I'm in a particular situation and was wondering if anyone had faced anything similar.
I have recently graduated and become licensed and was following up with professors who had agreed to write me letters of recommendation for jobs and getting nowhere. No response to multiple emails and phone calls from five different people in the department. So I decided to stop by there when I came on campus to pick up my diploma to see if I could catch someone in person.
I ran into one of the professors who had not responded to me and she told me to go to her office and that we needed to talk. She told me that the department had found our facebook group, that students had been saying disparaging things about professors and making death threats and "how would it look if I wrote you a glowing recommendation when the head sees all of them?" She said my behavior was unprofessional and implied this was why no one was responding to me. I have become persona non grata.
Except I never wrote anything disparaging or made any threats against anyone. I was completely blindsided by these accusations but I went back to check my activity on this group and found nothing questionable at all. Our department had a lot of problems communicating important information to students so we started this Facebook group to easily keep each other abreast of what was going on and share resources such as helpful videos that further explained course content.
There were a few students who had written less than professional comments and I know two of these students are employed in hospital jobs right now so they probably got letters before their comments were discovered. I wrote nothing unprofessional and I feel like I am being singled out because they can no longer hurt those other students.
I know I can't force anyone to recommend me, but I find it suspicious that professors who already gave their assent that they would are now ignoring me, especially since I was the valedictorian of the class. It feels like I have been put on an informal blacklist without any chance to defend myself.
I feel like without letters of recommendation my job prospects are severely limited and I'm not sure of what to do about this.
I had considered speaking with the head of the department (who I don't really know, but who sees me as a troublemaker because once when I had an issue with a professor who repeatedly misgraded my exams and refused to fix them, I asked Student Services how to handle it which was a huge no-no. Apparently the nursing department does not like anyone going outside the nursing department for help) but I feel like her response will be that she can't make anyone write me a letter. Which is true. If I bring up what that professor told me in confidence, I could be putting her job in jeopardy.
I can't really see a way forward and I really feel like all the time, effort and energy I spent on this program could have been better invested elsewhere.
Did you speak out to these students on FB? If not, there's a saying "What you permit, you promote." There's also another saying about guilt by association.
I'm not an admin for the group so it didn't seem like it was my responsibility. And honestly, the students who were complaining were totally right, I just would have chosen more delicate phrasing. And of course, never ever mention anyone by name.
I think you should talk to an attorney. Find out if you have any legal rights that are being violated.
You don't have a "right" to a letter of recommendation.
You have to be careful who you associate with. You can keep trying to get letters, but being a part of a group that did unprofessional things, even if you weren't a participant or instigator, looks bad.
You don't have a "right" to a letter of recommendation.
You have to be careful who you associate with. You can keep trying to get letters, but being a part of a group that did unprofessional things, even if you weren't a participant or instigator, looks bad.
I understand that I don't have a right to a recommendation, that's why this situation is so tricky. From my interaction with this professor, I got the sense that she would have written me one but was afraid of facing consequences from her supervisor. This strikes me as a little shady. I have not formally been accused and found guilty of anything and this is what irks me the most. Accuse me, show me the policies I violated, allow me to defend myself and apply the consequences across the board. Don't tell the faculty to ignore me because you're butthurt that there is someone out there not kissing your butt.
There were 37 members of this group (30 in our graduating class) so it's not a matter of who I associated with. Everyone was in this group. I don't think consequences are being applied fairly. My friends and I were the highest achieving group in the class and are being held more culpable than the actual students who did make unprofessional comments.
Specializes in Critical Care; Cardiac; Professional Development.
Honestly it sounds like there is a lot more to this than just the FB group. Are politics at play? Probably. I find your conjecture about minorities/religion to be a red herring though.
Personally I think your best bet is a meeting with the instructors who were slandered, the dean and an apology. Like it or not, we are judged by those we associate with. If you are a strong personality and found yourself in trouble during school for other things, justified or otherwise, you have a reputation. This may simply have been the final straw.
A letter of recommendation is just that -a personal vouching that someone would make a good employee, not just a good nurse. It sounds like these folks may like you well enough on the whole but not enough to put their own reputation on the line for you. Since that is their right I think your only recourse is to fall on your sword. Whether or not anyone else is suffering the same treatment doesn't matter. Fair has never been the name of the game. Swallow that bitter pill and move on.
Honestly it sounds like there is a lot more to this than just the FB group. Are politics at play? Probably. I find your conjecture about minorities/religion to be a red herring though.
Fair has never been the name of the game. Swallow that bitter pill and move on.
You're probably right. It is very political in that department and I hate hate hate that kind of garbage. Coupled with the bullying behavior, lack of communication and general incompetence of some of the faculty, I actually hated going to school there. It probably came out in my attitude even if I worked to keep my words and actions in check.
Frankly, the idea of apologizing for expecting a higher level of professionalism from the faculty is physically painful to me. I know you're right and it's what I need to do, but I think I need some time to become psychologically ready - otherwise I'm afraid it will devolve into something even worse because I don't feel apologetic, I feel betrayed, angry and humiliated.
I agree that she doesn't have a "right" to a letter of recommendation. But she may have a right to fair and equal treatment from the school. She may have a right to see her records, including any notes written there. etc. Also, if faculty members said once that they would right a letter ... that might be considered a verbal contract, etc Finally, attorneys can sometimes help a client by speaking for them in disciplinary hearings, writing a letter on their behalf, assisting/advising in negotiations, etc.
In a case like this, the "best" solution for the OP might be for an attorney to write a letter on behalf of the OP seeking a resolution that would allow her to get a job and save the school a lot of hassle from a full investigation. But before giving up, I'd be talking to an attorney for advice.
I think you should talk to an attorney. Find out if you have any legal rights that are being violated.
I'm stunned that I'm opposing llg but in this case my response is, "yeah, because there's nothing like a letter from an attorney to provoke a stellar letter of recommendation."
I think your *only* real option is to approach someone in person and discuss the realities of the situation.
She told me that the department had found our facebook group, that students had been saying disparaging things about professors and making death threats
You were a member of a facebook group that was manifesting such egregious behavior?
It's a bit late but what you *should* have done - at the time - was directly confront those statements *within* the FB group, and then publically withdrawn from the group.
At this point, other than relying on personal relationships with faculty - perhaps a clinical instructor who has less attachment to the school - I don't see you've got a lot of good options.
I'm stunned that I'm opposing llg but in this case my response is, "yeah, because there's nothing like a letter from an attorney to provoke a stellar letter of recommendation."
I think your *only* real option is to approach someone in person and discuss the realities of the situation.
I was under the impression that she had already talked to people at the school and had gotten nowhere -- and that possibility was no longer a possible solution.
If it is true that she never made inappropriate posts, an attorney may be able to help her get the school to review the posts and see that her behavior did not rise to the level equal to her punishment. If, as she suspects, faculty members who would have written positive letters have been told not to do so ... such a review of the records might get that ban lifted ... allowing a friendly faculty member to write a letter. The letter might not be stellar, but a "lukewarm letter" is better than none if local employers absolutely require a letter.
Also, a good attorney could give her advice on how to negotiate with the school even if they never communicate with the school directly. He/she would help the OP go into any meetings well-informed and well-prepared.
PolishGirlRN
39 Posts
I'm not an admin for the group so it didn't seem like it was my responsibility. And honestly, the students who were complaining were totally right, I just would have chosen more delicate phrasing. And of course, never ever mention anyone by name.