How would you handle this?

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I'm having a conflict between two classes this semester. First let me say that my grades are important to me, BUT not actually important as far as getting into the nursing program (so they say). The school has certain requirement regarding certain classes, but their standards are low (C in most required classes).

Anyway, one of my classes is online and it's a stupid "Student Development" class worth 1 credit (obviously required, but no grade requirement, only passing). Another is Chemistry, which I'm required to get a C, but getting an A so far (4 credits). Now Chemistry is not online, it's Tuesday & Thursday evenings.

Unbeknownst to me when I signed up for the SDV class, they are having several online sessions, and we are supposed to give a powerpoint presentation during one, worth 10% of our grade. Well, she's only having these sessions on Thursday evenings, while I'm in Chemistry class. Not only that, but the night she assigned me to do my presentation, we're having our Chemistry lab final.

I wrote the teacher about this when it first came up (on another online session) and she basically said, "Well, this one won't matter, but the presentation will".

If I get mostly As in the SDV class, but get a zero on this presentation, I don't know how badly that will affect my grade - but really it's the principle I'm annoyed about. I need this credit, and I need it now as I'm preparing to apply for the nursing program as soon as the spring semester ends. But I had no way of knowing this requirement when I signed up for the class - I mean, seriously, I signed up for an online class precisely because it's supposed to be flexible!

So I need to e-mail the teacher again and explain the situation but I'm not sure how to go about it. I feel like maybe if I put together the presentation and send it to her (e-mail) I should at least get partial credit. I don't want to come off as whiny or make her mad, since she has the power here, but I really don't feel like this is fair.

My dh thinks I should go to the dean about it, but that seems really extreme!

Any opinions or advice?

Kelly

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Specializes in Maternity, quality.

I think I would prepare the presentation and send it to her with an explanation that, "As happened before, I will unfortunately be unable to present this on the scheduled night because I will be taking my chemistry final." At least this will show that you are willing to do the work, but unable to do the presentation because of scheduling conflicts. Ask her how much this would affect your grade.

Also, when did she mention that there would be Thursday presentations? If this is something she mentioned at the beginning of the term I would have either e-mailed her then or dropped the course for a different one that had better online session times.

But I would see how it goes with talking to her before I escalated it up the food chain. She may be very used to students having this problem and may have a backup plan already in place.

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My first thought was, can you check with your Chem teacher to see if there is space for you to take your lab final along with another one of her classes?

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I think you should kill her with kindness. This is what I would do:

I would email her back saying how much I am enjoying the class and how I am looking forward to doing my presentation but I have a chemistry final on that same night. I would say that I've already check w/ the chemistry prof.and they are unwilling to move the final date for me. Tell her that her class is important to you and ask if she is willing to move the date.....or even the time of the deadline on that thursday. For instance, if your chem class ends at 9pm, can you have your presentation posted by midnight or earlier in the morning?

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I think you should kill her with kindness.

Thank you! I think that is what I will do. I am afraid of antagonizing her, when she in fact has all the power regardless of whatever the facts are. I figured since this is 10% of my grade if I get an absolute zero on it the best I can do in the class is a C - not good enough for me.

I will take some responsibility for the situation. It turns out she did post an announcement about the presentations on January 1st - but the class didn't start until January 15th and I never saw that announcement. And it is in the syllabus too, so basically I should have known early on, and that is my mistake, I should have switched to another SDV class. This just isn't a class I have spent much time on, as my other classes are much harder and more time consuming, and this one is an annoyance to me!

Well, wish me luck, and if nothing else I will learn from this mistake, I will read the syllabus immediately upon signing up for any class!

Kelly

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Yes, a meeting with the Dean is in order

Most schools have policies that an instructor cannot require you to participate in anything that conflicts with another class or exam schedule

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I had a very similar problem - I take an online A&P class with on-campus proctored exams. My A&P prof didn't get around to posting a syllabus at all until 2 days after the drop/add date, and he offered 2 exam times - Tuesdays at 9:30am during my nutrition class or Tuesdays at 3:30 during my English class which requires attendance - I missed one class for a Dr's appt., and our grade drops for 3+. I e-mailed him explaining the problem, and he told me to drop the class and take it next semester (not possible since I'd already applied to NS and we have to finish all prereqs first) or to figure it out myself. So I have to miss 3 of my nutrition classes which is too bad b/c I really like my prof and learn better when I'm there, and then rush to finish my final so I can take the A&P one immediately after. It's just too bad, b/c I am in section 74 of Eng 1102, and there were about 90 altogether. I could have switched the time easily if he ahd posted his syllabus when he was supposed to. I just dealt with it though. Unfortunately for you, your prof did post the info early enough for you to deal with it. That probably absolves her of any responsibility to HAVE to work with you, but hopefully she will anyways. Maybe you could offer to give the presentation during another section, or privately during her office hours? Or definitely see if you could take the chem test with another section too. It can't hurt to ask, and I definitely wouldn't try to go to the dean unless you have no other option and they blatantly refure to work with you. I found a solution that wasn't ideal but also won't hurt my GPA, so hopefully you can too.

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Thanks all! Well, it turned out to be "much ado about nothing" because apparently I wasn't the only one, and she is now offering another date. Thank goodness. Apparently she was under the impression the dates were listed when you signed up for the class. If they were I might have ignored it because normally with online classes there ARE no class times, so they really need to make it more clear. I have the feeling if it had just been me she might've said "tough", luckily I wasn't. So, crises averted! Thanks again for your input. I wasted much time stressing about it!

Kelly

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