Should I Fight My Professor?

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>I'm currently getting straight A's this term (woohooo!) and have developed some nice faculty relationships with professors across two different departments that I'm majoring in. </p>

<p>However, there is one particular class that has really bothered me. It is taught by an adjunct faculty member (an older guy, who teaches here part-time occassionally), who has been absolutely horrible and unfair as a professor. I know I'm not the only one to notice, since there've been numerous after-class "arguments" between other students and the professor. </p>

<p>The professor gives very vague assignments and grades very unfairly (giving ridiculously low and failing grades). On top of that, he seems slightly "crazy." I'm not sure if mentally ill is too strong of a word, but he might be. Or at the very least, he's very eccentric in a "bad" way. He'll just start ranting or rambling about non-class related topics in the middle of his "lectures" (much of the time he seems to not even know the material himself). </p>

<p>If things stand as they are, I will likely get B- in this class. </p>

<p>Now before you guys start saying, * "What's the big deal? It's just a B- amongst straight A's in all your other classes," * I am considering applying to graduate school in which grades/GPA matter very much. But, on top of that, it's also just the principle behind wanting a fair grade. </p>

<p>I've talked to professor about my grades, but he's mostly been immovable. I do believe he's marked things wrong that were right and also graded papers and HW in an unfair manner (many others feel the same). Right now, it seems my only recourse is to challenge him before the chair of the department and/or dean. He's already denied my attempts to get more/fair points. </p>

<p>But this would: </p>

<p>a.) take time
b.) possibly (I'm not sure of privacy) make me known to people in the department as someone who challenged a professor ...and here, I'm not sure if our prof. is good friends with others in the department or not or if this could come back to "bite" me in some way. I don't think he is, since he's only a part-timer and doesn't even teach every year (skips years). But you never know how close he might be with others. I wonder if it could hurt my reputation (if I needed letters of rec. later)?</p>

<p>I guess I'm wondering if it's worth it and/or if there're any drawbacks you guys can see from my situation? And feel free to add further comments/advice on this. I appreciate your insight and look forward to seeing what folks have to say. Thanks a bunch!</p>

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<p>How have you talked to him about your grades? Did you turn up at the end of class with a coffee stain on the left leg of your sweatpants and be like, YO BRO WHY YOU GIVE ME A B- I WANNA BE A BRAIN SURGEON YANNO? If what you say is true, you would have had to be very careful with your phrasing and composure, because he looks like the type to think you’re grade grubbing when you’re not. But, judging by your tone:

You probably sounded like you were grade grubbing. Note for the future: it’s not about forcing someone to change your grade immediately. It’s about planting a seed of compassion in their mind, so that they may cut you slack on the subjective criteria of the grade.</p>

<p>I would not trust your fellow students either. I don’t think I’ve ever heard a C student say that their professor grades fairly, nor an A student say that their professor grades unfairly. In fact, I wouldn’t trust myself - if this is in the humanities, you may very well just not have aptitude for the subject. You don’t get answers wrong like in math, but your writing just may not click, and it’s not like he can penalize those who get it in your favour.</p>

<p>I’d say you should have a trusted professor advise you, better if said professor knows the other professor. Taking up such matters with the dean is gonna be an uphill battle anyway if you don’t have faculty backing you up.</p>

<p>And yeah, if you’re being petty, it will bite you in the ass very much. Not to mention, the adjunct may lose his job.</p>

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<p>the major drawback is I don’t think you’re going to be able to have any substance behind your claim of unfair grading. I’m guessing these are papers you’re being graded on and unfortunately every prof will have slightly different standards for everything. Unless there is a real disconnect between the comments he’s giving you on your assignments and your grades, I just don’t see what you could possibly expect to happen.</p>