Deadlines

7^th December 2016

Mr. (School Official),

If I may express myself neatly, I attended a class entitled “How to Become a Professional Film and TV Writer” and after several hours I felt no closer to that occupation than I was before the class. Further along those lines, the professor of this class was a Hollywood agent and not a writer.  It constitutes a conflict of interest for me as a writer to pay an agent for anything other than selling a script.

I’ll grant you that this was a free class, but before I got in the door I found something was not right with your program. Then I would have to point out that I checked the facts reported in the class and found that some of them were inconsistent with information on IMDB.com. If you want my money I expect the professor to do their homework just like the student. Failing to check facts is like failing to read student work. This would be the very basic requirements for a teacher and your professor came up short.

Then we have your professor telling the class about the most prominent script she had sold. She mentioned that she had been asked for a similar script by other studios and complained to them that they had not wanted that script when she offered it to them. I would expect the professional agent to sell the studios what they want. If you want a car this week and come in next week asking for an SUV the dealer is not going to get huffy and complain about what you asked for last week. They would just be happy to sell you whatever you want.

I could go on about foul language and inappropriate jokes, but let me hit it from another angle. The best advertisement your program can have is success. If I had attended that class and gone on to be a professional writer you would have a clear example of your classes paying off. Further, I would then have the money to invest in more education. In the contrary, if I knew how to look for work as a writer but failed to obtain it, my next question would be ‘why’, leaving the need for more education a possibility.

In short, I wasn’t happy with your program when it was free and now you fail to understand why I’m not paying for your services. If Hollywood were populated with your students and they spoke highly of you things would be different. However, I have no faith in your program as an investment.

I would recommend you contact me when you’ve made major changes to the quality of your education and have another free class for me to examine. In the mean time your extended deadlines only prove to me that classes are going unfilled and that other students have the same skepticism.

Kind regards,

Richard Leland Neal

How Poorly Professors Act in the Modern Day

I recall sending this as an email to the department chair of the Theatre Arts department of my college and getting no reply. Complaints were met by deaf ears. Oh well, I said what I wanted to say.

I gave them the option to address things, and they refused proving that the quality of education is not a priority.

7^th April 2007

All right, I’m upset over the things that have happened to me this semester both in an out of school. I feel that if I don’t say something I’m going to regret it for the rest of my life. I now feel that I understand why I was not encouraged to come to (your college) for my degree.

There are a number of small problems that added up to a major pain. The people working in the scene lab behaved poorly, I don’t feel (the supervisor of undergraduate studies’) emotional problems are given the attention they need, and this business with giving freshmen their classes without option sounds like a bad joke.

At  (the junior college) they sat me down and explained to me that Theatre-Professional is more of an oxymoron then “feather of led, bright smoke, cold fire,”.  I didn’t expect teachers to take half an hour out of class time to explain to their students that it has been “scientifically proven” that we are the most “selfish generation in human history,” but I don’t expect apologies to be made or punishments given.

Yet, these things are mere annoyances to an issue I simply must voice. I will not be lectured in dedication by a teacher that has so little pride in their work as (the new drafting professor).  I will not take any classes with this teacher even if it will mean changing the date of my graduation. I have composed a list of my reasons, but I don’t even require you to read it. As I said, I’m upset, I need to speak my peace, but you do not need to listen.

I’m sending you this mail so that I can sleep better not because I want to get people into trouble. After I send this I will consider the subject closed knowing that I have done everything in my power to better my department and preserve the quality of education for my fellow students. If you delete this mail without ever reading further I will not press the issue.

My complaints are as such:

The teacher

* Arrived habitually late to class.

* Made excuses for lateness.

“I have three full time jobs: my children, my work, and this.” Excuses are like bottoms, we all have them, and they all stink.   

* Failed to prepare class syllabus.

 Was surprised by some of the listed class materials.

* Failed to complete materials list.

* Attempted to teach materials best left to other classes.

In 279: Vector Works was to be taught at the end of the semester. That is a different class.

* Was unfamiliar with tools used in class.

            Complained about having to use T-square.

* Failed to plan lessons in advance.

* Laughed at students when they made mistakes.

“Look everyone, Ha, Ha, Ha, she just cut out the same shape over and over again and thought that it would magically fill in.” If you feel that this is appropriate conduct for a teacher I’m not willing to argue the point. You have more experience than I.

* Instructed grad student to look over student work.

            This led to mutually exclusive instruction.

* Left class after fifteen minutes of lecture.

* Left class unattended with out faculty member present. 

“I’m going home! You have to stay here!” Note that the classroom had a video camera and computer projector.  

I’m open to the idea that I’m being overly critical and we should never do anything when upset. However, stood I in your shoes, I would think very hard on how this teacher’s job may be saved. I don’t believe in punishing people for their misunderstandings only for willful misconduct. I have never encountered behavior like this in a teacher. I’m shocked and worried by the things I have seen.