The following scenario took place in one of the most reputable and prestigious universities in the Middle East.
Setting: A corridor of one of the pioneer faculties in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Time: A sunny Lebanese afternoon.
Take 1:
A dressy student adds the final touches to a master’s thesis defense presentation one hour before the time comes to present. While rapidly going through the slides in the presence of a classmate for last comments and feedback, the thesis committee’s second reader and faculty dean passes by and requests to have a few words with the student alone. With a bright smile, the student enthusiastically walks with the professor, expecting encouragement and a final piece of advice. Suddenly, the professor stops, turns around with malice, and ejects venom in the student’s face by claiming that the first page of the thesis displayed unsatisfactory characteristics. The professor retains the insults to the student’s piece of work, less than one hour before the defense, by stating that the draft was mal-formatted by a glance at the results tables!! The professor dares to assert that a book’s cover reflects its content, and hence when the cover is not convincing the whole book should be shredded. Surprised yet furious, the student firmly raises the issue of not receiving any feedback from the professor and other committee members, other than the advisor, prior to the defense date although they had been given the completed draft over a month earlier. The professor mumbles an excuse, dismisses the topic and walks away after flushing the student’s thesis project and self-confidence down the toilet.
Setting: A classroom in the pioneer faculty in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Time: 45 mintues later -The same sunny Lebanese afternoon.
Take 2:
The student gathers all the strength provided by friends and supporters and proceeds with the defense as scheduled. With a positive and indifferent attitude, the student goes through the presentation slides one at a time. In the presence of a full house of invitees, and the ‘virtual’ presence of the advisor, the committee members unleash their weapons and start shooting their leaded questions and comments at the student in the middle of the presentation. The student holds on to an unreal shield trying to avoid as many shots as possible. The committee members make it shamelessly clear that this is their first peek at the thesis project, through their surprised expressions and interlocked eye brows. Nevertheless, they blatantly continue with their display of power in front of each other, the audience and the student. The “respectful” second reader and faculty dean, spices up the whole scene by a slouched seating position, a disgusted expression, a phone call and a loud side talk. Eventually, the same professor leaves the defense session to attend to “more important matters”….!!! The student proceeds.
The student eventually succeeds, with a headache, a breached self-confidence and a sick feeling in the gut.
It is a pity to realize that the “reputable and prestigious university”, the American University of Beirut, employs such examples as professors and representatives of its historical academic and “professional” team of educators. Indeed, the professors in the scenario displayed obvious lack of any academic “professionalism” in their duty towards their student, in the sense that they failed to read the thesis proposal one year earlier, in addition to the completed thesis draft prior to the defense. Consequently, their comments and questions were not posed at the right time for modifications and corrections which may have resulted in either inaccurate implementation or result display and analysis. This was further aggravated by the inadequate input from the advisor and his physical absence.
Furthermore, the professors failed to conceal any personal problems that pre-exited between them by using the student’s thesis defense as an event to demonstrate their power to each other through a pathetic competition of who can crush the student first. The situation was aggravated even more when the student was advised to let go of basic scientific principles and paint the thesis project in a pink and flowery color for publishing purposes. In other words, disregard any insignificant findings and stress on the significant ones only, for the professors’ names to appear on a 100% successful study (!!).
At the end of the day, the student will go on with his/her life pursuing his/her dreams, no matter what four people had to say about him/her. However, giving the fact that students look up to their professors for professional advice, conduct and research skills, the scenario illustrated above displays a totally opposite reality.
So, the student will always wonder: will one ever come across wholesome professionalism in this competitve world?
13.4.2008
Setting: A corridor of one of the pioneer faculties in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Time: A sunny Lebanese afternoon.
Take 1:
A dressy student adds the final touches to a master’s thesis defense presentation one hour before the time comes to present. While rapidly going through the slides in the presence of a classmate for last comments and feedback, the thesis committee’s second reader and faculty dean passes by and requests to have a few words with the student alone. With a bright smile, the student enthusiastically walks with the professor, expecting encouragement and a final piece of advice. Suddenly, the professor stops, turns around with malice, and ejects venom in the student’s face by claiming that the first page of the thesis displayed unsatisfactory characteristics. The professor retains the insults to the student’s piece of work, less than one hour before the defense, by stating that the draft was mal-formatted by a glance at the results tables!! The professor dares to assert that a book’s cover reflects its content, and hence when the cover is not convincing the whole book should be shredded. Surprised yet furious, the student firmly raises the issue of not receiving any feedback from the professor and other committee members, other than the advisor, prior to the defense date although they had been given the completed draft over a month earlier. The professor mumbles an excuse, dismisses the topic and walks away after flushing the student’s thesis project and self-confidence down the toilet.
Setting: A classroom in the pioneer faculty in Lebanon and the Middle East.
Time: 45 mintues later -The same sunny Lebanese afternoon.
Take 2:
The student gathers all the strength provided by friends and supporters and proceeds with the defense as scheduled. With a positive and indifferent attitude, the student goes through the presentation slides one at a time. In the presence of a full house of invitees, and the ‘virtual’ presence of the advisor, the committee members unleash their weapons and start shooting their leaded questions and comments at the student in the middle of the presentation. The student holds on to an unreal shield trying to avoid as many shots as possible. The committee members make it shamelessly clear that this is their first peek at the thesis project, through their surprised expressions and interlocked eye brows. Nevertheless, they blatantly continue with their display of power in front of each other, the audience and the student. The “respectful” second reader and faculty dean, spices up the whole scene by a slouched seating position, a disgusted expression, a phone call and a loud side talk. Eventually, the same professor leaves the defense session to attend to “more important matters”….!!! The student proceeds.
The student eventually succeeds, with a headache, a breached self-confidence and a sick feeling in the gut.
It is a pity to realize that the “reputable and prestigious university”, the American University of Beirut, employs such examples as professors and representatives of its historical academic and “professional” team of educators. Indeed, the professors in the scenario displayed obvious lack of any academic “professionalism” in their duty towards their student, in the sense that they failed to read the thesis proposal one year earlier, in addition to the completed thesis draft prior to the defense. Consequently, their comments and questions were not posed at the right time for modifications and corrections which may have resulted in either inaccurate implementation or result display and analysis. This was further aggravated by the inadequate input from the advisor and his physical absence.
Furthermore, the professors failed to conceal any personal problems that pre-exited between them by using the student’s thesis defense as an event to demonstrate their power to each other through a pathetic competition of who can crush the student first. The situation was aggravated even more when the student was advised to let go of basic scientific principles and paint the thesis project in a pink and flowery color for publishing purposes. In other words, disregard any insignificant findings and stress on the significant ones only, for the professors’ names to appear on a 100% successful study (!!).
At the end of the day, the student will go on with his/her life pursuing his/her dreams, no matter what four people had to say about him/her. However, giving the fact that students look up to their professors for professional advice, conduct and research skills, the scenario illustrated above displays a totally opposite reality.
So, the student will always wonder: will one ever come across wholesome professionalism in this competitve world?
13.4.2008
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