Get a Backbone

We just received the following email from the Associate Dean (with identifying information removed, of course):

Dear Students:

I am dismayed that a small minority of students have sought my intervention with regard to the use of laptops to complete final exams. My intervention would be unnecessary had students complied with what I have determined to be a clearly stated deadline. As more than 95% of you know, the Registrar notified students (via the
[list of announcements], email, and various bulletin board notices) of the requirement to make your desire to use laptops known to the Registrar by a certain, clearly stated deadline. Nevertheless, some students failed to comply with the deadline and now assert various reasons why they should not be held responsible for their failure. Before addressing those arguments and stating my disposition of this matter, I should inform you that the deadline was not arbitrarily set nor was
it without purpose. The Law School has limited space and personnel and must therefore make prior plans to accomodate all exam takers in a fair manner.

I have listened to all concerns carefully. Frankly, I find the reasons given for some
students' failure to meet the deadline frivoluous and designed only to deflect personal responsibility. The excuses include (1) that notice appeared in the [list of announcements] but only on the second page, (2) that notice was given in an
email attachment that students decided not to read, or (3) that notice was given in
insufficiently bold print. One student argued that the Law School's need to enforce simple clear deadlines should not outweigh the need for academic success. Of course, meeting deadlines is perhaps the best way to ensure success in any endeavor. I shudder to think that these excuses might ever be presented to a supervising attorney, law firm partner, judge or client in the real world. If anything, I fully expect the excuses would be met with sanctions in the real world, particularly if it could be demonstrated that the vast and overwhelming majority of persons to whom
the notice is directed had no trouble whatsoever understanding and complying.

Having said that, I now inform those students who wish to use laptops during their exams, but who failed to meet the deadline that if they wish to use laptops they wish to use laptops they must appear in person at the Registrar's office between 10:00 am and 2:00 pm, Tuesday April 26, 2005 to make their desire known.

Failure to do so will result in consequences and repercussions.

Signed,
Dean MacPherson

***

That last threat might have meant something if the entire email preceeding it didn't reek of extreme lack of cojones. "Consequences and repercussions"? Like what? You won't give in and let them take their exams on laptop after all?

If there's a reason for the rule, then the rule should be enforced. Of course, a good administrator knows how to enforce a rule while allowing for real emergency, for example, an extension of a few days if you're hit by a truck on the way in to sign up. Not being bothered to read the announcements-- which are available to students in at least four different ways, including copies posted in the student lounge and in front of the Career Services office-- does not constitite an emergency. Furthermore, in addition to announcements in the normal methods of communications, there were large signs posted on the Registrar's office window :SIGN UP FOR LAPTOP USE HERE!!!

If you can't be bothered to read announcements, then your academic success can't matter much to you. So why should it matter to the Dean?

And you, Dean MacPherson: GROW A PAIR. Or go back to wherever you came from and give your job to someone who will actually *do* the job.