Academic Freedom

All the shit that doesn't fit!
If it doesn't go into the other forums, stick it in here.
A general free for all
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Joe Guy
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Joined: Fri Apr 09, 2010 2:40 pm
Location: Redweird City, California

Re: Academic Freedom

Post by Joe Guy »

I have no opinion that I wish to share on this matter. My lack of expressed opinion is based on more than 20 years of experience reading the views and various expounded thoughts of many, if not all current Plan B members.

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BoSoxGal
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Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:36 pm
Location: The Heart of Red Sox Nation

Re: Academic Freedom

Post by BoSoxGal »

Burning Petard wrote:
Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:18 am
I too cannot see video here. But I did see parts of the intro speech from the Ferris professor on Yahoo online news. I was bothered by his statement that their grades were already fixed so there was no point in the students doing any study or work for his class, but he hoped they would come sometimes for the entertainment value.

Thinking on it, and his 'space helmet', it all seemed to be a protest against the school administration pandering to its customers, the parents and students.

snailgate
When someone posts a YouTube video here, you can quote their post and then in the quote you can see the YouTube link which is a series of letters and numbers. Copy that YouTube link and paste it into your internet search engine and it will take you to the original YouTube link so you can watch.

I’m not sure how long the clip you saw was, but if you watch the whole 14 minute video it is clear the entire performance is satirical and his declaration that he is grading by a system based on Calvinist predestination - no matter how hard you work you can’t change your predestined grade - is a complete and total farce. Probably the only serious thing in the video is his declaration that he doesn’t require attendance which is fully within his discretion, and that students will gain no advantage by in person attendance to classes which are all available by Zoom.

He is clearly protesting the university’s requirement that classes be available in person but refusal to require a vaccine mandate as many other universities have for faculty and students and staff. He IS 75 and as he says, 1 in 100 people in his age cohort have died of covid19 during this pandemic so his risk profile is very high compared to his students.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

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Sue U
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Location: Eastern Megalopolis, North America (Midtown)

Re: Academic Freedom

Post by Sue U »

"There is absolutely nothing you can do, you have no control over your grade .... My grading system is based on the Calvinist doctrine of predestination."

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Not sure about the course itself, but over all I thought the jokes in the video were pretty good.
GAH!

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