When I was teaching my first year in a law school, at end of term, a male student wandered into my office holding the paper he had written for my course in Family Law. I’d given him a B+. “Please, he said, could you give me an A? I need it to get into Grad School.”

“Yes well, my sympathies young man, but I don’t grade papers based on what marks a student wants, but rather on the grade that students earn.”

“But I won’t get into Grad School if I don’t get an A.”

“I’m sorry.”

“Would you read it again and try to find me more marks?”

There were only ten papers written in this course. I remember them all quite well, including yours. I marked them very carefully. If you have some specific problem with how I’ve marked your paper, other than the simple fact that you got a B+, I’ll consider a re-read.”

“Oh no, I just need an A.”

“I’m sorry, then. As well, Grad School might not be ready for a student who wants a grade just “because” and not because he earned it.”

“Well, it’s just Women’s Studies (the grad programme he had applied to). That’s the only reason the grade from you really matters. Because they know that you’re the feminist.”

OMIGOD.

Of course, I didn’t re-read the paper. I ran into this student later in a restaurant and acknowledged him. He walked right by me. He didn’t make it into Women’s Studies.

I was so angry still this morning that I loudly complained about it all to our secretary in front of the other older male prof in my department that refuses to acknowledge my presence. Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. One of my younger male colleagues was witness to this incident was horrified.

Deborah, I’m sorry that you’re the incoming President of the Academic Shovelheads of America!

Oh, this morning I sent out a form letter to everyone who submitted letting them know when they’ll hear back from the reviewers, and got a response (already) from some guy that my form letter was rude. Sigh. Yes, I really should keep a file on this. But, gah, these older male faculty are *way* worse than my undergrads in making sexist assumptions about who I am and how I spend my time.

I have to say, having recently served as the co-Chair of the Program Committee for a major conference, our membership and other interested people were almost to a woman unfailingly polite and appreciative of our work. Then again, it was a women’s history conference, so most of our correspondents were women (but not all)!

I wonder if the female professor (ATM – love that) + public service focus = ratcheted up male privilege

Poe – I agree with Historiann, put the stapler in a drawer and shut your door! It took putting my phone in a corner of the office out of sight of the hall to stop students from coming into my office, and while picking up my phone, ask “Can I use your phone? There’s no reception in here.” It happened randomly for 2.5 years & was always male students. (the only poc in the hall were female and admin so they assumed the title on the door was a mistake. gender + race + conservative public service focused institution . . .)

I have never heard an “excuse me” or “I’m sorry,” either when I’m interrupted or after I tell those students that the office is closed and that I am busy with meeting a deadline or undertaking work that requires focus and resources in my office.

And I’ve experienced countless instances of students knocking interminably on a locked department door if they think a faculty member is available after 5 pm (and not teaching an evening course).

One evening a student strolled into our departmental office (open due to evening courses and office hours) and used the telephone to make a long-distance call. When I told him to cease, he at first ignored me, then called me names, and then finally left. Then he walked into another open department office on the same floor and continued his call. (I put him in the same class of students who use the campus emergency phones to arrange meetings and catch up with friends between classes.)

Can you say, “RETAINER!!!” (Say it like Ben Affleck did in Good Will Hunting–it’s about the only line I’ve ever seen Ben Affleck deliver that was actually funny.)