Hi? - I think I need help. I don't?want to do anything to make this worse. Maybe I'll join the bad day club if I manage to do that.
I had a very enthusiastic and dedicated female student, close to my age, in my Fall 2007 Intro Psych class at Long Beach City. At the end of the term she thanked me (profuselly) and gave me book as a gift (from my Amazon.com wish list). As the book is not an atypical sort of gift from a student, I accepted it graciously. Told her it was a pleasure to work with her and "stay in touch" (something I say to many students). Since then (late December) she has managed to email me at least 4 or 5 times a week about something (usually a?book or show she thinks I should see). I respond politely - and tersely -to most of her emails. But it has escalated into her sending me an invitation to bet on the Oscars with her for a cup of?coffee, and most recently an invitation to a concert on a Saturday night and also an invitation to be on her Amazon.com Friends list I am now REALLY uncomfortable. I don't want to do ANYTHING else to respond as I don't feel that I encouraged this and it is bordering on creepy - please, please, give me a reality check if I am wrong about this. I don't want to hang out with her or even feel bullied into being involved in a personal "friends" list at a commerical site. If anyone has ANY suggestions how I can discourage this in a polite and professional way, I would welcome them. I know that perhaps nothing I do that indicates reticience will stop her from being angry/hurt. Again, I don't think?did anything to indicate that I'd be her friend Thanks and if I did anything stupid here...I'll take that kind of?feedback off list. Nancy Melucci Long Beach City College Long Beach CA -----Original Message----- From: Shearon, Tim <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) <tips@acsun.frostburg.edu> Sent: Fri, 29 Feb 2008 11:52 am Subject: RE: [tips] this world is getting crazy - update Bill- That's despicable!! I don't suppose they saved the envelope? If there wasn't one, that's worse! I think this kind of anonymous and cowardly act on a college campus is worse than cheating. In such instances the dean/VP should immediately attempt to identify the cretin(s) and ask for explanation (purely hypothetically, with a large pointy stick; I'd never suggest such a thing in reality). At any rate, I am very happy that you are back!! Tim (the parenthetical remarks above were not made for reasons other than sarcasm toward anyone lurking who might read them and not realize that you, agency or otherwise, are also, purely hypothetically, engaging in a form of harassment/terrorism- am I safe now?) _______________________________ Timothy O. Shearon, PhD Professor and Chair Department of Psychology The College of Idaho Caldwell, ID 83605 email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] teaching: intro to neuropsychology; psychopharmacology; general; history and systems "What we have done for ourselves alone dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal." - Albert Pike -----Original Message----- From: William Scott [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Fri 2/29/2008 12:19 PM To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) Subject: RE: [tips] this world is getting crazy - update It was an anonymous letter from someone who signed it "a friend of higher education" and it sent a copy of my posting and accused me of "making terrorist threats". I saw the letter. --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
