Still Loose Ends

Only 10 hours after I submitted my final grades did the first trickle of saddened and disappointed emails from students started to appear. Then a stream. Not a flood, but I definitely have to wade through my inbox and start responding to their emails.

I called the Registrar's Office yesterday for clarification on the one student who was called to duty. I got transferred three times before I gave up. I called again today and I finally got someone who knew what to do ... sort of. She basically said to double check with the Dean's Office, but it's possible he either forgot to send in his paperwork or it's still being processed. At any rate, submit a "SA" designation or "Stopped Attending" and things will be sorted out later.

I still have one other student who's become an annoyance ... Actually there's 2-3 from both sections but this is one student who only showed up twice in the whole semester. He never turned in any of the online assignments, didn't take any of the short exams, took the midterm and failed, and, emailed me on the day of the final exam to explain (again) what had happened and then he asked if there's any way he can receive an incomplete(!).

I was floored at the audacity of his request!!!

I waited a week before I responded. I was busy correcting papers after all. But then this past Tuesday, he sends me another email indicating an "urgent matter" that "requires my attention."

"Back off, Sparky. Your 'urgent matter' is precisely that -- your's alone. Not mine."

Despite my grumbling, I responded. In cases like these, you almost have to respond because they'll keep hounding you. And so I did:

I'm truly sorry to hear about your continuing family problems, but this is an extraordinarily bad situation. First, I have not had any contact from you since the two emails from the beginning of the semester and the midterm regarding your situation. I responded each time encouraging you to keep me apprised and if there were continuing problems that you let me know immediately so that we can work out an alternative schedule. But there was no email follow-up or anything else since your last email and note from the midterm exam. Second, it really does not help your case when you send an email the day of the class's final exam. It doesn't give me adequate time. And third, according to our policy, a student has to be passing the course in order to qualify for an incomplete. You have not submitted any other work aside from the midterm, which was a failing grade, so therefore, I cannot give you an incomplete.

As a result, there is very very little, if any, I can do to help you now. The only thing I did was to submit a "never attended" report noting a last attendance of February 14, 2007. I'm not sure what our university policy is regarding "never attended" designations but I'm hoping it might give you some leeway in whatever you option you have left.

I'm sorry if this is not the news you expected but there is very little else I can do.

Show what he did wrong as evidence of fault. Place yourself on the high moral ground. Conclude that there are no more options left and that it is out of your hands. Short, simple, and to the point. I thought that would be the end of it but just yesterday, I get another email from him.

And I could not stop swearing up a storm after I read it. It was one line that blew me away:

However, I have recieved an incomplete before in 2 different classes where I did not do much work at all and completed them over the summer, it was a similar situation as this one.

*Sighs* How many different ways can I say "NO" to someone? Let's see ...

"No. Whatever agreement you had with other professors is with them alone. This is not a similar situation. This is my situation with you."

"No. You will not receive an incomplete."

"No. I am not the nice guy everyone thinks I am."

"No. I do not get paid enough to deal with this nonsense."

"No. This matter is over. There is nothing more to say."

Did that work? Let's try again.

"NO."

Still no effect.

"NO! Dammit."

*Sighs* Bloody hell.