Petition Letter
Hello,
My name is Melissa Naami and I would like to appeal to get Gender Studies 280 off of my transcript. I have followed instructions concerning the assignments given to the fullest of my abilities and regarding the first one, Key Terms 1, I was told by Professor Greensmith that it was done incorrectly. The instructions given to the student was extremely broad leaving many of us to not pass or do poorly. I received 10. Although I understand it was not done exactly how Professor Greensmith would have liked it to be done, I went to meet up with him regarding this to understand where I went wrong. To my knowledge, I assumed he would be able to give me a full detailed explanation on what I could have done to improve for next time, but instead I was told that he read half of it and realized it was not to his standards.
The explanation given for this assignment goes as following;
Key term 1 (10):
Using a key term identified in week 2 or 3, critically analyze one course reading from week 2 or 3. Write a maximum of 2 pages. Due week 4.
As you can see, the details are extremely broad, so I did exactly what was told, which was taking a key term in week 2 OR 3. I later received an unfair mark because he then explained after he had corrected and graded the assignment that he wanted two key terms to be compared. I then received 10.
Professor Greensmith then said for students who did poorly, that they are able to improve their mark on the second key terms assignment and it will be worth 20 and the first one will be overlooked.
During this timeframe, the class was given a book report in which I followed the broad instructions as clearly as could be. The comments that were left were stating not to cite lecture materials when I was using knowledge I learned from the lecture. Going through the paper, Greensmith begins with a detailed opinion of how the paper should have been and what can be changed but towards the end, makes no comments aside from the occasional question marks which leave no room for discussion or understanding of where I could have improved then leaves me with a grade of 5.5 on 25 which is 22. How is it fair to grant a grade below 50 without explaining why in a detailed form
Lastly, the key terms 2 was due, and as stated before I went to see him prior to the due date when receiving the absolutely horrid mark on the first ¿¿key terms¿. A few days after the due date, I get an e-mail stating that my assignment, once again, does not meet expectations when I explicitly followed the instructions given as well as the ones he informed me of during our meeting.
Frankly, I feel to hand out grades, considering that this is my major, without giving a detailed explanation of why I am receiving those grades is not appropriate nor acceptable. I also feel that he is only available on campus one day a week, which is either right after class, or the following week on Monday, if the class has an assignment due Tuesday morning, that does not benefit the students. Greensmith, I feel, when it comes to Gender Studies has only one opinion and is not open minded to the thoughts of others especially the students who are attempting to learn and understand the course material. His grading scheme is very bias toward his own views, and disregards the opinions of students if it is not what he agrees to. He is a new teacher who has had no previous experience teaching a university class and was not given a Teacher Assistant to give the students the opportunity to get both the professor, and the TA's opinion, not just a bias one.
I am appealing this course in the hopes to get it removed from my transcript because I feel this grade is detrimental to my GPA. As well as, was not appropriately given to me with lack of knowledge as to why I am receiving these grades.
Thank you
Melissa Naami
My name is Melissa Naami and I would like to appeal to get Gender Studies 280 off of my transcript. I have followed instructions concerning the assignments given to the fullest of my abilities and regarding the first one, Key Terms 1, I was told by Professor Greensmith that it was done incorrectly. The instructions given to the student was extremely broad leaving many of us to not pass or do poorly. I received 10. Although I understand it was not done exactly how Professor Greensmith would have liked it to be done, I went to meet up with him regarding this to understand where I went wrong. To my knowledge, I assumed he would be able to give me a full detailed explanation on what I could have done to improve for next time, but instead I was told that he read half of it and realized it was not to his standards.
The explanation given for this assignment goes as following;
Key term 1 (10):
Using a key term identified in week 2 or 3, critically analyze one course reading from week 2 or 3. Write a maximum of 2 pages. Due week 4.
As you can see, the details are extremely broad, so I did exactly what was told, which was taking a key term in week 2 OR 3. I later received an unfair mark because he then explained after he had corrected and graded the assignment that he wanted two key terms to be compared. I then received 10.
Professor Greensmith then said for students who did poorly, that they are able to improve their mark on the second key terms assignment and it will be worth 20 and the first one will be overlooked.
During this timeframe, the class was given a book report in which I followed the broad instructions as clearly as could be. The comments that were left were stating not to cite lecture materials when I was using knowledge I learned from the lecture. Going through the paper, Greensmith begins with a detailed opinion of how the paper should have been and what can be changed but towards the end, makes no comments aside from the occasional question marks which leave no room for discussion or understanding of where I could have improved then leaves me with a grade of 5.5 on 25 which is 22. How is it fair to grant a grade below 50 without explaining why in a detailed form
Lastly, the key terms 2 was due, and as stated before I went to see him prior to the due date when receiving the absolutely horrid mark on the first ¿¿key terms¿. A few days after the due date, I get an e-mail stating that my assignment, once again, does not meet expectations when I explicitly followed the instructions given as well as the ones he informed me of during our meeting.
Frankly, I feel to hand out grades, considering that this is my major, without giving a detailed explanation of why I am receiving those grades is not appropriate nor acceptable. I also feel that he is only available on campus one day a week, which is either right after class, or the following week on Monday, if the class has an assignment due Tuesday morning, that does not benefit the students. Greensmith, I feel, when it comes to Gender Studies has only one opinion and is not open minded to the thoughts of others especially the students who are attempting to learn and understand the course material. His grading scheme is very bias toward his own views, and disregards the opinions of students if it is not what he agrees to. He is a new teacher who has had no previous experience teaching a university class and was not given a Teacher Assistant to give the students the opportunity to get both the professor, and the TA's opinion, not just a bias one.
I am appealing this course in the hopes to get it removed from my transcript because I feel this grade is detrimental to my GPA. As well as, was not appropriately given to me with lack of knowledge as to why I am receiving these grades.
Thank you
Melissa Naami