Regarding for profit schools (NOT a newb asking Qs)
polycounter lvl 7
"Colleagues, Students and friends,
As many of you know, I have been in a dispute with our school, the Art Institutes, for some months now, over their policy of mandatory e textbooks in classes where their inclusion seems arbitrary, inappropriate and completely motivated by profit. In July I asked the US Department of Education, the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education and WASC (our accrediting agency) to look into my concerns. Since that time, the school and its parent company EDMC have escalated the pressure on me to select a book for a class I teach that I don't think requires one.
Today, the President of the school, Greg Marick, presented me with an ultimatum; either choose a book by Tuesday, Aug 14th or the company will terminate my employment for insubordination. My response, of course, is that I will not change my mind on this issue and that I'm determined to resist the policy however I can. I think this means that, as of this week, I will no longer be teaching at AI.
I want you, my students and colleagues to know that it has been my great honor and privilege to have worked with you over the last 11 years, and that I will miss the opportunity to work for you and with you. I have enjoyed my time as a teacher very much, but it appears as though it is now time to move on. Furthermore, you can count on me to continue the struggle that I have instigated on this issue, if only from the outside. Although it aint over till it's over, it looks like a 99.5% deal, barring an 11th hour change of heart by the corporation, which would surprise me.
I will keep you updated over the next few days as to any new developments.
I thank you for your friendship, comradeship and support."
If anyone here goes to a for profit school, went to one, or is planning on going to one, please give this petition a read and a signature if you agree.
I don't normally shove these around, especially not here on PC, but this (for profit schools) is a topic that comes up weekly here, and I figured a lot of you could associate to this problem.
Cheers, and thanks for the look.
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-art-institute-of-california-orange-county-to-not-force-a-teacher-s-resignation-over-unnecessary-e-textbooks
As many of you know, I have been in a dispute with our school, the Art Institutes, for some months now, over their policy of mandatory e textbooks in classes where their inclusion seems arbitrary, inappropriate and completely motivated by profit. In July I asked the US Department of Education, the California Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education and WASC (our accrediting agency) to look into my concerns. Since that time, the school and its parent company EDMC have escalated the pressure on me to select a book for a class I teach that I don't think requires one.
Today, the President of the school, Greg Marick, presented me with an ultimatum; either choose a book by Tuesday, Aug 14th or the company will terminate my employment for insubordination. My response, of course, is that I will not change my mind on this issue and that I'm determined to resist the policy however I can. I think this means that, as of this week, I will no longer be teaching at AI.
I want you, my students and colleagues to know that it has been my great honor and privilege to have worked with you over the last 11 years, and that I will miss the opportunity to work for you and with you. I have enjoyed my time as a teacher very much, but it appears as though it is now time to move on. Furthermore, you can count on me to continue the struggle that I have instigated on this issue, if only from the outside. Although it aint over till it's over, it looks like a 99.5% deal, barring an 11th hour change of heart by the corporation, which would surprise me.
I will keep you updated over the next few days as to any new developments.
I thank you for your friendship, comradeship and support."
If anyone here goes to a for profit school, went to one, or is planning on going to one, please give this petition a read and a signature if you agree.
I don't normally shove these around, especially not here on PC, but this (for profit schools) is a topic that comes up weekly here, and I figured a lot of you could associate to this problem.
Cheers, and thanks for the look.
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-art-institute-of-california-orange-county-to-not-force-a-teacher-s-resignation-over-unnecessary-e-textbooks
Replies
Good on ye, man. and tell Wes i says Hi.
I actually updated the posting with the link to the petition
As far as I'm concerned, I hope the for-profit system is shut down. The AI is not fully accredited and where I teach, we turn away all AI degrees if they want to pursue their education at the graduate level.
If they really force you to choose a book, even if you don't use it, pick something useful.
(btw, e-books? meh. taking away the ability to easy annotate, bookmark, highlight stuff?)
Honestly I think both are shoddy when it comes to education.
However... The book requirement is not a BAD thing. I would argue its only motivated by profit IF and ONLY IF you are forced to pick from a specific publisher and or one of their own staff's books and they reap the profit from it. ( I had a class taught by Pixologic's Paul Grabouri... should we be pissed if the book we had to get was written by Paul Grabouri? It was a great book btw)
Think of it this way, you get the chance to put a book in the students hands that will be invaluable, even if at a later date. It is never a bad thing to have books. It can even be a generalized book but give them something that will help them in the long run, not just for your class. Dont like that? Then write your own book! Make a small book with the information you like and publish it as an ebook.
The point here is that you are over reacting and making a bigger deal out of it than it really is. Lets just assume they dont give books, I doubt the tuition is going to drop..so at least you can get something worth while for what they are paying.
As for the guy suggesting for profit schools should be shut down? Really? I'm sorry but that is an idiotic statement. All schools make profit. "For profits" (naming convention) are allowed to have a more specialized curriculum.
You want to shut down Gnomon as well or any of the other number of well to do skill centric schools?
At my University (UCSC) I was forced to take some of the most pointless classes just to meet some requirement put forth by the school, most of the books were written by their own academics on pointless subjects. I found a whole lot less crap at the for profit schools and a better education than from the UC itself (whic isnt saying much). I think your beef would better be placed at the accreditation systems for both school types.
Also if profit as a goal is a bad thing, just remember that most students go to schools to make more profit. You as an instructor are there not to make sure they pay as little as possible for an education, but rather, get the best education they can get for what they are paying. Keep it in the proper perspective!
btw I highly recommend watching this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxqWDsbjAzQ
If anything, your biggest enemy should be whats mentioned in the documentary.
That's what I find to be bullshit, the education system needs to have some quality control, too many so-called schools are getting support from the government, on top of taking tuition, and not delivering the goods.
http://www.change.org/petitions/the-art-institute-of-california-orange-county-to-not-force-a-teacher-s-resignation-over-unnecessary-e-textbooks
almost 2k signatures and counting, Thanks to those who've supported this cause. Hopefully it's only a matter of time until corps like EDMC take a big hit after the govt finishes suing them for 11 billion. Things obviously need to change with the for profit system, and that's the broader problem.