To whom it may concern,
I can deal with the third story classrooms, really I can. Running up and down stairs to get to and from class helps give me the exercise I wouldn’t get otherwise because I’m grading papers instead of hitting the gym.
And, I can live with the back-to-back class meetings in third story classrooms located in different buildings across campus from each other. That’s just more physical exercise, plus a chance to live by my resolution not to view other people primarily as obstacles. I appreciate the opportunity for personal growth.
I even understand the wisdom of filling every seat in the classroom, from a resource utilization point of view.
But, do you know what would be nice?
If those third story classrooms were not already as hot as ovens before they were filled with people who emit an appreciable amount of heat.
I feel like a chicken cutlet moistened in perspiration before being dredged in chalk dust breading. I doubt that this contributes positively to anyone’s educational experience.
Warmly,
Dr. Free-Ride
What you need to do is talk with physical plant folks. You do know the janitors on your buildings, of course. Ask them who you should contact. Class scheduling is probably done by your Chair. If so, that is the person who might do a better job of scheduling you.
I once had the in another building problem. Class with 90 students, and the previous class would leave the chairs grouped in circles. My chair contacted the chair of the offending department and got that taken care of.
You have my sympathy. This one semester, I had all of my classes nicely spread across campus and 10 minutes to get out of a 1000 student classroom (read sauna) and into the third floor classroom 1/2 mile away (during the fall, so that means 90 degree weather and 90% humidity on most days) then the classroom was (actual temperature) near 85 degrees. After that class, it was off to the Life Sciences building 1/4 mile away and up to the third floor into “the tunra room.” After that class, it was off to the Mathematics building 1/3 mile away, up to the oven in the second floor…
I do have a question, though, what is “chalk dust”?
While class scheduling is done within my department, assignment of actually classrooms is done by an office beyond the department. Purportedly it’s in the basis of anticipated class size, expressed preference for fixed vs. movable seating, regular A/V needs, etc., but I harbor a suspicion that they might use other criteria (e.g., faculty returning from sabbatical can use extra cardio).
The physical plant folks have not, in my experience, been terribly responsive to requests to adjust the temperatures, whether in classrooms or offices. (Of course, temperatures are all controlled remotely.) A couple years ago we had to document weeks’ worth of frigid temperatures in the philosophy department office (so cold that it would not surprise me if brain enzymes of the folks in that climate could not function properly) … to get it adjusted to not *quite* as teeth-chattering cold.
Likely my best bet is to ask my students not to omit so much heat.
I do have a question, though, what is “chalk dust”?
I know! This is the first time I’ve taught a class in a room that was not whiteboard equipped since, like, 2003.
I honestly think I could deal with the sweating were it not for the layer of chalk dust adhering to my sweaty self.
Welcome to Texas!!!!!!
Er…you know what I mean.
Is there any sort of air conditioning feature for these rooms? A lot of California doesn’t have any because it never gets extremely hot, and a lot of universities don’t either given that they often don’t use the rooms much in the hottest part of the year.
Also, I assumed this open letter was going to be about the funding situation. I hear on Leiter’s blog that the UC system faculty are planning a one-day walkout because they haven’t had as meaningful treatment of the furlough days as Cal State has – in particular, they’re basically expected to do all the work for 10% less pay.
In the county where I teach, we have also had cut backs pertaining to funding and I am feeling the “oven effect” as well, especially in the early Monday mornings. I find it difficult to engage my students in activites when they are so uncomfortable with their physical environment. Even further, as a Physical Science teacher, sometimes the integrity of the experiments that I have my students conduct, is comprised because of the heightened temperatures. Is there really an answer? During the fall months I open the windows to my classroom and I have even been known to bring in a circultaing fan that I personally purchased from the consignment shop. I suppose that as problem solvers, we can only provide these quick fixes until the economy begins to improve! Know that you are not alone though!