Reply to NYU Prof fired because his class was too hard

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]His nasty tone notwithstanding, I can't say I disagree with the substance of his farewell letter to students.

"I learned last week that I have been fired from my position in the chemistry department at NYU. I was not given a reason, but I assume that it involves the “petition” of last spring (which I have never been allowed to see or comment on).
I send you this information because I will no longer be able to make any changes to the current data for chemistry 225 (2021) and 226 (2022). ALL – repeat ALL - future administrative matters including, but not limited to, grade changes, regrades, resolution of INC grades, and letters of recommendation must be dealt with by the deans and/or the departmental leadership, Professors Tuckerman and Walters.
I send congratulations to those of you who did well, and an apology to those of you who cruised through this course with a relentless stream of 100’s. The apology comes because I didn’t stretch you, and thus deprived you of the chance to improve beyond an already formidable baseline. Keep it up!
This incident is far more important than it looks. Consider the effect on an untenured or clinical professor. If his or her career is at the mercy of disgruntled students and accommodating deans, how are they to teach real material and give real grades? Much the same can be said for departmental administrators who meet with students daily. Can they afford to be tough when necessary?
The chemistry department’s ability to meet its teaching responsibilities has been diminished. Indeed, the university’s reputation has already suffered.
Now a piece of unsolicited advice: It is very difficult to be self critical. It is hard to accept personal responsibility when we meet failure, as each of us will at some point, but it is an essential life skill you would be wise to develop.
Good luck to all of you.
mj"[/quote]

Is this for real?  Where did you get this letter?[/quote]

Yes, it's real. A colleague passed it along.[/quote]

This is pretty much why my father retired 15 years earlier than I thought he would. He loved teaching and I thought he might never retire. But over the decades of his career,  students became consumers who thought they bought the right to succeed when they paid their tuition.  Respect for expertise and knowledge has diminished and now there’s a frequent “you work for me” attitude instead.[/quote]

I'm a regular person so I have to keep developing, growing, showing value to the people who pay me money to work or I will be canned.  The concept of tenure seems utterly outdated and I have yet to hear of anything persuasive in favor of it.  Sounds like a contributor to ossification.

Students today pay far more for college than you or your father did.  Therefore, the standards and expectations are going to increase.  Sounds like your father did not understand that.  [/quote]

You are part of the problem. You think your kid is a consumer. “I pay a lot.”  Yes, you do - for fancy dorms, a hundred different food options, the Starbucks food truck, enormous first class fitness centers, and sports. THAT’S why you pay more. Enjoy it. You also pay for the opportunity to learn from masters of their fields. You are not buying a promise of success.

Professors are tenured because education requires free thought and free speech. Professors have to have the freedom to choose their texts, their lessons, and prompt conversations that encourage thinking outside a student’s current perspective  - sometimes that’s a controversial subject.  Professors need to publish and do research. They need to do all of these things with intellectual pursuit free of any fear of control or punishment from their employer.

Your post is a fine example of the ignorance and entitlement that dumbs down our country.

[/quote]

Lol “masters in the field”, what a load of crap.

Professors are there for research, teaching is an annoyance. Few are there yo teach and even fewer are good at it.

Tenure is to protect research because they are deep teachers. Not just this one, they are at every university. We are not here to fund your research.

Your post shows you have no clue about the system put in place to protect average white makes.[/quote]

You’re super proud of your ignorance. [/quote]

Sorry grandma the world has passed you by. I’m sure the “masters” are teaching. [/quote]

Ah. And now I see you’re not a parent. You’re a kid. College is not for everyone and that’s ok. [/quote]

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