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~*OU STUDENTS SUPPORT THREAD*~
I know many students are (rightfully) upset about the trash email that came down from the Provost office yesterday. Unfortunately this is another example where students ask to be seen as human and the OU admin only sees data & dollar signs
I know many students are (rightfully) upset about the trash email that came down from the Provost office yesterday. Unfortunately this is another example where students ask to be seen as human and the OU admin only sees data & dollar signs
HOWEVER since “faculty have been urged to exercise flexibility in their assignments and grading,” I thought I would share some tips on how to advocate for yourselves this semester. So:
*How to ask your professor for an extension/accommodation* (a thread)
*How to ask your professor for an extension/accommodation* (a thread)
1. DON'T feel obligated to divulge details of your non-academic situation - your professor should be the judge of your academic performance in a specific field, not of your personal life. You can give them a reason for needing accommodations if you'd like, but
“family responsibilities” or “health challenges” or “personal challenges” is plenty specific, especially since they are not supposed to require documentation due to the pandemic.
2. DO give details about your academic experience - if you are struggling with the material, ask for study advice. Give them details of what study methods you have tried and ask if they can recommend other methods or resources
3. Advocate for your best self - no need to include statements about what you should have or wish you would have done earlier. Be forward oriented in your request - what can you do to get back on track?
4. Be respectful - even if you are just taking the class for required credit, your instructor has spent years studying to be an expert in the field. They're much more likely to accommodate you if you express a sincere desire to learn the material & not simply concern for a grade
Also keep in mind that making accommodations for you might mean extra work on their end, so ask nicely.
5. Use proper formatting - a written email request should read like a professional letter, using proper spelling, capitalization, & complete sentences. A message formatted like a text or dm could be interpreted as disrespectful or thoughtless, even if you don’t intend it that way
Ask a friend to proofread your email request if professional writing is not your strong suit.
6. Keep in mind your instructor may have limits on how flexible they can be with you depending on their rank - some professors (those who have tenure or are “tenure track”) have complete control over what they teach and how they structure their classes, while
other instructors who don’t have these labor protections may have curriculum and policies set by the department that they have to follow to keep their job. Still, they may be able to advocate for you to get accommodations approved at a higher level
*If accommodations do not come through/are not enough,* consider an incomplete - if you've finished 50% of the work but finishing in the next month just feels impossible, your professor may be willing to give you an "I" to allow extra time after the semester concludes to finish
Also, remember that GRADES ≠ KNOWLEDGE, WORTH, OR INTELLECT
Grades are a completely inadequate way to measure learning, and do not “identify how students are progressing” or provide meaningful support or feedback
Grades are a completely inadequate way to measure learning, and do not “identify how students are progressing” or provide meaningful support or feedback
Professors, increasingly, are recognizing this fact and a few brave ones are bucking administrative norms and opting for an #ungrading approach https://www.jessestommel.com/ungrading-an-faq/
Also MERITOCRACY IS A MYTH
Your grades, like the school you go to, likely say just as much (or more) about how much money/privilege you have as they do about any "hard work" or intellectual achievement you've accomplished https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/14/meritocracy-myth-rich-college-admissions
Your grades, like the school you go to, likely say just as much (or more) about how much money/privilege you have as they do about any "hard work" or intellectual achievement you've accomplished https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/mar/14/meritocracy-myth-rich-college-admissions
We are all struggling to deal with living in the world in 2020 - as an instructor this semester, I have noticed myself having memory trouble, stumbling over things that are usually smooth sailing for me. If your GPA is suffering it does NOT mean you are not smart or hard working
I hope more leaders & people in positions of power will choose to prioritize the humane over "business as usual." So far on an institutional level at OU that hasn't happened -for students faculty or staff -but there is a lot we can do to help each other at the individual level 
