The Becker Blog

One learns more from a good scholar in a rage than from a score of lucid and laborious drudges. – Rudyard Kipling

The University of Calgary says it cares about its students.

Let’s see,

“The U of C is pursuing the biggest single capital expansion in its history. Fuelled by Alberta’s nation-leading economic growth, the university has embarked upon a $1.5-billion plan to add capacity for 7,000 more students and a host of new teaching and research activities.”

From the U of Calgary website:

“Leading-edge teaching methods and technologies

A student-centred approach

The U of C’s high-quality undergraduate education is characterized by the synthesis of research, teaching and learning. We enhance our students’ experience by enabling them to take an inquiry-based approach through experiential learning — literally learning through experience. This leads to greater critical thinking skills, increased exposure to research methods, greater access to leading edge scholars, and it creates a more engaging, motivating learning environment for our students.” from http://www.ucalgary.ca/about

Sounds great, huh?

Say, have you EVER heard of a university that claims to be anything other than the bestest and most caringest?

And yet, instructors like Dr. Allison Dube don’t get paid enough to make ends meet, let alone prepare for retirement. Dr. Dube, one of the best teachers on campus, has won the Student’s Union Teaching Award THREE times in the last three years (which may be a first for anyone on campus, ever.). He is a Political Science sessional instructor who holds a PhD from the London School of Economics, and yet the university has steadfastly refused to recognize his value to the institution.

Hmmmm… what was that about “high-quality undergraduate education”? As someone who knows first hand what happens to faculty who try to stand up for students I would most strenuously advise people to NOT believe everything they read. This same institution that claims to espouse a student-centered approach criticized and then penalized me for such things as:

• allowing students to prove their competence through means other than high-stakes exams
• giving students choices about the assignments they did or flexible deadlines
• encouraging students to share, help each other and build a community of learners
• using performance-based assessments
• treating my students as individuals
  

Talk is cheap. So is webpage real estate – it is easy to post statements that people want to hear. Remember that just because they say it doesn’t make it true.

Here’s a way to get a feel for what the university is really about. Take a walk around campus sometime – do you see happy people? Excited students? A lively community? How many faculty offices do you pass where the people inside smile rather than scowl at you as you pass? For that matter, how many faculty keep their doors open? Are administrative staff friendly? How do they react when an error is pointed out? When was the last time you recall someone taking responsibility for something that is wrong and trying to fix it (instead of saying, “Too Bad, So sad.”, or trying to blame someone else)?

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