Thursday, December 20, 2007

Oh, dear.

This fellow, on each application form, has refused to waive his right to read my letter.
Posted by Angry Professor at 4:06 PM

7 comments:

Kait W. said...

Oh, dear is right. I'm willing to bet anything that he didn't understand what the question was asking or, when explained to him, won't understand why it's a big deal.

5:11 PM, December 20, 2007
Aidan said...

Show him the letter. He won't ask for a reference again.

7:10 PM, December 20, 2007
Anonymous said...

How much does it really matter? If your letter relays facts rather than vague opinions, it's defensible even if he takes offense. If he really missed many deadlines and really made excuse after excuse and really did poorly in your class....then say that, and let the admissions committee form their own opinions of him and of what it means that a) he wanted someone who thought little of him to write him a recommendation, and b) he didn't trust that recommendation enough to allow you to write it with assured privacy.

And document your interactions with him in which you've warned him that you're a poor choice on his part if you wants a positive evaluation.

8:03 PM, December 20, 2007
William the Coroner said...

Right. Personally I don't DO blinded recommendations. I state what I will write, I sign my name to it and will show it to the person in question. I've had my advisors stab me in the back with recommendations. There were two in undergrad without either the balls to say "no" or, frankly, took an opportunity to hurt me because I wouldn't work in their lab.

You've told him you won't write him a good letter, he sees it, there you go.

9:56 PM, December 20, 2007
Miss Kitty said...

Oh, boy. This guy is a weenie.

In the search committee meeting the other day, a few of us were discussing letters of recommendation. One prof, a fellow in his early 60s, told of his prof from graduate school who'd write a letter highlighting your worst traits unless you'd asked him, "Dr. -----, do you think you could write me a good, positive letter of recommendation?"

Best of luck, AP. [deep sigh]

10:18 PM, December 20, 2007
Not Important said...

AP,

In my younger days, I worked in a store in a mall. The store was a specialty computer store that had a need for knowledgeable staff who could work mall hours for little pay. On the plus side, we had access to computer software at a pretty steep discount, and our parent company sold books, which we also got at a steep discount. For a computer and book geek, it was a great gig.

Anyway, we often got applications that were from people who were very obviously not qualified. For a long time, it confused us all, but then a wiser and more experienced mall person told us that people may be submitting applications for reasons other than wanting a job. They may be fulfilling conditions of receiving unemployment benefits, or they may simply be crazy.

This student of yours may have some ulterior motive for asking for a bad recommendation. Or he may simply be crazy.

7:57 AM, December 21, 2007
CrankyProf said...

I follow WtC's plan: I always give a copy (stamped "COPY" up the wazoo) to the student in question. They always have the option to not use my letter.

8:06 AM, December 21, 2007

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