Ruined for Life: Phoenix Edition

Anyone else?

I planned to continue working in China while taking an online library science course through my state university. I thought it would make sense to start slowly and not rack up student loan debt. I’ve taken online courses through my community college and that went fine.

I was too optimistic, too practical.

I have spent a week signing up for the four, count ‘em four, computer log ins I need. I have no idea why this isn’t integrated. Are there that many feuds with in the faculty and staff? I had to email three different people, wait for them to email people, and call the computer center before this could be straightened out. If someone told me that this was all a scheme to keep people employed, I’d have more patience and be rather sympathetic.

Okay, I figured I’d now be able to sign up for a course no problem.

Wrong.

There are two foundational courses. One isn’t offered in the fall and the one that is requires a day on campus in October.

That’s impossible for me. I can’t make it from Jinan to Champaign, IL for one day. The airfare is about $1800 US.  I shouldn’t miss classes and I won’t know my schedule till September.

My friend who’s in this program now says the school puts a lot of weight on this day. A woman in her course came all the way from Egypt for this day. I wage she’s either wealthy or her work paid. Maybe she had a fellowship.

I’ve sent an email to the instructor to see if there’s a way around this. It’s just silly that there’s this one day on campus. What can be accomplished in one day? Friendship? Is that the role of a professional program? It’s a nice plus, but leave that to the student.

The woman from Egypt probably isn’t expecting to make friends with her classmates.

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• Gates Foundation Gives $9-Million in Grants to Support ‘Breakthrough’ Education Models (chronicle.com)
• Finding Out Information About Your Community College: Visiting Campus and College Fairs (education.com)
• Losing to Bureaucracy & Complexity (tobiasahlin.com)
• Bureaucracy 101 (ihaterollercoasters.wordpress.com)