Background: I am taking two classes at Texas State University through their McCoy School of Business MBA program. These classes are one night a week each from 6:30-9:15pm. I am also speaking at SMX East and Pubcon this Fall, which require me to miss class.
For me, it’s worth it to incur possible penalties (there are no tests on those days) for what I will gain from attending the conferences. But today I got to thinking why I am even penalized for missing class. I get public school (Grade K-12), other people are paying for you to be there.
At the collegiate level, I really don’t get it, I’m paying (or for some people, someone else is) for the professor to be there and teach me. If I want to miss class, there should be no penalty other than the knowledge missed in class discussion.
If you have assignments due and can turn them in early, I see no reason why you should be penalized. Late or make-up issues I understand, but even then as professionals we have other committments. Sick children, corporate disasters, etc. Don’t give me this crap about preparing me for the real world. Guess what? We live in it! Work does stop for a sick child, work gets made up for a missed day. Get over it!
For example, for SMX East I will be coming back that night and if allowed, using technology I could have joined in class discussion. But the university is not set up for something like that. Where did I get that hairbrained idea? University of Phoenix commericals. Yeah, that idea that has taken the world by storm?
All of a sudden you can learn the same things, get the same work done on your schedule, and interact with other students using technology. This all of a sudden is looking like a better idea for the real professional today pursuing a higher degree. I get why they are the largest growing university in the United States. They are listening to what people need and providing a solution that works with the times.
Universities, get with it. If you can’t keep up, what is happening to the newpaper industry might just be headed for you next. Tell your professors to get consulting jobs on the side to keep up with the industry so that we are not schooling them. Open courses up online and get rid of the stupid requirement, the penality of a docked grade for missing class (for any reason whatsoever other than religious holidays).
3 Comments
Add Yours →I totally agree with you! I think this is even more true in an MBA program. Being a part of your industry as well as a part of your company is definitely part of the real world. And sometimes that is going to mean taking it on the road!
When I was teaching, I would joke with students that college education was the only thing I knew of that people didn’t mind NOT getting what they paid for.
If it were my class – I would have no problem with you missing a couple classes…but when you get to 5 or 6, sorry – you’re done. Make room for another student that couldn’t get into the class.
I completely agree Jack. When you miss multitudes, that’s just a lack of respect. But docking grades on top of missing content in class is disrespecting the student if there are good reasons why they are missing class. Having the attitude of “you can miss one class and one class only” is just a bad way to approach things.