WWYD: My daughter's college professor is constantly cancelling class

[DisneyFan32WI]

We pay out of state tuition, and my daughter's professor is constantly sending out last minute emails about cancelling class. One reason was he was called out of town, but the rest are vague. I'd say that this semester alone, 7 classes have been cancelled. The class meets two times per week. That is over 3 weeks worth of class cancelled so far, and the semester doesn't end until May!

I called the Dean's office and talked to a young girl who works there. I told her that I was unhappy with the situation and she was going to take my name and number down and have someone get back to me. I wasn't comfortable with that, because I don't want my daughter to get punished for my complaint. She said she would deliver my generic complaint to someone at a manager level.

WWYD? Would you risk giving out your info? Would you expect a refund? Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated.
We pay $20,000 a year for her to get an education. The professor isn't making up any of these cancelled days. I'm angry!

 

[handinpocket]

Holy moly, you should have kept your mouth shut. The professor WILL find out you complained and make your daughter's life harder. As long as she got credit for the course, I wouldn't have made it an issue.

 

[powellrj]

Seriously, people really do things like this? My DD goes to a private school so I know how much college can cost and I have no idea when my DD has a cancelled class. Its for her to handle if she has a problem. Would I be happy, no, but I would also never call my DDs college to complain.

 

[Pinkos]

Time to stop battling your kids fights. She's in college!! Just because u are footing the bill doesn't mean u get to be involved at the level you just inserted yourself. You are not doing your daughter any favors. Not only is this mortifying and humiliating for her, you are not teaching her to handle her own problems.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Its for her to handle if she has a problem.

I agree, in college, it's on her to say whether the classes being cancelled is a problem. If so, she needs to follow up on it, not the parents.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

Seriously, people really do things like this? My DD goes to a private school so I know how much college can cost and I have no idea when my DD has a cancelled class. Its for her to handle if she has a problem. Would I be happy, no, but I would also never call my DDs college to complain.

So, just to ask.....Do you find it acceptable that a professor is essentially stealing our money by not performing what we've hired him to do? How will anyone at the school know this is happening if someone doesn't speak up? The kids sure aren't going to say anything!

FWIW-My daughter has no idea I called the Dean's office and left a complaint. I won't tell her either.

 

[leebee]

My husband is a University professor, and he won't ever cancel class unless it's truly an emergency. Canceling class is usually met with disapproval by the University. However, if your daughter is upset about this, SHE should go talk to someone, probably the department chairperson, who should handle this professionally, without "ratting out" your daughter to the professor. Honestly, if that many lectures have been canceled, I bet the department knows about it already. As I said, canceling class is not something most departments take lightly.

Also... you haven't hired a professor to do ANYTHING. Education is not a consumer commodity, and most "learning" at the college level is something the student is expected to do independently of the professor.

 

[powellrj]

Like I said, I wouldn't be happy, but I also wouldn't call the school to complain. The school knows this is going on. I also don't look at it as someone we have hired. He is her teacher and you don't know if she has learned everything she was suppose to learn this semester or not. That is for your DD to find out, not you.

Aren't you the mom who tracks her DD from the budget board thread? If so I am not surprised you also keep track of her classes.

 

[aprilchem]

As a college professor, I'd say you're definitely being a helicopter parent. The right action to take would be for your daughter to contact the department chair to ask about the repeated absences. The department chair would then speak to the instructor to determine the cause of the absences and take possible action.

 

[smokeyblue]

Yikes, harsh people! Cancelling this many classes is absolutely unacceptable and unprofessional. When I was in college I had a professor that had to miss several classes due to an urgent medical issue and the department had another faculty member fill in for several weeks. Had the same thing happen again, a professor's daughter was deathly ill, the department had someone fill in. I think he only ended up cancelling two classes.

Honestly, it is your daughter's responsibility to contact the department. Just a simple call or email to the department chair/or dean of that college stating her concern that x number of classes have been cancelled since the semester has commenced.

 

[Snap Crackle Pop]

We pay out of state tuition, and my daughter's professor is constantly sending out last minute emails about cancelling class. One reason was he was called out of town, but the rest are vague. I'd say that this semester alone, 7 classes have been cancelled. The class meets two times per week. That is over 3 weeks worth of class cancelled so far, and the semester doesn't end until May!

I called the Dean's office and talked to a young girl who works there. I told her that I was unhappy with the situation and she was going to take my name and number down and have someone get back to me. I wasn't comfortable with that, because I don't want my daughter to get punished for my complaint. She said she would deliver my generic complaint to someone at a manager level.

WWYD? Would you risk giving out your info? Would you expect a refund? Any thoughts/advice would be appreciated.
We pay $20,000 a year for her to get an education. The professor isn't making up any of these cancelled days. I'm angry!

I would be so embarrassed if my mother called the University and complained, you are going to make your daughter look bad. If your daughter is so enraged over the fact that this teacher has missed seven classes than she should go and complain herself instead of you. Its going to make her look like "one of those kids" with "one of those parents."

 

[NHdisneylover]

I am the parent of a current college Freshmen--- I know all about those high bills.

Last semester she did have one class which got cancelled several times. It never in a million years crossed my mind to interfere and call the dean or anyone else at the school. Absolutely not my place--I agree with everyone that you are out of bounds and should not have contacted the school at all. (and the simple fact that you have to hide that you did so from your daughter indicate to me that on some level you know you are over stepping)

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I guess I expect a substitute professor or TA to fill in instead of cancelling the classes. My daughter is way too timid to speak up. She loves class and has a passion for learning. This is my own complaint and not hers. I think it's a valid one though. How would the University even know if a professor is cancelling classes at the last minute? Don't they just come and go on their own? Unless someone was speaking up, I'm not sure how this would even get noticed.
Okay...jumping off my helicopter now. This is a vent, and I was hoping others had gone through something similar. Apparently not, but I do appreciate the feedback. I'll just let it go.

 

[Allons-y!]

So, just to ask.....Do you find it acceptable that a professor is essentially stealing our money by not performing what we've hired him to do? How will anyone at the school know this is happening if someone doesn't speak up? The kids sure aren't going to say anything!

FWIW-My daughter has no idea I called the Dean's office and left a complaint. I won't tell her either.

Maybe he's taking mental health days due to dealing with helicopter parents, lol.

 

[Mizzoufan]

I wouldn't have said anything. No I don't see the professor as stealing your money. Is your daughter failing the course?

 

[Aliceacc]

I can understand your sentiments.

My guess is that he's not merely choosing not to show up for work; if he's been out that many times he's likely facing some sort of a crisis.

But perhaps this is an opportunity for your daughter to learn to advocate for herself a bit. I think the complaint would have a lot more validity coming from the person actually taking the course, not her mom from another state.

And the "hired" bit strikes a nerve. Does that mean that, as a math teacher, I get an increase in pay every time I stay to give extra help? Or for every letter of recommendation I write on a weekend? (I'm doing over 40 this spring.) You didn't hire anyone. You paid a college for your daughter's education; THEY hired the professor.

If the kids don't say anything, then they either do some independent study or they receive less of an education than they bargained for. But it's their fight, not yours.

Anyone old enough to go out of state for an education is old enough to take control of that education, and not have mommy call the dean for something of this nature.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

I wouldn't have said anything. No I don't see the professor as stealing your money. Is your daughter failing the course?

No, she is an excellent student. I'm really just upset about not having a replacement teacher and the fact that the cost of college is killing me. I also have another child headed to college in a few months.

Like I said, I appreciate the responses. Perhaps I need to step back and reflect/process what I'm hearing you say.

 

[sunshine1178]

I guess I expect a substitute professor or TA to fill in instead of cancelling the classes. My daughter is way too timid to speak up. She loves class and has a passion for learning. This is my own complaint and not hers. I think it's a valid one though. How would the University even know if a professor is cancelling classes at the last minute? Don't they just come and go on their own? Unless someone was speaking up, I'm not sure how this would even get noticed.
Okay...jumping off my helicopter now. This is a vent, and I was hoping others had gone through something similar. Apparently not, but I do appreciate the feedback. I'll just let it go.

But if they sent in a sub, you would still call to ask for a discount, right? Or maybe a free upgrade to make up for it?

 

[gwynne]

This is your daughter's business. Period. It will not help her for you to be so involved. This is her college education. If she's unhappy, she can talk to the Dean or more appropriately, maybe her academic advisor just to get a bit of perspective.
Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if they already know who you are after you called the Dean's office. It probably doesn't matter you opted not to leave your name- caller ID and all that.

 

[DisneyFan32WI]

But if they sent in a sub, you would still call to ask for a discount, right? Or maybe a free upgrade to make up for it?

That's rude. I don't think it's too much to ask to have a replacement.