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[kashtanka]

We have to submit all our syllabi to the Dean's office. I wouldn't want him to think I was that unprofessional. Mostly because I would like to keep my job and I doubt a syllabus like that would be considered appropriate here.

[ufo_tofu]

My first semester of teaching as a TA, I put something in my academic dishonesty statement that defined plagiarism and then humorously referred to it as "that nefarious practice" through the rest of the policy.  It was not so funny when I was sitting in my chair's office listening to him read it out loud to a complaining student and his father.  No more humor in the syllabus for me - learned my lesson.  I'll say funny things in class, but I don't start with it and certainly not on the first day or when discussing my policies.  If I end up having to fail them for noncompliance, I would like to be sure that it wasn't because my presentation style encouraged them to not take the syllabus seriously. 

[geheim]

I love saying outrageous things in class. I'd never put it in writing, though. Obviously I am an echo here here here here....

[smart_e_pantz]

Syllabus = bad.

In-class while going over syllabus = good.

I have a whole "don't make me hafta fill out paperwork on you" speech for when I go over the section of the syllabus covering plagiarism.

[anadyr21]

The grad student comes off as, well, a grad student, and I suspect will have discipline problems throughout the semester.  It's hard for students to take the course as seriously and act as professionally as they should if it doesn't appear that the instructor takes it seriously.  Personally, I would never want to be taught by someone who doesn't come off as a professional.  If that person speaks that way in casual conversation, fine, but I hope that same language isn't used during the actual lecture.

[yemaya]

My first semester of teaching as a TA, I put something in my academic dishonesty statement that defined plagiarism and then humorously referred to it as "that nefarious practice" through the rest of the policy.  It was not so funny when I was sitting in my chair's office listening to him read it out loud to a complaining student and his father.  No more humor in the syllabus for me - learned my lesson.  I'll say funny things in class, but I don't start with it and certainly not on the first day or when discussing my policies.  If I end up having to fail them for noncompliance, I would like to be sure that it wasn't because my presentation style encouraged them to not take the syllabus seriously. 

Seriously?  That was cause for complaint?  Were the git and his offspring in favor of plagiarism or something?

[larryc]

This syllabus invites students to be unprofessional as well. It is the work of a teacher trying too hard to the students' peer instead of their instructor.

[yellowtractor]

This syllabus invites students to be unprofessional as well. It is the work of a teacher trying too hard to the students' peer instead of their instructor.

Bingo.  Which, again, tends to encourage contempt rather than camaraderie.

[francie_]

My first semester of teaching as a TA, I put something in my academic dishonesty statement that defined plagiarism and then humorously referred to it as "that nefarious practice" through the rest of the policy.  

Seriously?  That was cause for complaint?  Were the git and his offspring in favor of plagiarism or something?

My guess is that the student probably thought "nefarious" meant something dirty.

[oldfullprof]

My guess is that the student probably thought "nefarious" meant something dirty.

Yeh.  This was BS.  The chair didn't handle it correctly.

[ufo_tofu]

Sorry!  I wasn't clear - the student had spectacularly plagiarized the final paper and complained when I failed him (as the syllabus said I would).  During the meeting with me and the head and the student and his father, my head read my plagiarism/academic honesty statement from my syllabus to refute the student's claims of "I didn't understand what plagiarism was."  I did define plagiarism in my syllabus, but I also referred to it as "that nefarious practice" throughout.  It was embarrassing and I really regretted my attempt at humor in my syllabus; it wasn't so funny to hear my head read it out loud to a student and parent in a deadly serious, hour and a half long meeting.  It definitely eroded my credibility.  It was a horrible meeting - the father was even stranger than the kid. 

[zuzu_]

I verbally say outrageous things when going over the syllabus, but wouldn't put them in writing.

For example, the syllabus lists the withdrawal date for the class and I'll tell them "If you take this course and find it's not for you, or you think I'm an a**hole, you can drop it without penalty."

Not a good think to put in writing.

This is my approach exactly. I even say something very similar when explaining the drop/withdrawal deadline, except I say "total b!tch" instead of a$$ hole.

I don't buy the argument that it's setting a bad example as far as appropriate language. As a writing teacher, I stress audience awareness. For some assignments, this kind of language is inappropriate. For others, such as personal essays, narratives, letters to friends/family, and "articles" appropriate for certain magazines (all of which I assign during the semester) profanity and shocking language may well be the most appropriate.

If 18-year-olds are my audience, I'm going to adjust my tone accordingly, just as I expect them to adjust their writing tone depending on audience. The written syllabus also has my chair, various administrators, accrediting people, etc as the audience, so I do leave that language out of the formal document.

And, despite the fact that I am young, female, reasonably attractive, and mistaken for a student at least weekly, I have ZERO problems with boundaries, authority, and classroom management.

[yemaya]

Sorry!  I wasn't clear - the student had spectacularly plagiarized the final paper and complained when I failed him (as the syllabus said I would).  During the meeting with me and the head and the student and his father, my head read my plagiarism/academic honesty statement from my syllabus to refute the student's claims of "I didn't understand what plagiarism was."  I did define plagiarism in my syllabus, but I also referred to it as "that nefarious practice" throughout.  It was embarrassing and I really regretted my attempt at humor in my syllabus; it wasn't so funny to hear my head read it out loud to a student and parent in a deadly serious, hour and a half long meeting.  It definitely eroded my credibility.  It was a horrible meeting - the father was even stranger than the kid. 

Well...even though you were using "nefarious" in humor, the reality is that plagiarism can, in fact, be described as nefarious in non-joking terms.  I don't see that you've done anything particularly embarrassing.  If you'd written "boneheaded" or "a$$holic" practice or something like that, I could see why it would cause discomfort and erode credibility.  If anything, the father should be embarrassed that his son was stupid enough to 1.) plagiarize, 2.) get caught and 3.) complain that he didn't understand to try to weasal himself out of trouble.

This syllabus invites students to be unprofessional as well. It is the work of a teacher trying too hard to the students' peer instead of their instructor.

Bingo.  Which, again, tends to encourage contempt rather than camaraderie.

Absolutely.  You can have a sense of humor without crossing a line.  But attempts at camaraderie often lead the student to slag the professor for "trying to hard."  Which leads to the whole "my professor is a sucker who will put up with anything" mentality and disciplinary problems. 

[grace]

My syllabi are serious.  We are required to post them on the department website. Imagine the parents of a prospective student reading the aforementioned syllabus. 

[oldfullprof]

I love saying outrageous things in class. I'd never put it in writing, though. Obviously I am an echo here here here here....

Streng geheim?

Sorry, Fiona.