EXCLUSIVE: Brandeis Provost Green Lights Academic Pass for Protesters
Classes? What classes?
This post has been updated.
Earlier this week, Brandeis University became the latest in a long line of academic institutions to receive a “list of demands” from its allegedly beleaguered student body. Saying that “we [Brandeis has] failed our black students,” “Concerned Students 2015” released a laundry list of demands to the administration that included a minimum wage increase for student employees, and the appointment of a VP of “Diversity and Inclusion.”
Students have since marched on various buildings, and are currently occupying (at some level) the public areas of the administration building. Since this is college, I feel free to assume that this has caused a certain amount of uproar when it comes to attendance policies.
Never fear—Brandeis has the situation under control. Interim Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Irving R. Epstein sent an email to the faculty last night giving them “discretion in regard to class attendance and completion of academic work.”
Here’s a screenshot of the email (I’ve blacked out email addresses):
(This screenshot has been updated to show the sender, recipient, subject line, etc.)
Who needs class when there’s a narrative to fight for?
***Updates***
Let’s keep in mind that this is coming from the university whose student body rose up in protest against a…microaggressive?…protest against…microaggressions.
I think I got that right. Essentially, one group of students protested another group of students’ free speech installation highlighting “microaggressions” commonly heard used in conjunction with Asian and Asian-American students. Apparently, the examples of microaggressions were far too microaggressive to be allowed.
Yes, really. Students were “triggered,” complaints were wailed, and apologies were handed out in turn. I repeat this story here not to make everyone really confused about who microaggressed who, but to emphasize that we’re not dealing with a rational community.
That label applies to both the student body, and apparently, the administration. I support liberal speech policies, but the actions of these students coupled with the response from the administration tells me we’ve gone beyond the boundaries of “expression” and into territory that negates entirely the point and purpose of higher education—that is, to actually be educated.
At Brandeis, indulgence reigns supreme. What a way to waste four years.
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Comments
Seems like kids who have skin in the game to pay their tuition might have a problem with the deadbeats getting a free pass.
Well for the few that actually end up in the real world they are going to be in for the shock of their lives!
Mailman
It would be beneficial for the world at large to learn, A: the number of Brandeis protesters, B: what percentage of the student body that number is, and C: a listing of the academic major of each protester.
I’d give great odds that nearly none are STEM majors, and that their future goals all revolve around taxpayer-funded academic or public or NGO employment, in positions where these junior-fascist ‘struggles’ count positively on their resumes.
My attendance policy is clearly spelled out in my course syllabus, provided in hard copy and on line and articulated on the first day of class. Six hours of missed class time (six hr of lectures or 2 laboratory periods)for ANY reason, results in an administrative withdrawal before the drop date and an automatic “F” if the missed hours occur afterwards. Also, there are no make-up quizzes, exams or lab opportunities because I drop the lowest of these scores when calculating the final course grade.
In over 30 years, with only a hand full of challenges to this policy, I’ve had the backing of my Chair and Dean with one exception. A couple of years back, a non-academic administrator went into the system during Christmas break to change F to a W on the transcript of an international student. I guess her (the student’s) country’s government pays well.
Anyway, I hope the course syllabi and policy statements of the professors at Brandeis are meticulously written and rigorously enforced. Tax dollars flow into both public and private universities one way or another. I refuse to subsidize psychodrama and shake-down operations on campus or anywhere else.
Can’t wait till these morons graduate and send resumes.
I’ll bet, most of these students are on a ” Free Ride.” There are so many students in college , that shouldn’t be there. When the average of students on ” Free Ride,” have to takee an average of 6,000 hrs of “Remedial Learning,” They should not be there. When college students make the rules on a campus, they are being sent the wrong message, that everyone has to bow to their demands. Kick them out. Our Pres,. encourages any ” Disruption ,” that can be created, to distract everybody from the Lawless Laws that this Dictator is trying to pass, to take our Freedoms. To help the latest ” Refugees,” He will be pushing hard to disarm us, to help these ” Peaceful,” people.