There's always one ...

Just when I thought I was going to make it through the end of the semester without a hitch, I get this email yesterday before the final exam.

Hello Professor Leung,

This morning I had a relative pass away. We had been preparing for this for months, but it still seemed so sudden. I feel that taking this exam today would not be in my best interest. I was wondering if I could come in Friday or Monday. Please let me know what I need to do in order to complete your class.

Thank you

I call bullshit. And I was about to blow a gasket right before I gave my final exam. The timing of the email was so damn suspicious. Here's why ... This student had not been around since the midterm exam. She had not turned in an online assignment since Week 4. She had missed all the quizzes. No email or phone call. Nothing.

If in fact she had been "preparing for this for months," why did she not inform me earlier? I had three students who had family members pass away this semester, but they kept me apprised on their situations and still maintained their work in class. We worked out a different schedule so that they can keep up with the course material. This student had all the time in the world to inform me; that was ultimately her responsibility as an adult and she failed.

Maybe this was a very personal issue? Maybe it was really hard for her to talk about to anyone else? Maybe. I will concede that point. But would you disappear for several weeks without telling your employer about what's going on? If you had a seriously deep anxiety about discussing your private affairs openly, you might react that way. Fine. But for any reasonable person? I don't think so. You will get fired and if that consequence isn't enough to tell your employer about what's going on, then I really don't know what is.

Here's what I wrote in response:

I'm sorry to hear of your loss and I am sure it is a difficult time for you and everyone in your family. However, I don't think rescheduling your final will be any good to you at this point. According to my records, you've only turned in 4/10 assignments, I have no quizzes recorded, and you scored a 73% on your midterm. You also have not showed up to class since the midterm according to my attendance records. The numbers say that you will not pass my course even if you have a perfect score on your final exam.

In order to avoid a negative report on your transcript, I suggest contacting the chair of the PIA department, Prof. Robert Dudley, about dropping/withdrawing my course because of a prolonged family illness resulting in death. You would need official documentation in order to make your case.

I wish I could give you better news but had I known about this we could have worked out an alternate schedule to accommodate your needs. I do wish you the best.

It's a fair, honest, and practical response, no?

Every semester, and it always happens around the time of final exams, I get a few students with very similar records of prolonged absences, missing quizzes, even an absent midterm, asking for an extension or a rescheduling because of an "illness," "a family emergency," "a death in the family," or "stuck in Boston." I said I would allow it if you provided documentation: doctor's note, family physician, airline stub, etc. And each and every time no one has ever provided me the proof. It is the one action that I have as a professor to protect myself from any liability. Moreover, I hate being a jerk to students but I'll be damned if anyone takes advantage of my good will. In this case, there was no way this student could even pass even if she had a perfect score. She can still technically withdraw under extraordinary circumstances, but she still needs proof. That's the bottom line.

I have not heard from her since yesterday nor do I think I ever will.