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[luke_cage]

In our Masters program we have a new untenured professor teaching a required course.  A group of 2nd year students took it upon themselves to sit in on the course and offer criticism on the professor's teaching. While feedback is good, I think the students were out of line. This is not normal procedure in our department. Students who are enrolled in a class get evaluation forms, but that's about it.

Has anyone had an experience like this? How did your department handle it?

[crazybatlady]

Hm.  So you are saying that second-year graduate students showed up for a class in which they were not enrolled, were allowed to stay, and then ... what?  Gave the professor a written evaluation?

The students were totally out of line, but why did the professor allow them to attend a course they should have already taken and have no business in?

[smart_e_pantz]

In our Masters program we have a new untenured professor teaching a required course.  A group of 2nd year students took it upon themselves to sit in on the course and offer criticism on the professor's teaching. While feedback is good, I think the students were out of line. This is not normal procedure in our department. Students who are enrolled in a class get evaluation forms, but that's about it.

Has anyone had an experience like this? How did your department handle it?

It sounds like these second year students are upset about this particular hire.  So, they decided to be a**holes.  The department chair needs to rake these a**holes over the coals because the next step in this process is for them to "poison the well" for the new prof among the first years--which I am certain was their intent.

The new professor needs to grow a pair and tell unenrolled students to get the f*** out of her class (and I'd bet money that the new prof is definitely a she)!

[tamiam]

Is this an education program? Are they education students trying to critique the performance of a novice instructor, as part of their own training?

If so, there probably is an argument to be made in favor of something like this going on - with the new instructor's permission and some supervisory guidance, of course.

Ugh. Can you imagine? "Well, yes, uhm...new hire...we're going to dissect your performance as part of our teacher training program...hope you don't mind...now, just be yourself and don't take it personally when they rip you apart..."

[fym22]

The professor---whether tenured or not---is in control of that classroom. He is perfectly within his rights to demand these students leave the classroom immediately. No one should be in that classroom unless they are actually enrolled in the course. If he doesn't want people sitting in, then they must leave. If not, he should call security and have them physically removed.

[luke_cage]

I have not spoken to the new prof so I am not sure why she allowed them to stay. And no we are not in an education program. I do think that the faculty as a whole has to take a step to support the new professor and show the students they are out of line.

[phlebas2006]

Surely this unholy cabal was encouraged to do this by someone with his own motives, no?  I simply don't believe that a bunch of grad students were sitting around and spontaneously came up with this idea together, and moreover that not one of them realized how foolish it would be.

[sarahanne]

Luke,
I think you're leaving something out. What's in it for the grad students? Yeah, they get to trash the prof but they know he/she won't lose his/her job over their evaluation.

I experienced something similiar to this at my undergrad institution when the search committee denied a tt position to an inside candidate. The department hired a young PhD under 30 instead of the favored adjunct prof. The students spread lies that the new hire was incompetant.

Tell the prof to tough it out. These students are graduating, and he/she won't need to deal with them.

[minor_t]

The students didn't sit in so that they could ooh and coo about the new prof - much more likely so that they could haze and criticize her.  I doubt that it's intellectual curiosity about her topic.  

As a new prof, she may not be aware that she can bar them from class, so make sure she knows that.  A threat to call security will probably be enough to get them to leave, but tell her to follow through without hesitation.  

I agree that the department head should find out what the heck is going on with these bozos.  

As far as feedback being good, I disagree - any feedback from this crew would be useless.  

mt