University professor fired for having sex with 2 female students must be reinstated, Pa. court rules [pennlive.com]

The flava:
Concluding he didn’t violate any school policy, a state appeals court panel has backed the reinstatement of a Bloomsburg University professor who was fired for having sexual relationships with two female students.

The Commonwealth Court ruling upholds a June 2018 arbitrator’s decision that voided the termination of Assistant Professor John Barrett. University officials had appealed that award, which the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties union secured on Barrett’s behalf. The arbitrator ordered Barrett’s reinstatement with full benefits and back pay.

In the state court’s opinion, Judge P. Kevin Brobson noted the relationships between Barrett and the women were consensual, that neither woman was taking classes from Barrett at the time, and that the relationships were not barred by the university’s sexual harassment policy.

The article:
https://www.pennlive.com/news/2019/05/university-professor-fired-for-having-sex-with-2-female-students-must-be-reinstated-pa-court-rules.html

Note-taking [from Aca Deme]

I have been particularly frustrated this past semester... students never seem to take notes. I've tried a number of approaches... including requiring note taking, and doing weekly notebook checks, but I feel this is a bit ridiculous for college-level work. Taking notes should be a given. And why should I have to make more work for myself, policing students.

Besides, when I did notebook checks, I'd say students averaged 1/2 page of handwritten notes per hour or hour and a half of lecture. Pitiful.

I do give some handouts, but I do not provide everything via handout as I feel the act of writing things down (or typing them) helps one learn. I wonder is this because students don't learn cursive any more? In which case, they sit at computer workstations, so they could type their notes. Do they know how to type? They could ask to record my lectures but they don't.

They claim they are "visual learners". Well, so am I, but I still take notes. How would they feel if I lectured/demonstrated without notes, meandering through the material at will, covering some things but not others? Clearly they don't remember things from one class to the next. Final projects were just turned in, and one student still couldn't perform a simple task (which consisted of choosing a command from an application menu) even though we had been doing it for every assignment for the past 4 weeks, and I'd showed this student many times. But I never saw her write it down. Or look it up on the Web?

What gives? Or am I just getting old and grumpy.

--Aca Deme

My Turn: High-stakes testing leads to high-stakes cheating [concordmonitor.com]

The flava:

By KRISTIN TICHENOR
For the Monitor

Published: 5/12/2019 12:30:16 AM

The University of New Hampshire announced on Monday that it will no longer require applicants to provide SAT/ACT scores during a three-year pilot program.

The public university is the latest in a growing roster to recognize that the standardized test is not a reliable predictor of college success. This is a step in the right direction – for both applicants and the university.


The article:
https://www.concordmonitor.com/High-stakes-testing-leads-to-high-stakes-cheating-25384419

posts

Thank you for submitting posts.
If they aren't somehow directly related to academia or higher education, then they might not be used.
Sincerely and gratefully,
--Zooze

"rape attic" is no more.

One down, one thousand to go.

The ocean is made up of tiny drops of water.

Speedy rant, from Wombat of the Copier

Word to the not wise:

If she isn't smart enough to take her name off of her lab reports before uploading them to CourseHero, she isn't smart enough to copy.

--WotC

damaging brains in higher education

"I really thought at first that we could play football safely with better rules and better equipment; I drank the Kool-Aid.  I can’t go there anymore. I don’t believe it can be played safely anymore. I want these young men to leave C.U. with minds that have been strengthened, not damaged."

     --University of Colorado Regent Linda Shoemaker

coming soon to a CC near you... [from Wombat of the Copier]

Overheard from the next booth at a burrito place - 

Optimist (delusional friend):  I don't think it's as bad as you think.  No one has to find out.  Like when it goes on Facebook no one looks for like proof unless they already have some idea.  I'm your bro - no one is going to hear it from me, so...

Realist (main character, totally fucked):  When what goes on Facebook?  What the fuck are you even saying?  This is really bad.  

Optimist:  No, calm down, listen.  Not even your mom read it right so if she hasn't figured it out, how is anyone going to know?  You were going to live off campus anyway and now you know you're going to need a job.  So, just go there and find a job there and go to some of the games anyway.  Then post the pictures on Facebook and everyone from school will be like "Yo, there's Jay in State College" no one is going to be like "hmm is that the section where students sit?  is that a new Penn State sweatshirt, or the one he's always had..."

Realist:  Are you insane?  My mom is going to flip her shit when she finds out and SHE will put "Jay didn't actually get into Penn State because he fucking failed social studies and now he's at [local community college] and he needs a fucking job because I'm charging him rent!" on Facebook.

Optimist:  No that's what I'm saying, don't tell anyone.  Just go there.  Instead of putting in for that dip shit bagel shop job just put in for one in State College and...

Realist:  I can't afford an apartment on bagel shop money, moron.  I can't believe you got in and my acceptance was rescinded.  And what exactly will happen when my parents keep writing tuition checks and Penn keeps not cashing them?  

Optimist:  Maybe tell your parents the checks have to be written to you and that way you can actually take some of that money to make up the rent issue and then...

Realist:  I can't believe you got in and my acceptance was rescinded.  

students taking selfies [from Moriarty from Midland]

It is mortifying to see that it is even tinily common for students to be falling to their deaths because they are focused on using their cell phones to take selfies.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/15/fordham-university-student-dies-after-falling-clock-tower-ny/3470498002/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/04/16/college-student-falls-death-class-trip-ozarks/3490251002/

email exchange with a student [from Wombat of the Copier]

Dear Professor Wombat, 
     I won't be able to make it to class next Tuesday and I know we get 2 drops, but I just wanted to know what chapters we're going to do that day so I can make sure I study it while I'm home for Easter so I'm not behind when we get back.  
Thanks, 
Raring to Rate You Ralph



Dear Ralph,
Hi. I'm sorry, I don't know whose class you're in, but I don't teach on Tuesday. I'm just course coordinator, so sometimes people think they have me because I post the assignments on Blackboard. You should be doing chapters 31 and 32, though. Have a good break.
Wombat.

Dear Professor Wombat, 
     Crap, are you serious?  I said awful things about you on RMP because I thought I had you.  Whoever I really have, she's stupid and mean and whatever a course coordinator is, if you can fire her, you should.
RtRYR