There comes a time during any challenge where one faces a peak of adversity and must consequently make a decision to either bear down and persevere or simply let go of the rope. As it pertains to my academic record, yesterday I came to that pinnacle of adversity. After being on the receiving end of yet another zero in my labs due to factors outside of my control—I had to ask myself whether it is not just smarter to let go of the rope.
I am the Head of Information Security Operations for a publicly traded, highly-regulated financial services organization. I am also a student at a local college, pursuing yet another undergraduate degree to add to my collection. The class in question is an entry-level introduction to networking course; a basic course that is essentially the precursor to preparing to sit for the CCNA certification. Not exactly a difficult course, unless the professor chooses to make it so.
For a person in my role, I cannot—nor will I, rearrange my priorities to satisfy an artificial requirement to attend class in person. Sure, it is great to have access to Cisco gear: to be able to touch the routers and switches, watch the other, much younger students cable up a rollover cable, and get their feet wet in the world of networking. However, as part of the class, we are given access to Cisco Packet Tracer, a networking simulation software package that has been around for as long as I can remember.
My professor distributed our syllabus electronically at the start of the class. To her credit, the instruction was clear. Students are expected to attend the class in person to execute the lab component of the class. The syllabus also acknowledged that life happens. Well guess what? Life happened. There is no way to predict when a kidney stone is going to form. Then life happened again… and again.
The detailed circumstances are unimportant, but they were extenuating. Any professional with 2 brain cells to rub together would come to the same conclusion I did. I wasn’t covering a shift for a barista or doing DoorDash food deliveries. I wasn’t missing class because I had a sick kid at home, or no car to drive in to class. I legitimately was high on prescribed opioids for the kidney stone, and I was legitimately addressing Security Operations scenarios in all of the other times. I kept my professor informed every time I needed to miss class, explaining the situation.
After receiving my fourth zero out of five labs, I felt I was at a crossroads. I was certainly willing to catch up all of the classes and labs, and I thought my proposal to perform the labs on the simulator was a fair compromise. My professor had other ideas.
I sent an email to my professor explaining my position and offering a compromise that I felt was reasonable and fair to both of us.
“Let me be frank. I do not care about the numerical grade that I obtain in this course. What I do care about is whether the juice is worth the squeeze this semester in terms of my time and effort moving forward. I hold 4 degrees right now; I am not motivated by grades, I am motivated by curiosity. So while the rest of your class may be fretting a skills assessment, I am not. While I am willing to do the work required to dig out of this hole, I will not sink time into a course or assignments that are not perceived as a good use of my time by my family and my employer. I guess what I am saying is that I think there is a compromise to be had; one that will be a significant challenge to overcome, but fair and realistic given the constraints of the objectives.
What I am proposing is to allow me to make up the labs that I missed due to the nature of my circumstances via Cisco Packet Tracer in exchange for partial credit. I will continue to invest in the course and with any luck, not have to deal with the extenuating circumstances moving forward. I will not ask you for assistance with the material so that the time required is capped at examining the Packet Tracer app output and scoring the assignment fairly. Unfortunately, if we cannot agree to a workable arrangement, I will be letting go of the rope and not expending any additional energy on this course only to be given zeros and not know whether I will be stuck in the parking garage or in the classroom on any given class day. I will have my work cut out for me and it will not be easy, but I am willing to put in the effort if you are willing to meet me on these conditions. Else, the business decisions must take priority and I will not waste any more of your time or mine. This is not an ultimatum; it is a business decision. I do not think what I am proposing is unreasonable.”
My professor’s response to my proposal to complete all of the missed labs via the Cisco Packet Tracer application:
“…That said, I need to be clear regarding your proposal: completing missed labs using Cisco Packet Tracer will not be permitted as a substitute for the in-person lab requirements of this course. The labs are designed to be completed in the classroom on Cisco equipment, and I must apply that standard consistently to all students. What you are requesting would constitute a substantive change to the way this course operates, and that won’t be possible.
Regarding the lab missed due to your kidney stone, I am willing to consider a makeup opportunity provided you can submit appropriate medical documentation verifying the dates and circumstances of your absence. Once documentation is received and reviewed in accordance with Collin College policy, we can discuss the timing of a possible makeup.
For absences related to work obligations, the attendance and lab policies outlined in the syllabus remain in effect.
Please let me know if you intend to submit medical documentation, and we can proceed from there.
I have also discussed your situation with AD Lipe, and he is willing to support a late withdrawal from the course based on your work conflicts. Just wanted to let you know.”
Yes, you read that correctly. A professor asked me to submit my personal medical records in consideration for a makeup opportunity for the ONE lab. Talk about a HIPAA violation!
For a fleeting moment, I considered taking the late withdrawal; however, that went up in smoke when I saw all of this language about the requirements needed to be considered. Not only would I need to submit my medical documentation, I had to attest to the fact that I would possibly lose my enrollment status (which is the primary reason I am going to school to begin with).
The reality is I do not give a damn about my grades. Therefore, I have decided to pack the class in, to stop swimming upstream against a current that was achievable, but why? I will take the ‘F’ in the course, and have a great story to tell about how this situation played out. I will take satisfaction that she will need to explain to her Dean why I scored an ‘F’. This is an Information Technology and Security curriculum. To tell me—with a straight face, that performing the labs HAD to be in person when such a congruent virtual option exists, is laughable. Either way, I am not going to invest another minute in this course.
As the famous and talented Phil Anselmo of Pantera sings in their famous song, “Walk”…
Is there no standard anymore?
What it takes? Who I am?
Where I’ve been, belong?
You can’t be something you’re not
Be yourself, by yourself
Stay away from me
A lesson learned in life
Known from the dawn of time
