Dear professor, please don’t give me attitude
In an academic institution of higher learning, one comes to have a close relationship with one’s professors that is built on mutual respect and a desire to engage in sound dialogue that is both productive and inspiring. Who better to take as role models than our highly esteemed professors?
But it is sad to note that not all our professors choose to have such dialogue or to respect their students.
As a member of the organizing committee of the most significant student activity on campus, I went to this activity’s faculty adviser, who is also a tenured professor in the political science department, seeking her signature of approval for participation certificates I designed for our current project. I had mistakenly overstated her title as Department Head instead of Faculty Adviser and so upon seeking her required signature, I was repeatedly told both by her and her secretary assistant in a condescending tone that if I didn’t throw the certificates in the garbage, they would. Mustering what little I had left of my dignity, I reminded her that I was willing to make any amendments she deemed necessary to create a new certificate, but would appreciate some respect for my hard work, even if it had a mistake.
To my utter surprise and shock, she told me that it had been a long day and it was past her office hours. Consequently, she deemed my request inappropriate and abruptly dismissed me from her office.
Now, let us suppose that she was busy and it had been a long day, yet it still fell under her umbrella of responsibilities as faculty adviser to assist me in such a task. To add to my exasperation, I had previously attempted to approach her during her office hours to approve the certificate when it was still in its creation stage, but she was not available to proofread it. In addition, the deadline for this task was looming ever closer.
It is evident hat this professor sees herself as being above her students, who are never worthy of a polite dismissal or professor-student respect. I have spoken with several other students who have reportedly told me that she is in the habit of speaking rudely to students, all of whom seek guidance and assistance. So I ask: how is a professor’s tenure solely based on research if students cannot engage in fruitful dialogue with them?
Yosra Koura
Mass Communication Junior
Comment on this article