Pissed at my university...Am I being unreasonable?

[Skinz4Life12]

^^^I like option number 3 but I'm not sure how I would even go about doing this. I would definitely do it if it were an option.

 

I just wrote the associate dean and told them the situation and what I was proposing in the event the class is cancelled. This whole thing could work itself out but deep down I know it probably won't. We'll see what happens

[Elessar78]

This reminds me to insist on seeing a full transcript for every graduate we hire.

 

A 2-credit rock climbing class? For ****'s sake.

 

They did you a favor by canceling it. 

C'mon. I've gone to leadership training programs paid for by my company where we basically do the equivalent of rock climbing. If that counts for work-related training. Rock climbing surely does. Business is metaphorical climbing, rock climbing is literal.... I'm sure some valid lessons can be cross-applied

[mjah]

Sorry if this option was already posted, but are there two 1-credit goofball courses/seminars you could take to satisfy the general education credit?

 

No idea whether or not GMU has 1-credit offerings, or whether they would satisfy your gen ed needs.  But arithmetically 2 of them would get you there.  And they'd be guaranteed to be slam-dunk easy, even if you jump in a few weeks late.

[Skinz4Life12]

Sorry if this option was already posted, but are there two 1-credit goofball courses/seminars you could take to satisfy the general education credit?

 

No idea whether or not GMU has 1-credit offerings, or whether they would satisfy your gen ed needs.  But arithmetically 2 of them would get you there.  And they'd be guaranteed to be slam-dunk easy, even if you jump in a few weeks late.

 

No worries, it hasn't been posted yet.

 

Yes, this is an option - in the fall.

 

Right now I can't even register for the fall since I'm supposed to be done this summer. There are not two 1 credit classes available in summer unfortunately

[RansomthePasserby]

This reminds me to insist on seeing a full transcript for every graduate we hire.

 

A 2-credit rock climbing class? For ****'s sake.

 

They did you a favor by canceling it. 

So you're saying you'll throw out an entire degree because someone took a 2 credit rock climbing class? Sorry, but this is ridiculous. At least he's showing he's willing to work with other people and build trust and teamwork while his life is on the line. C'mon, dude. It's not like it's basket weaving or charcoal art or something. 

[Popeman38]

 

This reminds me to insist on seeing a full transcript for every graduate we hire.

 

A 2-credit rock climbing class? For ****'s sake.

 

They did you a favor by canceling it. 

 

All things being equal, I might hire the guy who, in addition to fulfulling all his requirements for an accounting degree, also took a rock climbing course. It shows evidence of an adventurous, well-rounded person who might make an interesting co-worker instead of some automatron number cruncher.

 

I like hiring well-rounded people. But taking a two-week class to fulfill an idiotic Gen Ed requirement is not the same as having actual hobbies and interests.

 

Let's be fair here ... the school would be just as happy and he would get as much benefit if he was able to pay someone to falsify his transcript. :-)

So again, be pissed that the university is requiring him to take a 2 credit class to qualify for a degree. As someone attending college while working, it pisses me off to no end that I can't test to start at the junior level. Why do I have to take mind-numbing courses with snot-nosed 18 year olds at night? There should be a way for me to apply "life" toward a degree that makes it both easier and cheaper to attain a piece of paper. I have been told repeatedly that part of the lessons learned in college is the art of prioritization and time management. I did 8 years in the Army, work a full time job, have a mortgage, a wife, and a kid. I think I know more about prioritization and time management than almost any young adult attending college.

 

Also, can anyone explain to me why a DD214 only transfers 4 credit hours towards a degree? 4

[DCSaints_fan]

What percentage of a degree being bovine excrement should be ignored by an employer?

Well if somebody went to a liberal arts college, I'd say at least 25% at minimum. I mean, if you're looking for engineers out of MIT, that's one thing, but if you're not requiring somebody to have majored/specialized in what you're hiring them for, then wouldn't most of their transcript be BS? If you're looking to hire somebody to manage a store, and they're pre-med, wouldn't most of their degree be BS for what you need them for?

 

MIT encouraged/required students to take a "goofball" course or two, precisely because their students were overloading themselves with science/tech courses.  At least when my brother went 20 years ago.

[Darth Tater]

 

This reminds me to insist on seeing a full transcript for every graduate we hire.

 

A 2-credit rock climbing class? For ****'s sake.

 

They did you a favor by canceling it. 

 

I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean. I just took 27 credits worth of accounting classes. Its not like my whole degree was bull**** like this.

 

Besides, this class looks like legit fun. I saw some of the stuff we would be climbing in Great Falls and its no joke. Looks like a rush

 

What percentage of a degree being bovine excrement should be ignored by an employer?

Somewhere between 1/3 to 1/2 of an undergraduate is definitely bovine excrement and upwards of 100% of it depending on the degree.  In most fields, a graduate degree is pretty much BE.  Pretty much the only reason to go to college is to get a job where you can learn how to do the job.

[Darth Tater]

 

 

 

 

This reminds me to insist on seeing a full transcript for every graduate we hire.

 

A 2-credit rock climbing class? For ****'s sake.

 

They did you a favor by canceling it. 

 

I'm not sure what that is supposed to mean. I just took 27 credits worth of accounting classes. Its not like my whole degree was bull**** like this.

 

Besides, this class looks like legit fun. I saw some of the stuff we would be climbing in Great Falls and its no joke. Looks like a rush

 

What percentage of a degree being bovine excrement should be ignored by an employer?

As someone working towards my degree while working full time, your beef is with the wrong person. The universities require you to take bovine excrement to qualify towards graduation. If the education system was more interested in advancing continuing education instead of raking in cash by making working professionals take Student Development, Introduction to Public Speaking, Art Appreciation and other BS classes to qualify towards a Business Administration degree, we could have a fruitful conversation.

 

In my experience, there are Gen Ed options which cover the spectrum from "arguably beneficial" to "are you ****ing kidding me"? Rock climbing falls in the latter category.

Can you, in any sensical manner, clue me in on why taking a snooze inducing intro to art appreciation is required for any degree outside of an art major?

Because the primary reason an employer wants a degree is to make sure that the person they hire is a follower.

[elkabong82]

I'd be pissed too. The permit was necessary for the class to be held, so it should have been attained before even allowing students to sign up OR students should have been made aware, before signing up, that the permit was not yet attained and there was the possibility of the class being canceled.

 

They put you in a bad situation due to errors on their own part with class scheduling, so it should be on them to work out a solution with you where you still graduate at the planned time, whether that be charging only 2 credits of a 3 credit class (which they can do, but would require paperwork and since they are busy they don't want to do it and also it would require full admission and correction of a mistake which they'll avoid like the plague b/c they don't want to see the repercussions for it) or placing you in an already on-going 2 credit course that satisfies the credit requirement.

 

So what to do? Complain, a lot, and upwards. Lower down they made a mistake, and if they have to fix it it means they have to deal with higher ups and admit a mistake, which like most employees they won't want to do. So start with your academic adviser. Associate dean was good, also go to the head of whichever academic department rock climbing falls under. If all else fails, and none will do anything, then you go to the head academic dean. Stay professional of course, but be assertive of it being them that made the mistake and the situation they are putting you in. They owe you because of their mess up, so you have to go up the chain of command and hold it over their heads.

 

One more option: If there is a gen. ed. class you are really smart in and know you can test out of, you may be able to request to take the test for the class and that be your final grade for it. 

 

But do not settle for any solution that won't let you graduate on time with the 2nd degree. It is their fault due to irresponsibility and poor communication that your degree is now in jeopardy, so any solution that doesn't fix it on time is unacceptable. Just keep complaining upward and don't settle for anything outside of your original deadline.

[balki1867]

^^^I like option number 3 but I'm not sure how I would even go about doing this. I would definitely do it if it were an option.

 

I just wrote the associate dean and told them the situation and what I was proposing in the event the class is cancelled. This whole thing could work itself out but deep down I know it probably won't. We'll see what happens

 

I think the way you do this is invent option 3 for them.  While  you're pushing up to the dean, go out and find a professor who needs some work done (are there any professors you have a good relationship with?  you could explain what you're looking for to them).  Then go back to the dean and propose the option- it's a little bold, but frame it up by saying that you're doing very real and relevant work for the school and your degree, and they can solve your immediate problem too.

 

This is a pretty common arrangement in engineering fields, I'm just not sure how/if it works in other majors.

[skinsmarydu]

I did 8 years in the Army, work a full time job, have a mortgage, a wife, and a kid. I think I know more about prioritization and time management than almost any young adult attending college.

 

Also, can anyone explain to me why a DD214 only transfers 4 credit hours towards a degree? 4

 

I can't explain it any more than I can explain why it says "not for identification purposes". How did we get our DD214s if our identity was in question? (And where's my "thud" smiley?)

To the OP...pissed doesn't even cover it. You've planned the next year or so of your life around this graduation/degree, and the timing is crucial. I would be ****ing from the mountaintops.

edit...tried to edit a very long quote, got close...

[Burgold]

When I was an undergrad I took two semesters of "independent" study.  How this worked was I found a professor who agreed to work with me on a special project of study.  In my case, it was painting.  I'd meet with him once a week, he'd critique the canvas I was working on, and I'd work on it again or start a new one.  At the end of the semester, I got credit and a grade.

Do you have a professor in your field that might be willing to arrange something like that for you?

[renaissance]

So again, be pissed that the university is requiring him to take a 2 credit class to qualify for a degree. As someone attending college while working, it pisses me off to no end that I can't test to start at the junior level. Why do I have to take mind-numbing courses with snot-nosed 18 year olds at night? There should be a way for me to apply "life" toward a degree that makes it both easier and cheaper to attain a piece of paper. I have been told repeatedly that part of the lessons learned in college is the art of prioritization and time management. I did 8 years in the Army, work a full time job, have a mortgage, a wife, and a kid. I think I know more about prioritization and time management than almost any young adult attending college.

 

Also, can anyone explain to me why a DD214 only transfers 4 credit hours towards a degree? 4

 

You sound like a UMUC commercial...

[Skinz4Life12]

I'd be pissed too. The permit was necessary for the class to be held, so it should have been attained before even allowing students to sign up OR students should have been made aware, before signing up, that the permit was not yet attained and there was the possibility of the class being canceled.

 

They put you in a bad situation due to errors on their own part with class scheduling, so it should be on them to work out a solution with you where you still graduate at the planned time, whether that be charging only 2 credits of a 3 credit class (which they can do, but would require paperwork and since they are busy they don't want to do it and also it would require full admission and correction of a mistake which they'll avoid like the plague b/c they don't want to see the repercussions for it) or placing you in an already on-going 2 credit course that satisfies the credit requirement.

 

So what to do? Complain, a lot, and upwards. Lower down they made a mistake, and if they have to fix it it means they have to deal with higher ups and admit a mistake, which like most employees they won't want to do. So start with your academic adviser. Associate dean was good, also go to the head of whichever academic department rock climbing falls under. If all else fails, and none will do anything, then you go to the head academic dean. Stay professional of course, but be assertive of it being them that made the mistake and the situation they are putting you in. They owe you because of their mess up, so you have to go up the chain of command and hold it over their heads.

 

One more option: If there is a gen. ed. class you are really smart in and know you can test out of, you may be able to request to take the test for the class and that be your final grade for it. 

 

But do not settle for any solution that won't let you graduate on time with the 2nd degree. It is their fault due to irresponsibility and poor communication that your degree is now in jeopardy, so any solution that doesn't fix it on time is unacceptable. Just keep complaining upward and don't settle for anything outside of your original deadline.

 

Thanks this is exactly how I feel.

 

Anyways, shortly after I contacted the associate dean who is in charge of all these Parks and Recreation classes she emailed me back and appeared to be totally unaware of the situation. She thanked me for informing her and told me she was looking into the situation and would get back to me shortly.

 

I'm holding my breath that they get the class back on track or just award the 2 credit hours to everyone who was registered for the class. I'll keep you guys updated. I might try and contact a few of my professors and see if I can get 2 credits of independent study through them like many of you suggested!

[Popeman38]

So again, be pissed that the university is requiring him to take a 2 credit class to qualify for a degree. As someone attending college while working, it pisses me off to no end that I can't test to start at the junior level. Why do I have to take mind-numbing courses with snot-nosed 18 year olds at night? There should be a way for me to apply "life" toward a degree that makes it both easier and cheaper to attain a piece of paper. I have been told repeatedly that part of the lessons learned in college is the art of prioritization and time management. I did 8 years in the Army, work a full time job, have a mortgage, a wife, and a kid. I think I know more about prioritization and time management than almost any young adult attending college.

 

Also, can anyone explain to me why a DD214 only transfers 4 credit hours towards a degree? 4

 

You sound like a UMUC commercial...

Reading it again, I kinda do... But you can't tell me that the higher education in America isn't geared more to making money than helping people.

[renaissance]

I don't think that's always the case, though. If you're going just to improve your job prospects, then all you're going to get out of it is a piece of paper. And there are plenty of universities now which are geared to just that.

[Popeman38]

I don't think that's always the case, though. If you're going just to improve your job prospects, then all you're going to get out of it is a piece of paper. And there are plenty of universities now which are geared to just that.

I am going to to better my value in the job market (I have a full time job that I like and have no intentions of leaving, but you can never be too prepared), raise the level of "worth" to my company (eventually you reach a level of compensation that HR says outweighs your skills if your talent profile is missing a college degree), and for self satisfaction. CLEP is a wonderful tool available to test out of DUH classes, but each university sets how many and which ones they will accept as credit transfers. Most in VA accept only a few. Only being able to handle at most a 3/4 load while working leads to a long education process and a large outlay of money. IMO, a university should be able to evaluate a working professional student vs fresh out of HS student, and tailor a degree plan to each instead of forcing square pegs into round holes and patting themselves on their back. 

 

And in today's job market, a degree from an online only program vs a degree from a brick and mortar are viewed differently. 

[renaissance]

That's why there are a plethora of college options now. There will always be trade offs between cost, convenience, and overall value.

 

And I work in a field that requires a graduate degree, so I understand the frustration with having to follow a set path to achieve your end goal. I also know the importance of following the path with a good brand name/reputation which, unfortunately, was not the cheapest or most convenient choice. 

[Btubes18]

I think he's saying can you take the class at a CC and transfer the credit to your degree at GMU...

 

That makes sense, I might look into that the only problem is it will probably take time to enroll in another school and drag into the fall which is where I don't want to be.

 

It's just annoying that the school essentailly **** the bed with this class and instead of making it up to me by eating the cost of the extra credit I don't need they are basically telling me to go **** myself and are taking no responsibility for their **** up

 

I mean it blows...but ultimately it's your life.  Life blows sometimes, but if you want to graduate on time and as planned, you may have to pay that cost...what's a few hundred dollars in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention you get another credit hour under your belt.  Maybe you can use that credit hour down the road.

 

 

But, yes, the principle behind it all sucks.  My opinion; suck it up and take the course...

[Major Harris]

I like hiring well-rounded people. But taking a two-week class to fulfill an idiotic Gen Ed requirement is not the same as having actual hobbies and interests.

Let's be fair here ... the school would be just as happy and he would get as much benefit if he was able to pay someone to falsify his transcript. :-)

1. Do you know it isn't a hobby of his?

2. If it isn't a hobby of his, it may very well be after taking the class.

3. Your judgement of others is hard to read sometimes, you snotty bastage.

4. You are an old curmudgeon

[Skinz4Life12]

 

I think he's saying can you take the class at a CC and transfer the credit to your degree at GMU...

 

That makes sense, I might look into that the only problem is it will probably take time to enroll in another school and drag into the fall which is where I don't want to be.

 

It's just annoying that the school essentailly **** the bed with this class and instead of making it up to me by eating the cost of the extra credit I don't need they are basically telling me to go **** myself and are taking no responsibility for their **** up

 

I mean it blows...but ultimately it's your life.  Life blows sometimes, but if you want to graduate on time and as planned, you may have to pay that cost...what's a few hundred dollars in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention you get another credit hour under your belt.  Maybe you can use that credit hour down the road.

 

 

But, yes, the principle behind it all sucks.  My opinion; suck it up and take the course...

 

I'm sure that's what will probably happen but not before I give some people a piece of my mind

[Btubes18]

 

 

I think he's saying can you take the class at a CC and transfer the credit to your degree at GMU...

 

That makes sense, I might look into that the only problem is it will probably take time to enroll in another school and drag into the fall which is where I don't want to be.

 

It's just annoying that the school essentailly **** the bed with this class and instead of making it up to me by eating the cost of the extra credit I don't need they are basically telling me to go **** myself and are taking no responsibility for their **** up

 

I mean it blows...but ultimately it's your life.  Life blows sometimes, but if you want to graduate on time and as planned, you may have to pay that cost...what's a few hundred dollars in the grand scheme of things. Not to mention you get another credit hour under your belt.  Maybe you can use that credit hour down the road.

 

 

But, yes, the principle behind it all sucks.  My opinion; suck it up and take the course...

 

I'm sure that's what will probably happen but not before I give some people a piece of my mind

 

Ohh I agree! I would go full force. PS:  I just reread my post and I wasn't trying to be harsh about it...I definitely feel your pain and have been in a very similar situation. I basically had to just deal with it and pay the extra cost, because it was going to slow down my overall life and I did not want that to happen.

 

i hope it all works out for you man.

[Corcaigh]

I like hiring well-rounded people. But taking a two-week class to fulfill an idiotic Gen Ed requirement is not the same as having actual hobbies and interests.

Let's be fair here ... the school would be just as happy and he would get as much benefit if he was able to pay someone to falsify his transcript. :-)

1. Do you know it isn't a hobby of his?

2. If it isn't a hobby of his, it may very well be after taking the class.

3. Your judgement of others is hard to read sometimes, you snotty bastage.

4. You are an old curmudgeon

 

I am certainly an old curmudgeon. I'm a snotty ****. And I studied engineering in a university back in the day that wouldn't contemplate this kind of nonsense. I think it's ridiculous that US colleges both require this bull**** as part of their graduation requirements and charge for it like they are providing a useful service. By all means people should explore some extra curricular activities like basket weaving or rock climbing. But that's what college clubs are for.

[Major Harris]

I am certainly an old curmudgeon. I'm a snotty ****. And I studied engineering in a university back in the day that wouldn't contemplate this kind of nonsense. I think it's ridiculous that US colleges both require this bull**** as part of their graduation requirements and charge for it like they are providing a useful service. By all means people should explore some extra curricular activities like basket weaving or rock climbing. But that's what college clubs are for.

I agree with you....but more because I think it's nothing more than a money grab for colleges...not because it is somekind of negative reflection of a person if they take a rock climbing course.

Personally, I think the whole college thing is pushed way too much in this country.