Tick-Tock

 

The clock keeps spinning, and I need to vent slightly about an annoyance:

Our U has an Office of Disability Services.  This is, of course, a very valuable thing and is good, important and needed to help folks who may have a disability of some sort that can be accommodated to help them be successful in college.  I have have many 100s of such students over the years, and they have ranged from physical limitations to emotional and mental limitations.  It is good of our U to do this sort of service.

Yet, as I have spoken about previously, there are SOME aspects of accommodations that the U sometimes awards students that are simply akin to cheating.  I now regularly get perhaps half a dozen students a year now that qualify for "note cards" (aka cheat sheets) that they can write up ahead of time and then USE during their exam at a quiet, solitary testing center at the U.  But, I digress.... these are students I have spoken of before, and they are still, to my manner of thinking..... not doing the right thing.... for others in the class, for the class itself, and for their own learning.

The new pet peeve, however is the adoption of the "privilege" of NOT having to use a scantron sheet when taking an exam.  Supposedly, these students have some sort of "challenge" in filling in the bubbles on a scantron sheet that warrants their simply needing to circle the answer they choose on the multiple choice test itself.  And, our Office of Disability Services does not convert the answers onto a scantron for us professors.  No, we are simply supposed to do it ourselves.  And, when you have 5-6 students (out of my ~275) acquire this "accommodation" across 5 different 100 question exams in the semester.... it is just annoying and aggravating to do.... and it does not actually feel appropriate.   

Yes, it does not take a LONG time.  But it is ANNOYING that this is an "accommodation" a student may select.  And, in the two that I am converting today.... each student is NOT visually impaired, has no coordination issues, and BOTH write in very fine, very small script all over their exam booklet (I permit this for all students).... so they damn well can fill in a bubble on a scantron form.  

• Ran 10.  It was nice outside again.  A bit windy, but still quite pleasant.  
• My wife and I hope to go swim this afternoon and perhaps will dine out tonight.  
• Still debating in my mind (eagerly) whether to have a cigar or a pipe if I get to go a week from this Thursday.  I am probably making this decision and this planned for event FAR bigger a deal than most would understand.  But, it sounds and seems as if it could be just so very good at many levels.  I really would PREFER a pipe, but I also do not really want to stand out like a sore thumb if cigars are the norm.  
  

PipeTobacco