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Jeffo
Trad climber
Virginia
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Hey,
Kudos to your buddy for standing his ground. If he stands strong, and they fire him, he can sue them for retaliation over this issue. At that point he should go to the newspapers and get the media involved. Hopefully, if it gets publicized enough, other universities will seek him out for his impeccable ethics.
Alternatively, he could rally support from fellow professors.
On an even more riskier business is using reverse blackmail. Have him tell the dean, give me tenure immediately and I'll let it slide. I am a fan of Machiavelli!
Good luck in whatever decision you make senor!
Cheers,
J
PS. If you do decide to go public...contact the Chronicle of Higher Education and or the regional accrediting agency that accredits your institution. I am positive that they have mechanisms for grievances against institutions.
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Jeffo
Trad climber
Virginia
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Hey,
Kudos to your buddy for standing his ground. If he stands strong, and they fire him, he can sue them for retaliation over this issue. At that point he should go to the newspapers and get the media involved. Hopefully, if it gets publicized enough, other universities will seek him out for his impeccable ethics.
Alternatively, he could rally support from fellow professors.
On an even more riskier business is using reverse blackmail. Have him tell the dean, give me tenure immediately and I'll let it slide. I am a fan of Machiavelli!
Good luck in whatever decision you make senor!
Cheers,
J
PS. If you do decide to go public...contact the Chronicle of Higher Education and or the regional accrediting agency that accredits your institution. I am positive that they have mechanisms for grievances against institutions.
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G_Gnome
Social climber
Tendonitis City
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While he could probably win a case and get reinstated, he would never attain tenured status at that college and would probably get bad reviews should he aim for employment anywhere else. Sooner or later they will find a reason to terminate his employment even if they have to downsize the department. Bureaucrats can be pretty vindictive and the chance of them letting things slide is about nil. So, if it was me, I would stfu and give her a C and turn my efforts to people who matter.
So, maybe your friend needs to decide what he really wants out of his job and life, to teach and mold as many young adults as he can reach, or to make an ethical stand that likely will cost him his career? After all, teachers all the time need to decide who they can reach and who they can't. There isn't enough time or energy in this world to teach someone something they don't want to learn.
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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Hey, where are the famous ST conspiracy guys?
Surely he is being set up.
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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He is dead.
He gets fired if he caves, because he isn't moral enough to teach philosophy.
He gets fired if he stands, because he isn't a team player.
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Brian
Trad climber
Cali
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As others have noted above, having proof is key. If the paper is plagiarized in the traditional sense (copied from somewhere) this is pretty easy with the internet. Even without fancy programs like TurnItIn, a quick, focused Google search will catch the vast majority of cheaters (it may surprise you to find out that most, although definitely not all, of the folks who cheat are not the brightest kids). If the paper was purchased as an original—if princess paid someone else to write it—it may well be impossible to prove…
Brian
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k-man
Gym climber
SCruz
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Money talks and bullshit walks.
I'm not sure, but taping the Dean without his consent is probably not legal and the tape would not be admissable in court. Also, not the best way to "manage upward."
Let's see, would flippin' burgers fit your friends ethical direction? Might want to weigh with what's down the road with what's currently on it.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Hey Pete,
bummer quandry.
I think that landcruiser had the most cogent point.
How well can this prof back up his assertions?
A tape of the Dean could save his ass considering that the effort to sweep the case under the carpet is a FAR worse transgression than the lame ass twit's plagiarism (and I say that despite an intense hatred of plagiarists. It took me 17 years to forgive Joe Biden.)
But if he hasn't got the ammo (AND the stones to use it) he shouldn't go into battle unless he wants to become a martyr.
The wisest warrior is the one capable of perceiving the widest view and where his efforts will yeild the greatest beneficial effect.
Martyrdom is not always the most effective strategy in practical terms.
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Thom
Trad climber
South Orange County, CA
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Anyone who thinks this world revolves around sound moral and ethincal values forged in stone, is a fool.
We'd all like to believe being grounded in these values will get us ahead in life; well, it will, but only so far. There's a glass ceiling above which the rules must be bent. How far we bend them is more the ethical question, I believe.
What does your friend have to lose by failing this person? Potentially, everything he's worked so hard to achieve, including the livelyhood of his family.
What does he have to gain by failing her?
Nothing. He gets to sit in the unemployment line secure in his belief that he did the right thing and wondering how he'll provide for his family and their future.
What does he have to lose by passing her?
Nothing. He gets to sit at his (one day) tenured desk secure in his belief (and his job) that he did the wrong thing because he had to for the good of his family, and knowing that one day she'll have to face the music herself, along with her father and the Dean. Karma anyone?
What does he have to gain by passing her?
The livelyhood of his family; everything he's worked so hard to achieve and perhaps a little more: he may very well gain a reputation for being a "company man", someone the big shots can count on to "play ball" if necessary. A guy that shows he cares about the school. In the words of Thin Lizzy, "...if that chick don't wanna go, forget her." She'll get hers, and he'll keep his.
Here's a thought: A 14 year old girl is brutally attacked, raped and left for dead. Fortunately, she lives; unfortunately, she's pregnant. What is morally, ethically, the "right thing to do"? Abort the fetus and let her try to get on with her life and put the incident behind her or force her to live the nightmare through another nine months of hell by taking the pregnancy to term, experiencing the pain of childbirth, then putting the baby up for adoption (then living with the guilt of giving up an unwanted child for the rest of her life)?
The "right thing to do" must always be understood in the context of the ramifications of one's actions. I think your friend may be more about stubbornly being right than about what's ethically correct in this situation. He may not like his choices but a choice must be made and he needs to consider who will be affected the most by his actions, and how.
Passing her has immediate consequences only to her (she passes the class); everything else remains status quo.
Failing her has immediate consequences on her, her father, the school, himself, and his family; everyone's pissed off except him.
I say, pass her and let her, her father, and the Dean deal with their own moral issues. Passing her, in this case, is the right thing to do for his family's future, IMO.
Cheers,
T.
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pc
climber
East of Seattle
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Some good advice above...
It's a bluff. Tell him/her to call it because it'll be even better if they decide to fire. Imagine the personal PR he/she'll get by going public with the scandle. Job offers elsewhere WILL be forthcoming.
He/she'll regret it forever if they don't. I imagine 25 years from now they'll be "publically" complaining about their rope...er...job being crapped on back in the day... ;)
pc
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David
Trad climber
San Rafael, CA
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If he's passionate about teaching he should probably ask himself how he'll ultimately make the most difference as a teacher.
Sitting at home with the knowledge that he may have taught a lesson to the one girl(although that sounds improbable) or retaining his position and concentrating on his many other students over the years to come.
The answer seems clear to me but to each his own.
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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BTW here in Utah one may legally tape ANY CONVERSATION THAT ONE IS A PART OF without informing other parties. Just ask Peter Metcalf about that one.
Can't say about your state's laws.
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dirtineye
Trad climber
the south
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Well the uni wants the money, the dad is acting like an ass, but MAYBE he has only heard his daughter's side?
As in, maybe daddy does not know she cheated her butt off.
OR maybe he does, and he's just mad she got caught, and is using what usually works-- money, or the threatened lack of it.
The University seems out on a limb legally and ethically.
Best thing would be to meet with the dad and try to convince him that letting daughter off is a bad idea, and that throwing his weight around to force things in his daughter's favor when she is in the wrong is a bad idea.
My guess is that your friend is already screwed at this university no matter what he does, but he ought to try to fix this with the parent, and if that fails, go public in as big a way as possible, and forget about teaching since either way, someone with power over his livelihood is going to be pissed at him and be fvcking with him from now on.
All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others.
Heh, just in case, Orwell wrote that in Animal Farm, not me.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
St. Louis
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As an Assistant (tenure-track) Professor, I've had multiple cases in which students hand in work that is not their own. They get zeros. Some students have even been prevented from graduating because of these actions.
If they are unhappy with what I've given them (though it is clearly stated in the syllabus and in the university handbook), I tell them there is a formal process for student grievances. Most universities have these processes. Of course the students don't want to put any effort into the process and the incident goes away. Also, I encourage the student to discuss it with the Chair and/or Dean. Students often don't wish to do this either and the incident dies.
Sure, I've had some angry parents/students email me. One even informed me that my awarding a zero caused a miscarriage and that I'm a murderer and have no heart.
As far as firing the prof - I say that is a bluff. That would require so much work on the administrative side that the liklihood of it happening is very very small.
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golsen
Social climber
kennewick, wa
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Some good points here. But I have to combine Jeffo's and Radicals for the right outcome. Knowing now that the prof has slime to deal with as a dean, how can he ever expect to get anywhere the honest way?
So per jeffo (reverse blackmail), your friend prepares a press release identifying the moral dilemma and identifying all the players in great detail. He then meats with the dean and shows him the press release and that he intends to provide this to the press. But he says,
"There is a better way!" (Why does this line keep cropping up? hahaha).
"I will forget all this foolishness for the tenure position to be decided now." Dont let the Dean out of this one, hold his frickin feet to the fire. Your moral friend is screwed and will be fighting constant frustration in his job so long as the administration is not moral. At the end of the discussion, (per radical), your friend says,
"BTW, I hear that Big Tom is bonin the student, I would also like the video for my collection! See it happens will ya? Thanks Dean, knew I could count on ya!"
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
St. Louis
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Anyone know the statistics associated with firing untenured and/or tenured Ph.D. professors?
I'm busy so I don't have time to look, but I'm sure it's out there - at least for those in public-supported institutions (as is our salary).
Your friend may have a better chance of getting ebola than getting fired.
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Crimpergirl
Sport climber
St. Louis
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Those of you advocating the contacting of dad need to consider that there are privacy laws protecting the student. Talking about her to her dad may violate these laws.
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TradIsGood
Trad climber
Gunks end of country
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Crimpie, I do not think the "odds" are the way to analyze this problem (from a financial perspective). The professor is holds two options, and the dean (parent) may be holding options as well.
Need to jump into two or more person game theory here. See, for example, The Strategy of Conflict, by Schelling. Of course, it is a bit late in the game for reading that... But maybe he is a fast read and can get enough of it to fashion the right strategy.
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Burns
Trad climber
Arlington, VA
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Alright, while from an ethical and moral standpoint, and as someone who has always been more proud of the C that I earned than any A I could have stolen, this kind of thing makes me ill. My daddy couldn't buy me A's, and wouldn't if he could. I attended the University of Virginia, which takes things like this so seriously that it has a 'Single Sanction' for lying or cheating: permanent dismissal. There's no 'sorry but you have to take a zero on this assignment', its just 'sorry but you have to take a hike'.
However....
It's philosophy. Seriously, if this kid passes a philosophy course and heads off into the world, what kind of damage can she really do if someone thinks she knows a little more philosophy than she really does? I mean, she's not designing bridges or airplanes or practicing medicine. Nobody is going to die if she mixes up Neitzche and Kierkegaard.
But I digress...
I believe that the value of an institution's integrity is larger than any donor's checkbook. If I found out, as an alumnus, that a dean at my institution had encouraged a professor to look the other way for the sake of money, I'd be outraged, as would many other (donating) alumni.
And finally, is that millions of Canadian dollars Pete? That's, like, $18 US. A's should cost more than $18.
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xtrmecat
Trad climber
Kalispell, Montanagonia
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Having raised 3 kids and now they have given 3 grandkids, I believe that my "Honesty is always the way to go." policy is the only thing that has held up to all moral and ethical questions we have ever encountered. I try never to give advice but this I never will balk from. A zero on the paper is the only right thing to do that no matter what cannot come back and haunt you, in your sleep or daily living.
Flunking out may be what she needs to understand that money is not where it is at.
Bob
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