Laptop Politics
One of the classes I’m taking this semester is a class on Modern/Postmodern theory and origin. The class consists of 9 or 10 highly intelligent students and a professor that makes me feel like Neanderthal man. The topics are extremely dense and difficult and it’s a challenge and a chore just to keep up. Still, that’s all merely background.
One of the other students is a mother who’s in her late twenties to mid-thirties. She’s attentive, intelligent and takes vigorous notes on her laptop. From what I’ve heard (purely hearsay), she may also have a learning disability that makes the computer a requirement.
Today, our professor requested that she not use the computer and instead take notes by hand because he found it distracting. Her response was something like, “you can ask that, but I may have to drop the class.” Not half a minute later, she collected her things and walked out of class.
The class briefly discussed the occurrence, mostly which were awkward uncomfortable jabs on her sudden leave of absence. The professor also remarked about her work in the class, including mentioning that her first paper was late and she was having difficulty with it. This, to me, is a clear breach of protocol. A teacher should not discuss one’s performance with someone who shouldn’t be privy to that information, including the class. He basically provided fodder for the class to badmouth her, and, perhaps worse, he did it behind her back.
Still, this is secondary to what I actually want to discuss. Despite his actions, our professor is still extremely intelligent, if tactless, and someone whom I can learn from. It did, however, go through my mind that this is my education we’re talking about. I pay tuition to the school in order to learn from these professors. If I required a computer to take notes, even in a small symposium, it’s my tuition which is paying for my right to be there.
This student takes time off from her work, from her kids, and from her social life in order to attend these classes and learn. It’s not about grades to me, and I’m relatively sure it’s not to her either. This is about learning. In order for her to learn, she sacrifices and works hard trying to keep up. If the professor can’t deal with that, he shouldn’t be teaching. In five to ten years, the majority of students will be taking notes electronically at a collegiate level. At that point, I doubt he’ll have a choice.
Our professor interjected a question at one point. “Was I wrong to ask her that?”
Sometimes, having a computer in class can be distracting. If I had one, I doubt anyone would ever talk to me, in part because I would be logged into the internet 24/7 and in part because I type loudly and bang on the keys. Each student there has the same right to an education as our laptop wielding classmate. If her use of a laptop is impeding our quest for knowledge, then something has to be done. Of course, I think the majority of us make do or don’t really care since we’re so vigorously scribbling that the computer becomes background noise.
At the same time, every student is reliant on the professor. If he can’t teach in a specific environment, then it presents a problem for everyone. Still, is it our duty as students to accommodate the professor if it costs us our education? Doing so would certainly limit the classes certain students could take. Going to an extreme, take for instance a white supremacist teacher. If a minority student is present in his class, he gets nervous, loses his train of thought and can’t teach. This professor, therefore, would require an all white class in order to teach to the best of his abilities, but this denies minorities the right to take that class. Of course, using a laptop and being a minority are inherently different, as you can stop using a laptop. Still, it presents an interesting argument.
Where do student rights lie? Do students have a right to take all classes or does the professor, whom the students ultimately are paying for, have the right to deny entry and education?
One of my other classes is taught by a former writer for Sports Illustrated. He’s wealthy enough on his own that he doesn’t get paid for teaching. On the first day of class, he prefaced our enrollment with a speech that explained that he wasn’t paid and therefore we didn’t have a right to be there.
“Every year, I have a student who I know won’t fit into my classroom. They kick and scream and complain that they have right to be here. But what I’m doing here is not teaching a class just for you guys. This is a class I enjoy and this is my time as well. If I know they won’t be a good student or that we don’t get along, then it’s in my best interest and their best interest for them to be elsewhere during this time.”
If a professor isn’t paid, then students have no right to demand anything of him. At least, that’s the logic he passes. Of course, we’re still paying the school, which chose him as a professor, and in accepting that position, he accepts responsibility within that classroom for the students the school sends him. That, once again, begs the question of student rights.
There seems to be a law of equivalent exchange in a capitalist society that is lost in the greed and power created. The people who pay government officials rarely have individual recourse when an official abuses that power or does something they disagree with. If we pay our officials, shouldn’t we be able to fine them, fire them, change their job description, etc? If we could do any of those things, it would be a breakdown of government. Anyone disillusioned with the way the system is working could attempt to change it on their own.
In a closed system, such as a university, a similar thing happens. We pay the professor, the professor is expected to teach us. Still, the professor is also given the ability to tell us to fuck off. We assume, as the financiers of the university, we have some say in the way it’s run. When you get down to it, the board doesn’t answer to the students and, instead, the students answer to the bureaucracy they pay. It’s an exact reflection of the governmental system we live in.
Looking at a standard business, the customer pays the company and if the company does not do a job properly, the customer can fire the company. Within the company the boss can then fire the offending worker or workers and attempt to solve the problem. Still, the customer is ultimately in charge of the product they receive.
Why then, if, as students, we are customers of the university, do we not have the ability to illicit change. Certainly, one can argue we can transfer to another class, another department or another university, but the system isn’t changing because universities feel no need for the students they rely on as individuals. We are extras in a film rather than the star power.
This brings me back to the beginning. My classmate wants to learn using her laptop. Our professor may not like it, and may find it distracting, but I believe she has every right to do so. We’re already midway through the semester and he’s only just complained now.
To me, there were several scenarios which would’ve been acceptable.
- Mandate no laptop at the start of class, somewhere in the first 3 classes. That allows the student to find another class if necessary or adjust if she wants to remain.
- Live with it. Our professor seemed to do this up until today. I heard no complaints on anyone’s part, so I don’t think it was as big a deal as it seems now.
- Find a way to accommodate her. If the visual is what bothers him, have her sit where the laptop is out of sight. If the sound bothers him, perhaps recording the lectures would be a better idea. If the mere presence of the laptop bothers him, go back to option 1.
Regardless of what could have been chosen, there were options that would’ve remedied the situation long ago. As for what to do now, I’m still unclear what my rights as a student are, but I’m certain the my laptop wielding classmate deserves to be in the class, computer or no.
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Comments
Comment from mariaem222
Time: October 18, 2005, 2:28 pm
That’s so disheartening, not to mention completely unprofessional. Hopefully the woman finds out what was said about her and goes over his head with it, or one of the students is brave enough to stick up for her and file a grievance. Professorial positions are in huge demand, and if he can’t be bothered to have even a slight bit of compassion for students, he can easily be replaced.
Comment from vixen_shtorat
Time: October 18, 2005, 3:56 pm
I agree with your final assessment. That’s a really tough situation, but if he had a problem with her laptop, he should have addressed it LONG before mid-semester. At the very least, he could have waited until after class and spoken to her privately.
It sounds like he was having a bad day and snapped at the first thing he could tangibly complain about.
Comment from thatgirlmaria
Time: October 18, 2005, 4:03 pm
this comment only applies to the first 1/3 of your post… because i just can’t read things of substance lately…
anyway. my point is that the older i get, and the more i am surrounded by people older than i am, people i consider to be “adults” (even though technically, i am also an adult. a married woman!)… i realize that no, people really do not grow up.
they are still quite juvenile, or sophomoric for you modern/postmodern theorists with your big ideas, and your even bigger words… no matter how intelligent or distinguished one is, it has absolutely no impact on the quality of personality.
sounds like your professor is an ass.
Comment from nymphydia
Time: October 18, 2005, 4:08 pm
Since the experience of learning is what drives you, not grades, I think you should submit this post to your professor. He might even appreciate it.
Comment from altamira16
Time: October 18, 2005, 4:35 pm
Actually, I noticed MORE accountability to students at a private university than at CU. Those student surveys at the end of the year were taken VERY seriously when I went to a private university; whereas at CU, I have had crappy professors who are tenured.
It is interesting that a professor who is not getting paid can teach because you have no way of holding him accountable for what he teaches if you are not paying him.
At a public university, you are a consumer, but your education is also subsidized by the taxpayers of the state of Colorado. That means if it is in the interest of the Colorado taxpayer that you all take a class on how to not catch venereal disease, then you all take that class.
Comment from wholesomedick
Time: October 18, 2005, 4:55 pm
The last I heard only 7% of our education is subsidized by the taxpayers of the state of Colorado. Which means 93% isn’t.
I used to be an engineer, see, so I can add. 
Either way, I don’t think this gives the state much of a mandate.
Comment from wholesomedick
Time: October 18, 2005, 5:06 pm
Back in the good old days — when the University system started, professors used to apply to teach a particular class and students planning on taking the class would decide which one they wanted and how much to pay him.
Books also used to be so expensive that usually only the professor would have them or could afford them. Classrooms were built to make it efficent for the professor to read out of the book and and for students to essientally write down what he was reading.
Unfortunately, most classes have kept old traditional style classrooms and teaching style — one professor talking to a group of students who mindlessly sit back and take notes. Even more unfortunately, students don’t get to hire their professors, and professors don’t have to think of their students as customers — like they should.
… Anyway…
I think that whole situation could have been resolved more amicably. It sounds like there may have already been some tension between the professor and the student, and that one or both of them may of been having a pretty bad day all ready.
Maybe invite both of them out for dinner and drinks with you one night and see if you just can’t work things out.
Comment from wholesomedick
Time: October 18, 2005, 5:06 pm
With the comments!
Comment from wholesomedick
Time: October 18, 2005, 5:07 pm
You’re stealing all of my friends.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 5:46 pm
Actually, he was very cordial about the request. If anything, it was the student who was having the bad day. It was something like:
“Excuse me, but last class I found your laptop a distracting. Do you think you might be able to take notes without it?”
I’m even wondering what he might have said had she refused.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 5:53 pm
I tend to agree. Private Universities care because most private universities are not glorified day care centers. CU, on the other hand, is merely a place for ‘fundies and rich boys to drink and get connected. I think you might enjoy a book called Beer and Circus which studies the way in which football culture and college have changed and interact creating a party school environment while degrading education.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 5:55 pm
I was very tempted to speak up in class, but when I did, rather than criticize the professor, I merely attempted to turn the subject back to the class material.
Personally, I think he was offended by her sudden departure. I consider it very rude to walk out of a class, especially one as small and personal as this one. Regardless, I think it would’ve been better if he had waited until after clas to discuss this with her rather than doing it during the opening moments.
As for being easily replaced, there are many professors that can be easily replaced, but this is definitely not one of them.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 5:57 pm
It’s a thought, but this post is far too disjunct and unpolished. It was more of me thinking through things and trying to find my own footing and even, perhaps, trying to begin a discussion on student rights (which I’ve now discovered is relatively lacking). It is not, however, a petition or a grievance.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 5:59 pm
I don’t like the idea of students being allowed to choose their professor. Eventually, all professors of large classes would be drunkards who gives A’s freely so the rich kids can party. There has to be some accountability, but giving students raw power is not right means to do so.
Comment from danizepp
Time: October 18, 2005, 6:03 pm
I can’t believe that the professor waited until the fifth or sixth week of school to change his policy. What does the syllabus say? As far as I understand the syllabus is a contract between the professor and the student–if its broken or if professor changes classroom policy halfway into the semester, I agree, that its not right. By not saying anything until now, however, professor, for
half of the semester, has nonverbally and illicitly agreed to such “classroom conduct” setting the standard for students in the way he allows students to conduct themselves. I think the professor is also wrong for breaking a fidiciary (spelling?) relationship between the student, and professor, breaching form of confidentiality/privacy and fostering a possible hostile learning
environment by discussing ‘the student and her need for a labtop’ in a public forum. I don;t know what do you think?
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 6:05 pm
I’m in complete agreement. No matter how much I want to be an adult, to take on this responsability and life that seemed inevitable, I’m still a kid at heart. It’s a good thing and a bad thing.
Of course, that, to me, is a separate discussion than the one I began.
It’s human nature to get defensive, and when you’re talking to a classroom captive to your whims, I think it’s easy to believe they’re all on your side. Therefore, when one student made a joke, it was with a sense of relief that he began sharing information (albeit in passing) that I don’t think he should’ve been. There’s no rule saying he can’t share grades with students who didn’t recieve them. There’s no privacy law applicable here.
At the same time, while I disagree with those actions, I’m not sure I’d go as far as to call him an ass. Tactless, perhaps, but he’s an extremely nice guy in person and I think this was more about the situation and the way they reacted rather than the way either acted in the first place.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 6:10 pm
I agree about classroom conduct. Of course, his request was cordial and it was a request, not an order.
On the other side, there’s no rule or law in place saying he can’t publically reveal grades. There was a court case a number of years ago about posting grades to a public area in a manner that was recognizable because of possible slander and/or libel charges, but it’s never been introduced into law as a preventative maneuver. Was he out of line? I think so. Did he do something wrong? It doesn’t seem that way.
As for discussing this in a public forum, he mentioned it briefly and quietly at the beginning of class. It was the other students who actually began the discussion.
As I said in my post, his actions are something I wanted to note, but not what I really wanted to discuss.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 6:11 pm
Naw. Only the good ones.
Comment from nymphydia
Time: October 18, 2005, 6:15 pm
I don’t mean as a petition or a grievance, per se. Just a memo. Haha, apply it to the course material and turn it in as a paper.
Learning experience for him too, eh?
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 6:25 pm
I learned long ago that people only learn what they want to. I’m not sure he’d agree with me, and while I may make a point, whether or not he learned from it is up to him.
Comment from bike4fish
Time: October 18, 2005, 9:06 pm
He was offended because he effectively told a student to fuck off and she reacted to it? Sounds like he has a problem. More comments below.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 18, 2005, 10:16 pm
I’m not sure he was aware of her alleged disability. In addition, it’s not as if he told her to leave. Her walking out was a surprise to us all. She has, in one previous class, taken notes by hand (due to the battery in her comp being dead), so we all assumed she’d stay and work by hand.
I’d also like to reiterate that he asked her rather than told her not to use the computer. It’s a moot point now, but I would’ve liked to have seen his reaction had she refused rather than accepted and then left.
Comment from bike4fish
Time: October 18, 2005, 10:23 pm
1.
If the student has a learning disability, the professor is obligated to make reasonable accomodation to let her overcome her disability. I can’t see that typing notes on a computer is unreasonable - in any case, the professor was out of line to tell her not to use her computer while in the class - he should have spoken to her elsewhere.
Discussing her performance is at least unethical and possibly illegal. Posting grades with identifying information is specifically illegal under the Family Educational Rights And Privacy Act of 1974, and CU policy states The Boulder campus will no longer allow any public posting of grades for students with any part of the student identification number. Students’ grades may be posted without written permission, if they are not posted in a personally identifiable manner.
I think the professor owes the student a sincere apology.
Aside from issues of repect for others in the institution, behavior like this is just asking for a lawsuit.
——————————————————–
2.
The guy is an ass.
…This is a class I enjoy and this is my time as well. If I know they won’t be a good student or that we don’t get along, then it’s in my best interest and their best interest for them to be elsewhere during this time.
So students are paying tuition to feed this jerk’s ego? If someone isn’t a good student, perhaps they would be better off elsewhere, but this reads like “if you don’t kiss my ass properly, I’m going to make you hurt”.
—————————————————————-
I am not particularly one who believes in what most people think of when they try to impose a “consumer” model on education. In a typical consumer transaction, you want X, you pay for X, and if X isn’t really what you need, you made the decision, and unless X is restockable, you are probably stuck with it.
Education is not like buying an item to use - it’s more like hiring a consultant. Now, if you already know everything you need to know to get to your goals, there is no reason to hire a consultant. You hire a consultant to help you get to your goals (lousy, amorphous things, those goals). Now, a good consultant isn’t going to tell you what you would like you to hear - a good consultant is going to tell you which of those hard things you don’t want to do that you have to do to get to your eventual objective. If the consultant comes up with things you really don’t want to do, you can pay more to have the consultant explore alternate routes, but a good consultant is going to make you do things that are painful. On the other side, there are a lot of obligations required to be a good consultant. A consultant must really have expertise in the area in which advice is given. A consultant must deal honestly with clients, giving them the straight scoop, regardless of how painful it might be, but at the same time, honestly looking at alternatives - such as amending goals or spending more money.
I won’t go into the details, but both students and educators have similar roles and responsibilities. In the case of both these professors, it sounds like they have fallen down on their part.
Comment from aquajubbly
Time: October 19, 2005, 12:03 am
So weird that you posted this… I have been thinking about this exact issue for the past two weeks… Private education is a commodity, and it’s elective. You pay for it, you get something in return. I believe it comes with all the rights any other purchase might have. Your professors work for you, you pay their salaries either via tuition or taxes. Being the consumer gives you a certain amount of power in my opinion, although universities seem to thwart that concept at every turn. One of my classes has an instructor-mandated “you’re dropped from the class after you miss two classes” policy, however, I have chosen not to attend for the past two weeks because the last time I attended, the instructors were unprepared, and we wasted the entire 4-hour class period waiting for them to prepare their materials, and I have no reason to believe future class periods won’t consist of the same thing. The previous class, neither of the two instructors bothered to check if the equipment they needed was even available, and of course, it wasn’t, and there went another 3-hour class… If I’m dropped from the class, I’ll contest on that basis, but this idea that professors hold all the power in a classroom setting really irritates me. Unfortunately, it’s really up to students to challenge that, and it just doesn’t happen all that often… Your class being a good example. I wish the student using the laptop had stayed in the class and simply refused to stop using it. Your professor did ask, and not command her, after all. It was at least worth discussing…. Though talking about her behind her back was pretty childish and unprofessional. I don’t know how responsive he would have been to her.
Comment from wholesomedick
Time: October 19, 2005, 1:48 am
That’s probably what would happen in a lot of cases at CU. A lot of how well it would work would depend on “student culture.”
At some other universities the percentage of students who take their education seriously and would hire someone with that foremost in mind would be hire. Though, there’s also plenty of universities I can think of where that percentage would probably be much lower than CU.
But, I’m not advocating the policy so much as I’m advocating the sentiment of it. Professors would do well to look at the situation like they’re working for the students. It’s their job (theoretically) to teach the students in their classes the best they can — all of them.
Though, anyone who’s been in school long enough knows that’s bullshit. The name of the game is “selection” not “education.”
Comment from lightinjuly
Time: October 19, 2005, 2:45 am
That was a terrible unprofessional thing for a teacher to do, by that I mean to bad mouth a student, and I personally have never really found a laptop all that distracting unless I see someone surfing the internet.
Comment from anonymous
Time: October 19, 2005, 10:52 am
Didn’t read part about not wanting to discuss actions my apologies—didn;t have time to read ENTIRE MASSIVE LONG post.
Comment from danizepp
Time: October 19, 2005, 10:57 am
sorry, my bad, anonymous post was me. I wanted to edit my comment…but realized I couldn;t after the fact (massive large sounds kind of condescending)!
Comment from fundipcrusader
Time: October 19, 2005, 9:32 pm
I don’t really have much to add to this long sting of comments, but I do want to say that I enjoyed reading your entry today.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 19, 2005, 11:02 pm
I agree that both professors have a slightly askew view, but I’m not willing to crucify either quite yet.
Honestly, my dilema now is whether or not I make myself actively involved. Ironman (my graduate student roommate) recommended that I at least tell my classmate how I felt and what the prof did after she left. I agree on the first part, but my instinct to not make trouble is preventing me from doing the second.
BTW, it was nice running into you today. Sorry it was kind of abrupt. We should do coffee/hot drink of choice at some point.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 19, 2005, 11:02 pm
I agree. It won’t be long before laptops, palms, and other digital devices become the means for all academic work. I figure he should begin adjusting now.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 19, 2005, 11:03 pm
Glad I could provide you with some entertainment.
Speaking of entertainment, you should let me drag you out of your house for some socialization at some point. Bowling or pool perhaps?
Comment from bassist
Time: October 19, 2005, 11:06 pm
I’m not sure. It’s a really depressing state of affairs to me.
At the same time, I do attend a public university, which might change the rules a little (though I doubt it).
Comment from fundipcrusader
Time: October 19, 2005, 11:52 pm
Perhaps. I take bowling over pool, though.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 19, 2005, 11:58 pm
You wish is my command. Just tell me when and where.
Comment from lightinjuly
Time: October 20, 2005, 1:10 am
I just can’t believe he badmouthed another student above all else- I mean teachers can get touchy when they are distracted- but talking about another student’s performance is downright unethical. I would have told him “I really don’t think her performance is any of our bussiness” in front of the class but then I’m a bitch like that.
Comment from bassist
Time: October 20, 2005, 1:41 am
I’d like to say I’d do the same, but I felt awkward enough just trying to get the class back on the subject. Calling out the prof in front of the class is no better than him remarking about her in front of the class. I may have a word with him tomorrow after class, though.
Comment from mariaem222
Time: October 24, 2005, 9:35 pm
I am not! Whatever. You stole Pinkgoose! 
Comment from tresofbass
Time: October 18, 2005, 2:19 pm
Way too much here to respond to concisely, but a couple things I’ll address. As for students having the right to take any class they want, I think the university system reflects the government/private economy system.
I think a private university has every right to mandate what students can or cannot do. If it’s a private university’s policy that no minorities be accepted, so be it; if it’s their policy that only people whose names start with F be accepted, so be it; if they say students can’t use laptops or that their professors are allowed to suddenly change their minds in the middle of the semester, so be it. Students can choose not to financially support that university, and if their policies are bad enough, they will go out of business.
As for public universities, yes, I think students have the right to take whatever classes they want. I think the state has an obligation to treat everyone fairly, provide policies beforehand, and generally do everything in its power to prevent discrimination of one form or another.
That professor who was volunteering his time is dead wrong. He does not get the right to bend the policies of the university to his whims just because he works for free. Likewise, as a volunteer at an elementary school, I’m not allowed to advocate drug use in front of a class.
As for this postmodernism class, I agree with your assessment, and I think in one way or another this should be brought up to his superiors so they can decide who was in the right.