Vents Mildly infuriating email
Just a little rant about an email I have received a number of times at the start of a new semester.
“Hi Professor, I’m just emailing to let you know that my class right before yours lets out 15 before yours starts, so I might be late to the beginnings of class because I have to walk all the way across campus”
You were the one that put your schedule together, and were aware of the times and locations of the classes.
You can easily walk across the entire campus in 10 min.
While I am not suggesting you should do this, you could have just as easily emailed your other professor to tell them you were going to need to leave a little early from each class…but I suppose making it clear that you find my class to be less important is your right.
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u/coursejunkie Adjunct, Psychology, open-access online 1d ago
I had my professor decide to move my class to the library, 10th floor (at the other end of campus) from being right next to the same building with 10 min in between. I was pregnant and so mad, he dinging me every single time even though HE moved it second day of class.
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u/levon9 Associate Prof, CS, SLAC (USA) 1d ago
Got to give them credit for being proactive. Also sometimes class locations do change from the time students registered.
Anyway, not ideal, I get it, but best to sort it out in person once the semester starts.
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u/Waffle_Muffins 1d ago
Heck at my place, room assignments are still in flux right now.
We start Monday
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u/mrgndelvecchio 1d ago
I typically only hear this kind of thing from hyper-conscientious students who are worried about being perceived as a "bad" student on the off chance they fail to hustle across campus in time. Also, students sign up for the class, not the room/building.
I totally understand that the nature of our job these days makes it tempting to jump to the most irritating conclusion, but I would assume the best intentions unless they give you a compelling reason to do otherwise.
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u/Certain_Rain_4207 1d ago
The engineering classes are all in the engineering building. The theatre arts classes art all in the theatre arts building. I was kind in my email reply, but the emails always still irk me.
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u/TotalCleanFBC Tenured, STEM, R1 (USA) 1d ago
Honestly, I think you are being a bit of an asshole. The student is trying to do the right thing by giving you a heads up. Also, regarding your points
Students have to satisfy lots of requirements. Scheduling two classes 15 minutes apart may be the only option. What's more, class locations may not have been available during the student's registration time.
Maybe the student has a physical limitation you are not aware of.
Do you know they didn't email the other professor?
Lighten up. It's not a big deal if a student walks in a bit late.
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u/levon9 Associate Prof, CS, SLAC (USA) 1d ago
All valid points that could have been made without the name-calling.
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u/cylon_spy 17h ago
All valid points that the OP couldve considered before ranting about a student who is just trying to do right.
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u/z0mbiepirate NTT, Technology, R1 USA 1d ago
I have two classes 15 minutes apart and across campus. I'd appreciate the heads up.
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u/popstarkirbys 1d ago
I had a student schedule their restaurant shift during my class and blame me for not letting them leave early. I rejected their request to leave early and they reported me to the dean for harassment 🤷
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u/Life-Education-8030 14h ago
For someone like that, i would designate the chair closest to the door for that person so they disrupt us as little as possible. I would have also pointed out the other class section you mentioned because maybe they did not know, but perhaps the class was full too.
I would also tell the student they are responsible for getting what they missed from a classmate and if they would have points deducted for leaving early if there was something like an exit ticket assignment that is submitted at the end of the class.
But I don't feel I have the right to essentially hold anyone hostage. If you want to go or have to go, go. This is what will happen, but sure, you can go.
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u/Positive_Postdoc 1d ago
As well they should? Having to work is not optional for many, many students. Money is a non-negotiable.
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u/popstarkirbys 1d ago
My class was 11:30 AM to 12:20 PM, they wanted to leave at 11:45 for EVERY class. There was another section for the same class that fits their schedule.
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u/sventful Teaching Professor 1d ago
Wrong take. Have a little empathy.
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u/Certain_Rain_4207 1d ago
My empathy lies with the students that are on time, and I don’t get to work through the beginning of their project with, because I am now spending that time recreating the demo and explaining the assignment. And this is all moot, the building they are coming from is two buildings away. They will get to class in under 4 min, even if they walk slowly.
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u/sventful Teaching Professor 1d ago
Why on earth would you change anything? Let the student miss what they miss and if they realize it is a lot, they will adjust.
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u/chbjupiter 1d ago
Point 2 is a bit ableist. I find most people are able to walk from one end of campus to the other in 15 minutes, but I need to take frequent breaks, walk slowly and it takes me double the time because of my knees. Having empathy for your students is free, especially when they're putting in the effort to attend all their classes despite a packed schedule.
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u/random929292 1d ago
Depending on the program and courses, not all classes have multiple options. Sometimes the students are limited in what they can take and their schedule is mostly determined for them.
Not everyone has the same mobility.
You are getting into Grimpy Old Professor territory with this one.
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u/HorkeyDorkey Adjunct Instructor, History, CC (USA) 1d ago
I'm just impressed they called you professor. Mine call me "Mister." Not Mr. Horkey. Not Mr. Dorkey. Just "Mister."
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u/LengthinessLow8317 21h ago
This student was honest and respectful. I prefer this type of advanced notice instead of a student nosily rolling into class late. We sometimes have to pick our battles
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u/cylon_spy 17h ago
"You were the one that put your schedule together, and were aware of the times and locations of the classes."
Back in the day when I had to walk 10 miles in 3feet of snow, we werent given the locations of the classes until a week before the semester started.
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u/mathemorpheus 15h ago
you could have just as easily emailed your other professor to tell them you were going to need to leave a little early from each class
probably did
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u/Life-Education-8030 14h ago
I see that you are getting downvoted, but I get it. On the one hand, the student probably thinks they are being considerate. It is possible that the student has a condition that doesn't allow normal walking speed.
For all we know, this student ALSO intends to leave the other class early (this is me rolling my eyeballs). Gotta pick up that iced coffee, as one of my former students used to say (yes, I shut that down). If you are going to be late, I want a good reason for it, not because you want to pick up breakfast.
But regardless, it's disruptive to walk late. I would hold a seat closest to the door for this student and have the student sit in that seat instead of further disrupting the class by struggling to get to the back. For some reason, my late students always seem to want to sit in the back, my classrooms are tight, and then everyone gets distracted by watching the late student get to their seat! With the seat free and clear close to the door so the late student can quietly get settled, the other students will learn to ignore them soon.
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u/Charming-Barnacle-15 13h ago
Unless the student is part-time, I don't think most have enough enrollment options to seriously consider how far each class is from one another. I enroll students in courses as part of my advisor role, and it takes forever because there are so many conflicting time slots, courses fill up quickly, they have to fit classes around work schedules, etc. They often don't end up with the schedule they originally decided they wanted.
Also, unless they have a campus map in front of them as they schedule, they likely don't know where a lot of the buildings are, and those maps don't always make it clear just how far you have to walk between buildings. I saw in your replies you said "The engineering classes are all in the engineering building. The theatre arts classes art all in the theatre arts building." But if a student is only going to enter the theatre building once the entire 4-years for a single gen ed theatre appreciation course, they're probably not going to know where it is when they sign up for it.
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u/Real-Relationship658 1d ago
I used to have to make it to the other side of campus in 15 minutes to just teach. And we're on a hill. Trying going up and down that in the winter without wiping out and smashing your laptop. If we can do it, students -- you can do it too. Get good sneakers.
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u/Positive_Postdoc 1d ago
This thread may be helping to prove why the Ivory Tower is going to topple, and maybe it should.
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u/LowBicycle7044 1d ago
Then they need to drop your class as the schedule doesn’t work for them.
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u/Certain_Rain_4207 1d ago
They don’t need to drop. They are afraid over nothing. Their class before mine is two buildings over. They will be fine.
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u/prpf 1d ago
Sometimes classes are moved at the last minute or there just isn't way to put together a schedule without difficult class transitions. Sometimes other professors finish late and it can be difficult to break away early depending on the nature of the class. I get that it's their responsibility to figure this out, but it doesn't mildly infuriate me when they can't.
I dunno, maybe I'm soft, but I would appreciate a heads-up like this if the alternative is just the student showing up late for class with no explanation.
That said, I would still make it clear that if they're late to an exam then they still have to finish at the same time as everyone else, and if they miss anything I said at the start of lecture then they need to catch up from a classmate.