<p>This doesn't paint Dartmouth students in too positive a light...</p>
<p>In order to sue for discrimination, one must prove that one is a member of a "protected class". What protected class is the professor alleging? "Professor" isn't one.</p>
<p>It also doesn't paint Dartmouth professors in too positive a light.</p>
<p>Maybe she should sue their parents for raising impolite children.</p>
<p>"according to a grammatically challenged e-mail she sent on Saturday."</p>
<p>That's priceless!!</p>
<p>Dartmouth seems to be having it's share of bad publicity lately. One of their relatively new profs just resigned after his wife got arrested for embezzling money...</p>
<p>Haha. Hehe. This is toooooooooo funny. </p>
<p>Last night a student was ill and sent a pal to deliver his paper. A note attached said, "Since you never check your email anyways even though you say you do, I have ta (sic) send my friend with it."</p>
<p>For some reason his emails don't get through to me. Believe me, I answer every email I receive.</p>
<p>I refused to accept the paper because the note made me irate. We'd been through this in class. This student also comments, "three minutes late today" or some such, every day I walk if. If it's exactly 6 he says, "How about that. She's on time."</p>
<p>He did send a email apologizing when he thought I wouldn't accept his paper, which I will.</p>
<p>So, this just makes me laugh. Dartmouth is just like my CC class.</p>
<p>I think this reflects poorly on Dartmouth administrators, particularly the English Department. They educated this prof (1990 grad) and hired someone who can't write a grammatical email. Oy vey!</p>
<p>OTOH: It is hard to teach in the atmosphere of hostility and arrogance we often encounter. We have to PLEASE our students, not just teach them. It's a balancing act to teach, engage, and please at the same time, especially on the high wire. It aint easy. (Oops. Grammatically challenged post. Oops! Fragment. Again! I'd better stop.)</p>
<p>The D had an article about this a couple of days ago, and apparently published a follow-up today in which the professor retracts the lawsuit threat and then retracts the retraction(!):</p>
<p>TheDartmouth.com</a> | Prof. says lawsuit is unlikely, then retracts</p>
<p>Frankly, she sounds like she is grasping at straws. I don't understand how students disagreeing with her violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. Ooh, they clapped when someone disagreed with her, that must mean they hate her! I mean it's a shame that apparently a significant portion of that class doesn't see anything wrong with patriarchal norms, but how does voicing this opinion violate her civil rights? And anyway, were they disagreeing with her because of who she was? Wouldn't they still have disagreed if a man had voiced her opinion? It was the opinion they were disagreeing with, not her personally. This lawsuit is completely without merit.</p>
<p>And anyway, she's supposed to be an IVY LEAGUE PROF! She can't come up with a response to some stupid freshman's ******** diatribe on something that's supposed to be her area of expertise and she sulks for a WEEK afterwards? What's wrong with her? I'm not one to blindly give most Dartmouth students the benefit of the doubt, frankly, but this sounds like complete BS.</p>
<p>Another point of view: From</a> the annals of the academy: Prof sues students for criticizing her.</p>
<p>The comments section has interesting observations as well.</p>
<p>Wow mythmom. Your post is absolutely revolting. It's actually...quite irritating. Considering that you know very little about the incident, or about how Priya taught in general. In short... there's no need for you frivolous input here. </p>
<p>To assume that all students are persons to be "pleased" is problematic for several reasons. Dartmouth (and obviously all other professors) and other undergrad universities relish the opportunity to teach bright new minds, including students who may often express contrary opinions to that of their own teaching. This woman, who is now working for Northwestern, literally stifled free discourse in class. BECAUSE of this, when a student commented on an aspect of post-modernism in her class that was contrary to her opinion, many students decided to clap. Note: college students, as apathetic as you think they may be, will still applaud such points because the teacher was being so stifling in her demeanor. </p>
<p>Another time, during class, the Prof literally said "No. You're wrong" - "Why...?" "Because I have a PhD and you don't".....what.</p>
<p>I know 4-5 students in that class and they were students who have very high respect for teachers and are good people...I mean there are some students that you can tell might be some trouble to any prof, but these few that I knew weren't set out to do her any harm.</p>
<p>The fact that she threatened a LAWSUIT, and to name 7 STUDENTS in her class in her upcoming book as well as in the lawsuit shows that she has some issues. </p>
<p>ps- she retracted the lawsuit b/c it would be "damaging" to her family...but still insists that her CIVIL RIGHTS were violated.</p>
<p>First of all, I'm ashamed that we have such an alumni. Second of all, it's not Dartmouth's "fault" that she misspelled or made other grammatical errors. Are you kidding me? Do you HONESTLY think that grammatical errors are solely the fault of the college from which they obtained their degree?</p>
<p>You. Are. Ridiculous.</p>
<p>Pps-</p>
<p>The comments blog posted above are quite amusing, and I think that they are very telling of the Prof's RIDICULOUS assertions in trying to sue the college/students.</p>
<p>To mythmom again, it's not like Dartmouth students have some sort of vendetta against the faculty. I wouldn't hold the "all students are evil" generalization toooo high on your own list of things to keep in mind. </p>
<p>Thanks.</p>
<p>HAHA. what a ridiculous professor. honestly, she was in all likelihood very incompetent. students don't choose the teachers they dislike out of thin air.</p>
<p>But, I better watch what I say.. I don't want to get sued.</p>
<p>"Ivygateblog has rounded up more student evaluations. There is a lot to be said against the institution of student evaluations, but Prof. Venkatesan clearly deserves all the evaluations that can be mustered:</p>
<ul>
<li>Worst teacher I have ever had - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>Interesting - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>WORST PROFESSOR EVER DO NOT TAKE THIS CLASS - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>save yourself now - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>a tad ridiculous - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>Interesting Material but Prof. is hard to follow - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>Terrible class, terrible prof - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>Interesting Material, Bad Prof. - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>If she teaches here… - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>WORST CLASS EVER - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>interesting topic, boring prof - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>Do NOT take this course - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>HORRIBLE - Written by a 2011</li>
<li>insecurity, ego, and more - Written by a 2011"</li>
</ul>
<p>Guys, try not to be too eager to jump to conclusions about the students, the professor, or Dartmouth. We don't know the circumstances or the situation. We haven't heard specifically from those 7 students or the professor herself. While it may be true that she is egotistical and arrogant, it is possible that the students stepped out of line in disagreeing with her. Wait for the whole story before we call her ridiculous.</p>
<p>Also, mythmom, I don't understand your post at all. Are you a Dartmouth prof? What CC class?</p>
<p>sneamia, there's an abundance of material on Dartmouth-related websites about this. The prof is simply a nutcase, and given the language of her emails and interviews, hasn't even filed a suit yet. The Dartmouth Review published an interview with her on their blog, and if her case is anything like how she describes it there, she won't make it much farther than the courtroom door.</p>
<p>She threatened Dartmouth people to not get in touch with her new employer, Northwestern, but seems to me it won't be necessary. Northwestern people have access to College Confidential.</p>
<p>Considering the story has been filed in several newspapers her story will be hard to hide.</p>
<p>Um. I wasn't meaning to attack Dartmouth in particular. I was talking about college culture in general which has changed a lot in the 25 years I've been a college professor.</p>
<p>I must say, the rudeness of some of the posts rather proves my point, unless it's parents posting.</p>
<p>I have respect for Dartmouth; I was only discussing this one incident and the change in higher ed. in general.</p>
<p>....Right.</p>
<p>But it's still really nice of you to apply your (does CC mean community college?) experience to.....everyone other college population.</p>
<p>GJ.</p>
<p>Well, I have taught at major universities and still do. With do kids in college I do a bit of "moonlighting" although I don't think you're entitled to my resume.</p>
<p>I actually kinda do know the situation pretty well, and it is ridiculous. The students did nothing to warrant such a reaction. I'd go more into depth and give more concrete examples, but suffice it to say the professor is completely in the wrong.</p>
<p>Mythmom...given the incoherence of that statement I am not going to ask for any further clarification.</p>
<p>BUT. Seeing as how sooooo many of these students are so undeserving of your instruction, maybe it's...something more to do with you than the students. Eh?</p>