LETTERS
     
    
   
   
    
     
      continued
      from
      page
      3
     
    
   
   
    
     
      flict...
      The
      faculty
      and
      college
      milieu
      must
     
     
      make
      students
      feel
      sufficiently
      supported
      so
     
     
      that
      they
      don’t
      become
      intimidated
      or
      defensive
     
     
      when
      confronted
      with
      new
      ideas.
      This
      means
     
     
      that
      the
      proper
      match
      of
      students
      with
      teachers
     
     
      is
      more
      important
      than
      aptitude
      scores
      or
      pro-
     
     
      fessor’s
      credentials.
     
    

    
     
      Granted,
      this
      is
      a
      long
      passage,
      but
      one
     
     
      worthy
      of
      citing,
      because
      it
      is
      within
      the
      wis-
     
     
      dom
      of
      these
      words
      that
      my
      concerns
      can
      be
     
     
      found.
     
    

    
     
      Since
      coming
      to
      UPEI
      a
      few
      years
      ago
      Ihave
     
     
      been
      generally
      pleased
      with
      the
      education
      I
     
     
      have
      been
      receiving.
      I
      have
      been
      able
      to
      study
     
     
      courses
      in
      a
      wide
      variety
      of
      subject
      areas
      and
     
     
      this
      has
      allowed
      me
      exposure
      to
      professors
     
     
      from
      several
      different
      faculties.
      For
      the
      most
     
     
      part
      the
      professors
      and
      instructors
      have
      treated
     
     
      me
      with
      the
      respect
      and
      sincerity
      I
      feel
      I
      deserve
     
     
      and
      I
      havereturned
      this
      courtesy
      out
      of
      wanting,
     
     
      not
      out
      of
      feeling
      it
      was
      my
      duty.
      Unfortunately,
     
     
      my
      recent
      experiences
      have
      done
      a
      great
      deal
      to
     
     
      dampen
      my
      enthusiasm
      for
      the
      university.
     
     
      Rather
      than
      allowing
      my
      anger
      and
      frustration
     
     
      to
      take
      control
      of
      my
      senses,
      I
      decided
      to
      voice
     
     
      my
      concerns
      here
      and
      let
      the
      cards
      fall
      where
     
     
      they
      may.
      Also
      unfortunately,
      I
      am
      not
      brave
     
     
      enough,
      or
      perhaps
      foolish
      enough,
      to
      sign
      my
     
     
      name
      to
      this
      article,
      because
      I
      am
      not
      con-
     
     
      vinced,
      based
      on
      experience,
      that
      those
      who
     
     
      will
      find
      it
      offensive
      are
      professional
      enough
      to
     
     
      handle
      it
      in
      an
      objective,
      rather
      than
      subjective
     
     
      manner.
      I
      am
      a
      serious
      student
      and
      it
      is
      ex-
     
     
      tremely
      important
      to
      me
      that
      I
      graduate.
     
    

    
     
      In
      the
      past
      several
      months
      I
      have
      been
      wit-
     
     
      ness
      to,
      or
      had
      reported
      to
      me,
      many
      incidents
     
     
      which
      do
      little
      to
      sufficiently
      support,
      and
      much
     
     
      to
      intimidate,
      students.
      I
      have
      heard
      professors
     
     
      berate
      adult
      students
      for
      asking
      perfectly
      rea-
     
     
      sonable
      questions,
      when
      it
      has
      been
      clear
      that
     
     
      the
      problem
      rested
      with
      the
      professor’s
      inabil-
     
     
      ity
      to
      listen
      effectively
      to
      the
      question
      being
     
     
      asked.
      I
      have
      been
      informed
      of
      professors
     
     
      suggesting,
      on
      the
      basis
      of
      the
      tiniest
      bits
      of
     
     
      evaluation,
      that
      students
      are
      not
      capable
      of
     
     
      success.
      I
      have
      been
      subjected
      to
      professors
     
     
      who,
      although
      they
      appear
      to
      welcome
      student
     
     
      input,
      consistently
      respond
      to
      student
      com-
     
     
      ments
      in
      a
      condescending
      manner.
      I
      have
      been
     
     
      informed
      ofa
      professor
      who
      has
      made
      it
      clear
      to
     
     
      his
      students
      that
      their
      input
      is
      not
      welcome
      and
     
     
      he
      isnot
      interested
      in
      their
      opinions.
      Professors
     
     
      might
      do
      well
      to
      entertain
      our
      ideas;
      perhaps
     
     
      one
      of
      the
      future’s
      greatest
      minds
      is
      sitting
      in
     
     
      the
      back
      row
      listening.
     
    

    
     
      How
      many
      profs
      at
      UPEI
      realize
      that
      most
     
     
      students
      take
      five
      courses?
      When
      students
     
    

    
     
      complain
      about
      a
      heavy
      work
      load,
      perhaps
     
     
      there
      is
      some
      merit
      in
      probing
      the
      students
      for
     
     
      more
      information.
      The
      current
      emphasis
      in
     
     
      education
      is
      on
      quality
      not
      quantity,
      but
      this
     
     
      seems
      not
      to
      be
      the
      case
      in
      some
      UPEI
      faculties.
     
    
   
   
    
     
      6
     
    
   
   
    
     
      I
      have
      heard
      of
      complaints
      of
      overworked
      stu-
     
     
      dents
      being
      referred
      to
      as
      whiners.
      Perhaps
     
     
      when
      professors
      demonstrate
      an
      ability
      to
      accu-
     
     
      rately
      predict
      in
      which
      month
      students
      will
      start
     
     
      whining
      (as
      seems
      to
      be
      the
      case
      in
      at
      least
      one
     
     
      faculty)
      this
      should
      be
      interpreted
      as
      strong
     
     
      grounds
      for
      investigation
      into
      the
      concerns
      of
     
     
      the
      students.
      Our
      society
      is
      in
      great
      need
      of
     
     
      problem
      solvers,
      but
      the
      approaches
      used
      by
     
     
      some
      of
      the
      professors
      will
      do
      little
      more
      than
     
     
      encourage
      students
      to
      read
      and
      regurgitate.
     
    

    
     
      I
      have
      been
      in
      the
      presence
      of
      too
      many
      profs
     
     
      who
      apparently
      assume
      that
      students
      are
      imma-
     
     
      ture
      and
      need
      to
      be
      spoon
      fed.
      Stop
      reading
      to
     
     
      me.
      If
      you
      plan
      to
      spend
      a
      large
      portion
      of
      class
     
     
      time
      reading
      off
      of
      an
      overhead
      or
      handout,
      step
     
     
      aside
      and
      let
      me
      do
      it
      myself.
      I
      can
      read
      and,
     
     
      quite
      frankly,
      I
      have
      better
      things
      to
      do
      with
      my
     
     
      time.
      I
      find
      it
      terribly
      interesting
      that
      it
      is
      often
     
     
      (not
      always)
      these
      professors
      that
      have
      a
      large
     
    
   
   
    
     
      .
      portion
      of
      their
      course
      grade
      dependent
      on
      class
     
    
   
   
    
     
      participation.
      God
      save
      you
      if
      you
      learn
      better
     
     
      by
      reading
      and
      listening
      than
      by
      talking.
      All
      I
     
     
      ask
      is
      that
      you
      treat
      me
      like
      an
      adult.
      Assign
      the
     
     
      work
      and
      let
      me
      get
      on
      with
      it.
      Let
      me
      decide
     
     
      if
      I
      need
      to
      be
      present
      for
      every
      class
      or
      not
      and
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      "Professors
     
     
      please
      listen
     
     
      to
      your
     
     
      students."
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
    
   
   
    
     
      if
      you
      find
      your
      classes
      are
      becoming
      quite
     
     
      vacant,
      then
      perhaps
      it
      is
      time
      you
      reviewed
     
     
      your
      methods,
      or
      content.
      Outside
      of
      seminar
     
     
      classes
      I
      see
      little
      use
      for
      participation
      marks
     
     
      other
      than
      to
      fuel
      a
      troubled
      ego
     
    

    
     
      Perhaps
      the
      thing
      that
      concerns
      me
      most
      is
     
     
      the
      fact
      that
      the
      majority
      of
      whining
      and
      com-
     
     
      plaining
      I
      hear
      from
      other
      students
      is
      rooted
      in
     
     
      legitimate
      concerns,
      but
      some
      profs
      and
      some
     
     
      faculties
      choose
      to
      completely
      ignore,
      or
      dis-
     
     
      count
      student
      concerns
      when
      they
      are
      put
      forth
     
     
      in
      an
      appropriate
      manner
      (ie:
      course
      evalua-
     
     
      tions).
      Subsequently,
      the
      students
      are
      left
      with
     
     
      no
      outlet
      for
      their
      frustrations,
      other
      than
      whin-
     
     
      ing
      and
      complaining
      to
      other
      students.
      Thank
     
     
      god
      for
      my
      peers
      and
      several
      objective
      profs
     
     
      whohave
      been
      wonderful
      listeners.
      And
      therein
     
     
      lies
      the
      key
      to
      most
      of
      the
      problems:
      LISTEN-
     
     
      ING.
     
    

    
     
      Students
      please
      stop
      whining
      and
      start
      re-
     
     
      sponding
      to
      some
      of
      the
      nonsense
      you
      are
     
    
   
   
    
     
      ‘in
      your
      case
      a
      few
      decades.
     
    
   
   
    
     
       
     
     
          
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
         
     
     
        
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
          
     
     
         
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
       
     
     
        
     
    
   
   
    
     
      subjected
      to.
      We
      pay
      $228.00
      per
      course
      and
      if
     
     
      we
      feel
      that
      we
      are
      paying
      to
      be
      treated
      like
     
     
      children,
      or
      we
      feel
      we
      are
      paying
      for
      boredom
     
     
      and
      frustration,
      we
      need
      to
      speak
      up.
      Ifa
      prof
     
     
      does
      not
      appear
      approachable
      speak
      to
      a
      Dean.
     
     
      If
      youare
      not
      comfortable
      going
      to
      the
      Dean
      call
     
     
      the
      student
      union.
      We
      are
      supposed
      to
      have
      an
     
     
      ombudsperson
      to
      handle
      these
      situations.
      No
     
     
      matter
      what
      your
      concern,
      you
      have
      the
      right
      to
     
     
      be
      heard.
      If
      you
      are
      ‘not
      sure
      your
      particular
     
     
      concern
      is
      one
      that
      deserves
      attention
      outside
      of
     
     
      your
      own
      need
      to
      make
      some
      personal
      changes,
     
     
      get
      an
      objective
      opinion.
      Based
      on
      my
      experi-
     
     
      ence,
      there
      are
      many
      profs
      at
      UPEI
      who
      are
     
     
      objective
      and
      helpful.
      If
      you
      don’t
      feel
      com-
     
     
      fortable
      approaching
      any
      one
      mentioned
      here,
     
     
      then
      go
      to
      student
      services
      and
      see
      a
      counsellor.
     
     
      If
      you
      know
      your
      concerns
      are
      shared
      by
      many
     
     
      others,
      get
      together
      and
      elect
      a
      few
      representa-
     
     
      tives
      to
      voice
      your
      concerns.
      You
      have
      a
      right
     
     
      to
      be
      heard.
     
    

    
     
      For
      all
      of
      the
      professors
      who
      read
      this
      article
     
     
      with
      contempt,
      it
      is
      probably
      you
      that
      I
      am
     
     
      addressing.
      For
      those
      of
      you
      who
      have
      already
     
     
      discounted
      this
      letter
      as
      gibberish
      and
      ‘whin-
     
     
      ing’
      take
      note
      that
      this
      article
      is
      not
      written
      by
     
     
      a
      border
      line
      student
      who
      blames
      the
      teacher
      for
     
     
      failures.
      am
      a
      high
      functioning
      honor
      student.
     
     
      I
      don’t
      need
      anything
      to
      change
      at
      the
      university
     
     
      in
      order
      to
      feel
      good
      about
      myself,
      my
      academic
     
     
      abilities,
      or
      my
      future;
      however,
      a
      few
      changes
     
     
      on
      your
      part
      could
      make
      UPEI
      a
      much
      more
     
     
      comfortable
      place
      to
      spend
      four
      or
      five
      years,
      or
     
    
   
   
    
     
      Professors,
      please
      listen
      to
      your
      students.
     
     
      Assume
      that
      most
      ofus
      are
      bright
      and
      articulate,
     
     
      or
      desire
      to
      become
      so.
      You
      might
      learn
      to
      such
     
     
      riddles
      as,
      why
      does
      everyone
      always
      get
      that
     
     
      particular
      answer
      wrong?
      Or,
      why
      does
      every-
     
     
      one
      complain
      about
      this
      particular
      assignment?
     
     
      Or,
      why
      does
      everyone
      start
      to
      complain
      at
      the
     
     
      same
      time
      of
      year,
      every
      year?
      Treat
      us
      with
     
     
      respect
      and
      you
      will
      likely
      be
      surprised
      at
      how
     
     
      many
      of
      us
      return
      the
      courtesy.
      When
      you
      are
     
     
      planning
      your
      courses
      remember
      that
      quantity
     
     
      rarely
      translates
      into
      quality.
      And
      it
      wouldn’t
     
     
      hurt
      to
      prepare
      your
      course
      outlines
      prior
      to
      the
     
     
      first
      day
      of
      classes,
      including
      evaluation
      crite-
     
     
      ria
      and
      the
      dates
      for
      exams.
      Carefully
      selecting
     
     
      courses
      and
      effectively
      managing
      our
      time
      is
     
     
      difficult
      enough
      without
      surprises.
      This
      list
     
     
      could
      surely
      be
      longer,
      but
      I
      think
      the
      messag¢
     
     
      is
      clear.
      Take
      a
      look
      at
      yourself
      before
      you
     
     
      judge
      your
      students’
      concerns.
      Don’t
      assume
     
     
      that
      most
      ofusare
      only
      at
      university
      to
      kill
      time;
     
     
      perhaps
      this
      is
      your
      problem,
      not
      ours.
     
    

    
     
      In
      closing
      I
      want
      to
      thank
      the
      18
      or
      so
      out
      of
     
     
      20
      profs
      who
      have
      provided
      me
      with
      an
      incred-
     
     
      ibly
      positive
      experience.
      Some
      of
      you
      have
     
     
      taught
      me
      that
      there
      is
      no
      limit
      to
      the
      height
      of
     
     
      sincerity;
      one
      of
      you
      taught
      me
      that
      what
      !
     
     
      understand
      is
      usually
      more
      important
      than
      wha!
     
     
      I
      know
      and
      many
      of
      you
      have
      provided
      me
      with
     
     
      the
      respect
      and
      guidance
      I
      needed
      to
      dig
      deep
     
     
      inside
      myself
      and
      find
      the
      motivation
      and
      desir¢
     
     
      to
      learn
      beyond
      course
      requirements.