Yes, I agree with Tusco. I haven't responded here because I don't feel I can advise you, but I wish you the very best of luck and you ave my thoughts. And a sprout, if that helps any: (sprout)

That's such a brilliant idea! I will do that. Did you ask for them to be sent to your home address, or to the unversity?

I feel really embarassed about going into the shop now, I'm very shy about these things... And I don't usually go for the older man, it would be a whole new endeavour for me. Maybe I'll go and leaf through the dvds again...

Sneaks, that's really uuuwwwaaarrrrgggghhh making, not realy similar to my story at all! No wonder you power walked.

When I have an undisciplined, noisy group, I stand, silently in front of the group, just waiting and they usually stop after a while. With a rally big group, like a lecture sometimes there are a few stragglers who keep chatting, so I ask them if they are giving the lecture and what it is they have to tell us all, ask them to speak up so we can all hear them, or some ther sarcastic teachery comment, and that usually works.

I agree that students have less respect and are more demanding, perhaps this has to do with resentment about paying fees and them suffering the effects of shrinking departmental budgets, perhaps.

This made me laugh out loud like a crazy duddette, in the street.

I took some of my old clothes to the charity shop over the road from my place, where this really cool silver fox odler man type works sometimes. He's always playing excellent music like the Fall and other obscure 80s things, and he looks really interesting, so I have this half crush thing on hime when he's in there, he's like the type that I would have thought was amazingly cool when I was about 14, but had a proper grown up life, although, I don't think about him outside of the shop. Anyhow, today he was behind the counter, so, after leafing through the dvds, I goes up to him and says 'I have some clothes, would you take them off me?' he gave me this really quick, naughty look and a smile and just started going 'ooooww I didn't mean it in that way' in a nervous manner and started and waving my hands around. I just burst out laughing and laughing as soon as I walked out of the shop. A real carry on moment.

So psychologists, do you think this was a freudian slip on my part?

WWWWwaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhw how rotten.

I've just realised I left the hard copy of one my student group's research project report in the seminar room, in another city, and its assessed work they handed in to me which I have to have marked by the beginning of next week (when next I am in ssaid other city). So have had to email them to try and et an electronic copy, saying I left it in someone's office, better than 'the dog ate it' I suppose... human error on my part entirely, and I do feel like a daft, disorganised tutor for having done it. But with your news it doesn't seem so bad...

Cheer up Wal, I'm sure your research is fabulous anyway - could you do the whole thing again? Have a sprout = (sprout)

Sneaks, that's brilliant! Brilliant! I will remember that tactic forever...

======= Date Modified 10 Mar 2010 17:13:19 =======
I wouldn't wait until after the event to say something - you'll look less convincing, as f you are just jumping on the bandwagon, so to speak; either say it before, or say nothing. Bringing the petition to light won't do anything other than damage the new lecturer, unless there is proof that it has been compiled in an illegitimate way, that's the important thing.

If I were the new lecturer I would want signed evidence from at least three students stating that they were being encouraged by a member of staff to act against another member of staff. In the HE education system, three is the magic number - it equals proof upon which action can be taken against a staff member, and proof hat tsomething happened. And I'd be looking intoo how the petition was started, did the dastardly twosome instigate it? Were some students encouraged to instigate it? All these things would be important if a tribunal of some sort took place. I'd also be looking at what they pair are accusing her of, in my experience people who make false accusations are very often guilty of what they are accusing. Then I'd be looking for evidence for further misconduct (most likely in the ring leader) along those lines so I could really hammer them.

So that's what I'd be doing if I were her, but I really think it is the new lecturer's choice as to how this dealt with. I think you should tell her, in person, so there is no record of you doing it, but I think, for your own conscience, and maybe your own skin one day - it sounds as if you could be as much of a threat to this nasty individual one day soon, as the new lecturer is - it is important to tell her the knives are out. I've found that nasty people such as this are usually disliked and have plenty of enemies who would like to see the back of them, so she could get support in this.


I like the meeting idea though! That would be cool, but, yes, it's also a risk.

I just don't bother responding to emails like this. If the student asks why (which they probably won't because if they're too lazy to find references, then they'll most likely be too lazy to turn up at uni), I explain that thir research is their responsibility, usually makinga joke of it, in which they look a bit stupid in front of the other students. Ha, ha, ha, ha. It pays to be tough sometimes...

======= Date Modified 10 Mar 2010 14:31:41 =======
Hi Bewildrered this sounds like a really tricky situation and good on you for eing so concerned - a good soul.

I think in your position, I would speak to the new lecturer and tell her what you know, then leave it up to her. She could get in touch with the union, they may help, if there is a good rep at your uni. Surely drumming up a detrimental petition amongst student would be a disciplinary offence and the pair could be in trouble?

I gree that you should also speak to your students about the nature of complaints procedures and how the should or should not operate. You never know, the students might make a counter complaint if the dastardly duo push it too far.

Oh, also, my approach would be to avoid lettng either of the two petitioners know that you disapprove, or even that you know what they are doing. I tend to think that given enough rope, and when watched carefully enough this type will hang themselves. I also think it's upi tot he new lecturer to decide how she deals with this.

Hi Maria, I am a part-time distance student too. I am on chatting terms with some of the PhDers in my department, and have swapped numers etc with another distance learner in the department, but I don't have friends there, as such.

I've recently made promise to myself to go to all the department events, no matter what, just so I feel more involved.

I wouldn't worry about not having friends in the department, you're not there to make friends; unless you are short on friends generally, in which case you could find some non - academic activities to get involved with.

Also, was the weekend away a research trip? Or someting social? If it were research then that's just business, and your not going reflects nothing of your status in the department. If it were social, I find that a bit off anyhow - I'm very wary of staff getting too pally with students, at least while they are still students anyhow. I don't think it's professional.

Send 'em to boot camp with a big scary sergeant major shouting at them and making them seek out obscure references from 5:30am in the morning until sun-down. Then make 'em eat gruel for their tea.

======= Date Modified 09 Mar 2010 22:23:27 =======
I did it! I worked it out! You have to move the box onto a springy thing and it opens up a trap door to a dungeon type area, which I have just explored. Now watch me conquer...

Hi Maria, I agree, I love this thread too, but my supervisor is really cool so I don't have much to offer, although there was this one time last year when I said I'd been watching loads of Kate Bush videos on youtube and noticed a similarity between them and films made in the Jarman stable - he looked at me askance, as if to say isn't that a bit off topic for your research, but I'd been watching them to get fancy dress ideas. So not really a wind up at all!

Maria, also, I'm reading Wilde's Dorian Grey (amazing, amazing, amazing) at the moment so I watched the film a few days ago, out of curiosity, and it was totally rubbish. Colin Firth was worth watching though, as usual.