HadouKen24 Posted December 11, 2007 Share Posted December 11, 2007 I'm pissed at my university. So a major ice storm hit my state starting Saturday evening, and we're still experiencing some pretty bad weather. Freezing rain coated everything with ice. Trees have been devastated. Walking around my college campus yesterday, I was only outside for a total of an hour, but I saw no fewer than eight major tree limbs break off and tumble to the ground. Fortunately, no students were hit by them, but it was a close thing for some people. (And some idiots who continued to walk underneath ice-laden trees.) The problem is that the ice is coating the power lines as well. And tree limbs hit them. And now the power is out everywhere in this city. Driving around yesterday, three out of four stoplights were out, along with all the lights and power in the surrounding areas. While the campus itself still has power thanks to the fact that we have our own generator, all the campus apartments are out except for one complex. A third of the student population, including myself, either lives in the apartments with power outages, or commutes. And at least half the city is without power. And we still have finals as scheduled. Power is out. Oklahoma is in a state of emergency. Students have important files on our computers, and we can't get to them. (I'm posting from the university library.) Students are sleeping in administration buildings because their apartments aren't warm enough, and we're expected to do our finals? Hell, grades actually matter to some of us. Lots of students need to keep their GPA's above a certain level in order to keep their scholarships. A full tenth are on the Presidential scholarship, which requires a 3.25. And some of us (including myself) intend to go on to a post-grad education. A high GPA is a requirement if you want to get into a good law school. I dunno how my friends on scholarship probation are going to pull through. I wasn't able to start studying until 10 last night just because I had to make sure I had everything I need to go without electricity for a while. I wasn't able to find all of the books I needed to study because my apartment was too dark. I am unable to properly prepare. And yet our dumbass president has decided that it's perfectly okay. So what if students have to sleep on couches in the activities center? So what if students can't get to the 20 page papers on their computers? They'll be fine, right? Bastard. I'm gonna go kick something now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R. S. Martin Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Best suggestion I have is for each one of you go to him individually with a written list of the things you cannot access that will affect your grade if the finals and other academic deadlines continue are scheduled. Ask his advice on how to meet the challenge under the circumstances. Ask advice only for your own situation. Let your friends, classmates, and fellow students speak for themselves. I think this will be more effective because he will be better able to see the exact situation for what it really is. He will also be able to see how serious people are about their grades. It will reflect badly on him as principal if his students fail. He needs to keep his classrooms filled in order to retain a job for himself. If word gets out that he was unreasonable in time of emergency, there will be consequences for him personally. That is, unless he is so superior/senior and also wealthy that nothing and no one can touch him. In that case, it will be much more difficult getting decent treatment. I do not suggest that you tell him these things. I am telling you about them so that possibly you can see the reason why I am suggesting this approach. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unknowing1 Posted December 12, 2007 Share Posted December 12, 2007 Hopefully the professors will be bit more rational than the president and will be more lenient when grading as well as allowing make ups. I'm thinking that your professors are having much the same issues that the students are and that for them it will be just as difficult. Hopefully by now the president of your university has rethought his position. Good luck in getting your power restored and getting life back to normal. Try to stay warm and safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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