You make an interesting point, especially about the accessibility of laptops for students at the university. When I think about our discussion of the use of technology in the classroom, I can’t help but think of these students, who may not be able to participate in an in-class markup of a syllabus or take joint notes using Google Docs if they don’t have a computer. How can we make sure that those students are able to contribute equally to the class discussion, especially if the majority of the discussion takes place through online media? How can we find a balance between incorporating technology and making sure that the class is still accessible to students?

This is an interesting question, especially since it seems like they originally gave their permission to faculty member A and only now want their names on the assignments. I also wonder if faculty member B came up with the problems themselves or if they also borrowed them from another previous professor (something I would assume happens quite often for classes that were already developed).

According to the website I linked below from American University, “Works created on or after January 1, 1978 are covered automatically whether or not they have a copyright notice. In addition, an author has the option of registering his/her work with the U.S. Copyright Office. Copyright Registration gives certain legal advantages to authors who register their works.” (https://www.american.edu/library/documents/upload/Copyright_for_Teaching.pdf) So it doesn’t seem like you have to register for a copyright to be protected, but registering can provide some extra legal advantages.

Hi Gary, thanks for your comment! While this specific article discussed the student’s experience in a flipped classroom, I think you’re right — this can tend to happen in any environment where students are required to work together with a diverse group of coworkers. Recognizing the social phenomena at play even outside of flipped classrooms should inform our implementation of active learning as a whole.

Andrew, thanks for your reply. I 100% agree with you, this problem is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to privileges given to “VIP” students. You can read one of my earlier blogs about academic integrity issues at UNC to know more about my issues with preferences given to “student” athletes (in that, they’re basically allowed to be athletes and not students).

I wouldn’t call these “affirmative action” passes, though. These students did steal a spot from a qualified candidate, where affirmative action does not. Because the selection of unqualified candidates over qualified candidates (of which this was clearly a case) is not permitted under federal affirmative action guidelines, equating this situation with legal forms of affirmative action is comparing apples to oranges.

Thanks for this post! I really appreciate the cartoon you posted and really agree with the main idea that when you allow yourself to be exposed to other cultures and groups, your understanding and appreciation for groups different than yours grows. My one question related to the cartoon is this: how do you convince someone to take that first step? We can’t necessarily go buy every white supremacist we know a plane ticket (even if we did, many of them probably wouldn’t take it). Instead of sending people somewhere else, how can we address them where they are? Would love to hear your ideas; thanks again for the post!

Brad, I think you make a great point here. It can certainly be hard to identify how my own privileges and biases impact my worldview. Ultimately, we all need to start these conversations with a willingness to be wrong and a desire to learn. I tend to think having these discussions is impossible if both sides don’t approach the discussion with humility and respect. I can’t stress how important the words “both sides” are.

I’ve had to end conversations with people because they refused to discuss the issues in good faith and really weren’t interested in listening to me as much as they were interested in parroting their own biases. In those interactions, though, I also had to remember that my goal was not to condemn someone because I believed their views were wrong but to bring them to an understanding based on mutual respect and grace. It’s important to create spaces where people feel comfortable enough to admit that they were wrong without the fear of being condemned. We have to allow those people to then move forward instead of shaming them for their past beliefs. A vitriolic and hostile environment only fuels the fires of division, whereas an environment based on humility and respect creates a place where understanding can truly flourish.

Thanks for your comment! I absolutely believe that UNC should have been punished for this misconduct more than the year of probation they received on their accreditation. It certainly is notable that the university would say “we shouldn’t receive athletic penalties because ANY student could have taken this class.” They’ve thrown academics under the bus to protect the athletics program. This effectively devalues the UNC degree for all of UNC alums, just to protect their student athletes and the profits that their revenue sports bring in.

Hi Aislinn, thanks for your comment! I’ll be the first to admit that my viewpoint comes from the lens of an engineer, and I appreciate hearing the thoughts of people who aren’t in the same field. I do wonder, if everything were left to a project, if there were a way to ensure that students were maintaining the ethical and professional standards of integrity that we set for them. I’m sure we’ve all had experiences where we’ve had a class with a take-home test, and those can often be to the detriment of those who are unwilling to cheat. I’m thinking of a geology class that I took in undergrad where all the assessments were online and out of class; some people, in that situation will google the answers and ace the test while others will complete it honestly and risk getting a lower grade than their peers. Having an in-class exam levels the playing field in that respect. As instructors, we can give students all the resources they’re allowed to use (e.g., design manuals, formula sheets, etc.) and ensure that they’re not using any unauthorized material.

I like the idea of having a final project and presentation instead of a final exam, and am incorporating that into the syllabus for the assignment in class! I’m thinking that perhaps the most beneficial method would be to have a midterm exam that assesses basic understanding and structuring the second half of the semester to cover material that would be useful for design. This would culminate in a final project report and presentation that students could work on with a team throughout the semester.

Great point about the potential of an oral exam. I feel like for a small class size (likely an upper-level class) it might work, especially if it’s a design based class. I wonder how the instructor would keep the exam standard across all the students while ensuring that none of them are able to cheat by discussing it once they finish. I also have a former roommate who was terrified of public speaking. In my department, we were given the option to take either technical writing or public speaking as our communications credit and she chose the writing! I wonder if we could give students the option to take an oral exam and somehow make a written and oral equally matched. Definitely a challenge to consider!

Brad, I definitely experienced the “missing out on things because I wanted to finish work to get the grade”, especially my senior year in college when I decided I wanted to apply to grad school. While that kept me from some things, it certainly didn’t keep me from others – like volunteering with the Engineering Career Fair at my university, going to talks in my department, or networking with others.

My grandma got a degree from a business school and worked for Wachovia Bank for many years, eventually working her way up into important positions in her region. She would always tell me, “remember, Meredith, it’s not about what you know, it’s about *who* you know.” This is something that I often remember and share with my friends who are looking for jobs now. It’s all about the networking and less about the grades.

I also remember a professor from my undergraduate institution joking that the students who get As will go to grad school and be really smart while the students who get Bs and Cs will end up being their bosses because they know how to network and have fun with people. While he was just joking around, the wisdom of those older than me has really stuck – and changed my perspective on what I spend my time on during grad school!