Posted on 01/18/2006 7:53:10 PM PST by blam
Rightwing group offers students $100 to spy on professors
· Republican graduate's site prompts witch-hunt fears
· 31 academics listed as 'worthy of scrutiny'
Dan Glaister in Los Angeles
Thursday January 19, 2006
The Guardian (UK)
It is the sort of invitation any poverty-stricken student would find hard to resist. "Do you have a professor who just can't stop talking about President Bush, about the war in Iraq, about the Republican party, or any other ideological issue that has nothing to do with the class subject matter? If you help ... expose the professor, we'll pay you for your work."
For full notes, a tape recording and a copy of all teaching materials, students at the University of California Los Angeles are being offered $100 (£57) - the tape recorder is provided free of charge - by an alumni group.
Lecture notes without a tape recording net $50, and even non-attendance at the class while providing copies of the teaching materials is worth $10.
But the initiative has prompted concerns that the group, the brainchild of a former leader of the college's Republicans, is a witch-hunt. Several targeted professors have complained, figures associated with the group have distanced themselves from the project and the college is studying whether the sale of notes infringes copyright and contravenes regulations.
(Excerpt) Read more at guardian.co.uk ...
Some spin. I'm getting whiplash. Students are allowed to tape lectures, but not if it is to provide evidence of inappropriate classroom activities?
I went to UC, and I would have volunteered to do this FOR FREE.
Yeah. But I don't have a problem with that.
To make a Paypal!
The kids can inform, but there is an issue regarding what is done with class materials.
They can report the bad things said and perhaps even a recording if they are allowed in class.
You can not (I don't think) allow class outlines, materials or tests to be given out for money.
I don't know how these folks are going to handle this, but it is interesting to read.
See #26.
Bears repeating.... put that on a bumper sticker; and I'll buy 2.
If you are taking a class on Physics, and you have spent $x,000 to take this course; and the Professor choses to spend your time and your money by giving a monologue on his thoughts on Pres. GW Bush; I'd say that a tape of his lecture along side a syllabus of the course would be proof that the professor owes each and every one of his students a full semester's refund.
Why? Missing just one class can mean postponing graduation a semester. Based upon the average cost of what a graduating senior would make; this amounts to several tens of thousands of dollars. Some would call this fraud.
Now add to the fact that if you complain, you can be punished by 'failing' the class, at the Professor's whim. I'd say adding some personal responsibility to the teacher is fair and just; after all the student's grades and career are based upon their personal responsibility.
My daughter was in a French class last semester and the instructor would constantly urge the students to attend various political rallies and protests (all anti war anti Bush of course). The instructor was nice to her, but she was afraid to give her conservative opinion because in the past when she has done this her grade went from high B to low C... A lot of grading is up to the whim of the instructor and it is hard to protest a low grade on a project or essay.
It's not just PC to remain quiet... there is a very subtle threat to your future and livelihood.
'Specially for 8 a.m. classes. :)
HAHA! This would be funny!
Kinda funny in a sick sort of way.
When Liberals are in control, they threaten our careers, our grades and demand complete obedience.
But, if a Conservative simply says that he wants evidence that he's being abused; suddenly it's a 'Witch-hunt'.
Since when is an accurate report of the truth of what government-employed teachers do in the classroom "spying"?
That is exactly what is happening here. I applaud the young people who are battling the liberal-nazis. I told my daughter that it is up to her generation to turn this around. I think there are a lot of young 20-somethings out there that are conservative and sick of this crap. The tide will turn.
And why not? It happens all the time!! Students sell books, materials.
The tests are another story. That's where the trouble lies.
T R A N S P A R E N C Y
T R A N S P A R E N C Y
It's not spying....it's whistleblowing :o).
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