• Home
  • Staff
  • Privacy Policy
  • News Tips/Press Releases
  • Advertising
Sunday, January 29, 2023
No Result
View All Result
The Times-Delphic
  • News
    • All
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • Crime Log
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • The Ones
    • Top News
    Des Moines Police identify victim in Saturday night Dogtown shooting

    Des Moines Police identify victim in Saturday night Dogtown shooting

    One dead, one injured in Dogtown shooting Saturday night

    One dead, one injured in Dogtown shooting Saturday night

    Former U.S. diplomat draws attention to the Tigray War in Ethiopia during lecture

    Former U.S. diplomat draws attention to the Tigray War in Ethiopia during lecture

    Iranians pushed over the edge after years of repression and corruption

    Iranians pushed over the edge after years of repression and corruption

    Drake proposes wellness fee costs, plans to expand mental health services

    Drake proposes wellness fee costs, plans to expand mental health services

    • Administrative News
    • The Ones
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Crime Log
    • In Des Moines
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Features
    • All
    • Clubs
    • Greek Life
    • People
    Letter Signed by Charles Dickens Discovered in Drake Archives 

    Letter Signed by Charles Dickens Discovered in Drake Archives 

    Students share how they spent their Thanksgiving Break

    Students share how they spent their Thanksgiving Break

    Sigma Phi Epsilon plans annual “Miracle on 34th Street” event

    Sigma Phi Epsilon plans annual “Miracle on 34th Street” event

    A boring Black Friday: How Black Friday has changed over the years

    A boring Black Friday: How Black Friday has changed over the years

    Drake Theatre People presents “Rabbit Hole”

    Drake Theatre People presents “Rabbit Hole”

    • Greek Life
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    Quarterback Zach Wilson benched by New York Jets after week 10

    World Cup kicks off with U.S. promising fans exciting future

    World Cup kicks off with U.S. promising fans exciting future

    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    John Dee Bright honored at documentary and panel event

    John Dee Bright honored at documentary and panel event

    Breaunna Addison named head coach of Drake women’s tennis team

    Breaunna Addison named head coach of Drake women’s tennis team

    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • All
    • Black Voices Column
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscope
    • Humans of Drake
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Letter to the Editor
    • Opinion
    The stars must have aligned: “Silent Sky” was quite fine

    The stars must have aligned: “Silent Sky” was quite fine

    “Ticket to Paradise” is your ticket to watching gorgeous people

    “Ticket to Paradise” is your ticket to watching gorgeous people

    2020 redux: can’t come to the classroom? Still need Zoom

    2020 redux: can’t come to the classroom? Still need Zoom

    Snapchat, strangers and smut: keep the kids’ eyes shut

    Snapchat, strangers and smut: keep the kids’ eyes shut

    Blues, booze and nothing to do: how to bloom during holiday gloom

    Blues, booze and nothing to do: how to bloom during holiday gloom

    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Podcasts
    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition

    Bill that would make Iowa a hands-free driving state stalls in the legislature

    New Casey’s Location on Forest Avenue

    ADA student task force advocates for disability inclusion

    Des Moines lands news USL team and stadium district

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    State of Sustainability at Drake

    Hip astrology: Relays horoscope

    Dean Kathleen Richardson: Leaving a Legacy for the Drake SJMC

    Painted Street ain’t so sweet when costs are heaped

    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
  • News
    • All
    • Administrative News
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Caucus Roundup
    • Crime Log
    • In Des Moines
    • Politics
    • Student Politics
    • Student Senate
    • The Ones
    • Top News
    Des Moines Police identify victim in Saturday night Dogtown shooting

    Des Moines Police identify victim in Saturday night Dogtown shooting

    One dead, one injured in Dogtown shooting Saturday night

    One dead, one injured in Dogtown shooting Saturday night

    Former U.S. diplomat draws attention to the Tigray War in Ethiopia during lecture

    Former U.S. diplomat draws attention to the Tigray War in Ethiopia during lecture

    Iranians pushed over the edge after years of repression and corruption

    Iranians pushed over the edge after years of repression and corruption

    Drake proposes wellness fee costs, plans to expand mental health services

    Drake proposes wellness fee costs, plans to expand mental health services

    • Administrative News
    • The Ones
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Crime Log
    • In Des Moines
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Features
    • All
    • Clubs
    • Greek Life
    • People
    Letter Signed by Charles Dickens Discovered in Drake Archives 

    Letter Signed by Charles Dickens Discovered in Drake Archives 

    Students share how they spent their Thanksgiving Break

    Students share how they spent their Thanksgiving Break

    Sigma Phi Epsilon plans annual “Miracle on 34th Street” event

    Sigma Phi Epsilon plans annual “Miracle on 34th Street” event

    A boring Black Friday: How Black Friday has changed over the years

    A boring Black Friday: How Black Friday has changed over the years

    Drake Theatre People presents “Rabbit Hole”

    Drake Theatre People presents “Rabbit Hole”

    • Greek Life
  • Sports
    • All
    • Baseball
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
    • Tennis
    • Track and Field
    • Volleyball
    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    Quarterback Zach Wilson benched by New York Jets after week 10

    World Cup kicks off with U.S. promising fans exciting future

    World Cup kicks off with U.S. promising fans exciting future

    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    NFL MVP race heating up with top picks separating from the herd

    John Dee Bright honored at documentary and panel event

    John Dee Bright honored at documentary and panel event

    Breaunna Addison named head coach of Drake women’s tennis team

    Breaunna Addison named head coach of Drake women’s tennis team

    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • All
    • Black Voices Column
    • Entertainment
    • Horoscope
    • Humans of Drake
    • Letter from the Editor
    • Letter to the Editor
    • Opinion
    The stars must have aligned: “Silent Sky” was quite fine

    The stars must have aligned: “Silent Sky” was quite fine

    “Ticket to Paradise” is your ticket to watching gorgeous people

    “Ticket to Paradise” is your ticket to watching gorgeous people

    2020 redux: can’t come to the classroom? Still need Zoom

    2020 redux: can’t come to the classroom? Still need Zoom

    Snapchat, strangers and smut: keep the kids’ eyes shut

    Snapchat, strangers and smut: keep the kids’ eyes shut

    Blues, booze and nothing to do: how to bloom during holiday gloom

    Blues, booze and nothing to do: how to bloom during holiday gloom

    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Podcasts
    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Weekly Sports Podcast | December 3

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Drake Public Safety and the student body

    Humans of Drake Podcast

    Bulldog Blitz 1: December 7, 2010

    The Sports Report 2010 7: 11/09/2010

  • Relays Edition

    Bill that would make Iowa a hands-free driving state stalls in the legislature

    New Casey’s Location on Forest Avenue

    ADA student task force advocates for disability inclusion

    Des Moines lands news USL team and stadium district

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    The Great Resignation: What Is It? And Why Is It Happening?

    State of Sustainability at Drake

    Hip astrology: Relays horoscope

    Dean Kathleen Richardson: Leaving a Legacy for the Drake SJMC

    Painted Street ain’t so sweet when costs are heaped

    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives
No Result
View All Result
The Times-Delphic
No Result
View All Result
Home Features

Professors share student excuses

byELLEN KOESTER
October 9, 2015
in Features
0

STORY BY ELLEN KOESTER

It has happened to the best of students. An assignment is accidently turned in late, students show up late to class or not at all… and then comes the time for excuses.

The alarm clock failed to go off, Blackboard went down, Papercut would not work or any number of explanations bubbles to the lips of students in the face of the oh-so-intimidating professor.

There are stereotypical justifications, but occasionally a student gets creative. Whether true or not, student excuses can sometimes be downright entertaining.

Political science professor Gayle Alberda has not had a problem with student excuses here at Drake University, but while working at previous institutions, she has gotten some interesting responses from students.

“(One student said) the same grandma died five times as a means to get out of testing or various assignments throughout a semester,” Alberda said. “Also, I actually had a student use ‘the dog ate my homework’ one time, and that had some legitimacy to it because when they turned it in, you could tell it had been roughed up by a dog.”

Occasionally, there will be some fabricated excuses that slip by a professor’s notice. It is more difficult to do this at a small school like Drake, however. The smaller class sizes allow for a closer relationship between professors and their students, making it more difficult for students to get away with lying. At larger state universities with much larger classes, it may be easier due to the distance between professors and students.

“I think professors in general try to give students the benefit of the doubt,” Alberda said. “That being said, professors usually can tell when a student has fabricated an excuse, although not always. The beauty of a place like Drake is that we have much smaller class sizes and professors get to know the students. I think that when you get to know the students on a more intimate level because of class size, it makes it more difficult for students to (lie).”

David Courard-Hauri, an environmental science professor here at Drake, has also come across some student excuses that warrant a chuckle.

“In one of my classes, I give a quiz every Monday,” Courard-Hauri said. “A few years back, one of my students asked me if he could take the quiz on a different day because he had a court date during class; he had been given a speeding ticket that he wanted to fight. I asked if he had been speeding and he said ‘Oh, sure. But I’m hoping the cop won’t show up and I’ll get out of it.’ After that, I gave up trying to figure out if excuses were legitimate or not, and just stopped giving make-up quizzes.”

Courard-Hauri’s students now know whom to thank for the absence of make-up quizzes. This shows that lying to professors and making up excuses can leave a legacy, either for future students or for oneself.

“I think your behavior in class follows you throughout your academic career so when it comes to things like letter of recommendation to graduate school or for a job and stuff like that, if you pulled stunts like this it makes it harder for professors to want to sign on for that or write you a good one,” Alberda said. “I think that the biggest impact is that you’re building a reputation for yourself.”

Tags: AcademicsEllen KoesterexcusesfeaturefeaturesprofessorsStudents

ELLEN KOESTER

Next Post

Local cinema puts classic twist on movie-going experience

Twitter Feeds

The Times-Delphic The Times-Delphic ·
@timesdelphic
Two people were injured in a shooting near the Drake neighborhood Saturday evening, according to the Des Moines Police Department.
View on Twitter
1
8
The Times-Delphic The Times-Delphic ·
@timesdelphic
Drake Public Safety was informed around 5 p.m. Sunday by a third person account that someone saw "an individual by Mars Cafe carrying a rifle," according to DPS Assistant Director Tricia McKinney.
View on Twitter
2
4

Recommended

NCAA rule change now allows student athletes to profit from their image and likeness

NCAA rule change now allows student athletes to profit from their image and likeness

3 years ago
0

J-term: Ghana

10 years ago
0

Popular News

Plugin Install : Popular Post Widget need JNews - View Counter to be installed

Connect with us

  • About
  • Home
  • Podcasts
  • Privacy Policy
  • Virtual Edition
  • Advertising

Copyright 2015 Fuel Themes. All RIGHTS RESERVED. Sitemap

No Result
View All Result
  • News
    • Administrative News
    • The Ones
    • Campus Events
    • Campus Health
    • Crime Log
    • In Des Moines
    • Student Senate
    • Senate Elections
  • Features
    • Greek Life
  • Sports
    • Basketball
    • Column
    • Cross-Country
    • E-Sports
    • Football
    • Golf
    • Rowing
    • Soccer
    • Softball
  • Commentary
    • Horoscope
    • Letter from the Editor
  • Podcasts
  • Relays Edition
    • Commentary
    • Coronavirus
    • Elections
    • Features
    • In Des Moines
    • News
    • This week in photos
    • Top News
    • Top Stories
    • Video
    • Sports
    • Security Reports
    • Relays Edition
    • Poll
    • Podcasts
    • Online Exclusives

Copyright 2015 Fuel Themes. All RIGHTS RESERVED. Sitemap

Bodybuilder is fighting for his life after taking dirty steroids femara uk trump's "operation warp speed" for mass vaxxing. "big bucks for big pharma" - global research