Students’ time deserves respect
Students’ time is valuable. An hour can make the difference between getting a paper written and turning in an incomplete assignment. Time is precious, and professors shouldn’t waste it.
The university imposes grade penalties for student absence or tardiness (in most classes). We have to provide proof that our absence from class was “excused” and that it was well worth it to miss the lecture. But when a professor skips out on class, with little or no warning to students, it wastes our time.
One day this week, I rushed to my first class. We had a quiz and a paper due. I had stayed up late the night before, skimping on my other assignments because this one was due sooner. I walked into class, and every student in the room was studying for the quiz. Then someone checked her e-mail — class was canceled 10 minutes before it was supposed to start. Most students were still walking to class at that time. The excuse was the teacher was sick and the absence was unplanned. While I hoped he felt better, my first thought was, “Didn’t he know he was sick well before 10 minutes prior to class? Maybe the night before?”I was not the only student exasperated by this. Many exclaimed, “Oh, I could have been in bed,” “What? I stayed up all night working,” and, “Are you serious? How rude.”
I could have spent my night being more productive on all my classes and not just the one I was under the gun for. The professor could have let students know earlier, and then we would not have had to show up in the rain, pay for parking or walk from our dorms to find that the class and projects were canceled and delayed. It was inconsiderate.
Teachers expect us to respect their time by showing up to class and paying attention, and I think they should show us the same and respect our time as well.