spellbanisher

I agree that public announcement of grades is inappropriate (and if the reaction to a recent mistake my professor made with the projector is any indication, all my classmates do too). So is public shaming. I work with research trainees now and the most we do to them is set up frequent meetings where they present their work so far, and they hopefully realize that if they don't prepare then they'll be embarrassing themselves. (You'd be surprised how many don't realize this.)
 
There is a huge difference between "adversity" and choices made by one person that unnecessarily harm another. That really strikes me as an excuse for frustrated TAs to take out those frustrations on students.
 
Also, in "the real world" authority figures don't publicly shame their subordinates or share assessments of their performance with their peers. Only extremely dysfunctional work environments protect that sort of behavior from managers, and even in those environments any competent workers who can leave, do. The only "real world" skill taught by this treatment of students is how to placate an unreasonable authority figure until you can escape.

To avoid sidetracking another thread, I thought we should move our discussion of whether TAs should announce their students grades publicly (either verbally or through a class list). Here are a few snippets to give context:
 
 
 
I had responded that FERPA regulations actually mean a TA cannot do Option 2:
 
 
The counter-response was this:
 
 
So, I'll make my response here to prevent derailing a different thread (where this discussion started). 
 
I think the FERPA rules are in the right. A student's academic performance is private information, just like a student's health records, transcripts, academic record, etc. I do not think a school should be an environment where those who are doing well or not doing well should be publicly known.
 
Also, independent of this point, I think it is a TA's professional responsibility to not reveal information about the people they are helping (i.e. their students). This includes not revealing other people's grades, or leaving graded homework in a place that other students can see other students' grades. But it also includes things like if a student makes a silly mistake on their homework and I want to make sure no one else makes the same mistake, I wouldn't tell or email the class "Don't be silly like Bobby and forget to convert inches to centimetres!" When you do actions like this, you are causing your students to lose their trust and confidence in you. A TA should always be a person of support and positiveness -- i.e. a resource for the student to use to conquer the material. This doesn't mean the TA has to bend to the students' whim (the TA should still enforce class policies), but it definitely means the TA should not act in ways that make their students uncomfortable and unapproachable!

So, I think actions like publicly shaming the students who are doing poorly will not encourage students to approach the TA for help. It also makes the TA on the "other side" (i.e. the TA is someone they have to "beat" to get a good grade) instead of viewing the TA as an ally and a resource to learn the course material.
 
What do others think about the arguments for/against public announcement of grades?

The simple and essentialized answer is no. The vast majority of PhD applicants are not published. In fact, most PhD candidates are not even published. Most real peer-reviewed articles come out only at the dissertation writing stage, and even then no more than one or two before the defense. Of course, this depends on what you consider to be a publication, but in my experience few things aside from peer-reviewed articles count for much, at least at this early stage of our careers. 

MOO, your most pressing need is to start defining yourself as an aspiring academic historian by fleshing out the "whys" of your goals. That is, why do you want to study history? What are your fields? Why do you want to attend a "top 10 American history program" when, depending upon one's interests the top ten schools may be far off the beaten path?
 
 
 
It depends upon the nature of the work you're currently doing, how well those writing on your behalf understand the differences between a LoR for an academic position versus one in the private sector, and the viability of the prefered option -- getting LoRs from professional academic historians who know you and your work.

Well, they better start having babies, especially those in the sciences, because the anti-science crowd reproduces like jack rabbits.

Wait... You mean, I, an aspiring mathematician, have individuality and agency?! Well, who knew.

No seriously though, we probably, for the most part, like math. So you can go off of that?

I guess my best advice would be too treat us like human beings instead of some kind of monolithic hive mind, I.e. Treat us like we have individuality and don't have "stuff we like to do in general". Get to know us, basically.

A guy who just brings up babies with someone he barely knows is obviously cuckoo for cocoa puffs.

Are you proud of that 25-cent word you used there? Also, I believe you are in the wrong forum.

I can't decide what I admire most about you. Probably it's your humility.

No surprise - if you're as hot as you are modest!

A guy who just brings up babies with someone he barely knows is obviously cuckoo for cocoa puffs.

If you feel unworthy of the money, you can always donate it to charity. The spellbanisher relief fund is a very worthy cause.

Update: 
 
I just arrived in Boston this morning from LA via a red-eye flight. The day before I arrived in Boston, the admissions coordinator (the one with miscommunication) informed me with an extremely brief message that "unfortunately, wait-listed students cannot participate in the Open House Day".
I slightly frowned. Well, the good news was that at least I had an informal interview with the professor of interest -- but there was no funding for my research area. But at least he gave me a very inspiring message -- funding is not important, but sometimes I shouldn't let funding seriously deter if I am serious about my research area (which is supply chain management for disaster management and response). He does pro-bono supply chain for a lot of his clients, and he, of course, seemed to enjoy his career. I also cautiously asked him, "do you think I could have done things differently in my application to this graduate program?" He answers, "no, I see that you're capable, in fact, very capable. You're one of the many capable students that I see, and I don't know why the graduate program you applied to decided to put you on the wait-list -- well, but I am not part of the committee, so I cannot answer that question".
 
As the days pass by, I am suspecting that the reason for my wait-list is 1. my research area proposed in my application was way too specific, and 2. there might not be enough funding available for me -- both from the school and associated research labs.
 
In a desolate hotel room (which was also paid out of my pocket), I look far ahead, where under the clear night sky lie a bubbly crowd of stars, neon sights and building lights. I started to slowly grin -- "I have not lived my life long enough yet, and there is so much to see in this world still"
 
Just wanted to send out an update to everyone. Wanted to thank you all one more time for providing your support

A guy who just brings up babies with someone he barely knows is obviously cuckoo for cocoa puffs.

I, too, hope my brother will have kids so that my parents can be grandparents. 
 
I can't say I am 100% decided on not being a mother, but I've never really felt the desire to have kids, and I can see myself living a fulfilling life without children of my own... I think academia is a good field for that, because you get to bond with your students. 
 
Also, this is AMAZING and many of you might enjoy it:
 
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/31/not-having-kids-parody_n_4703338.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false

A guy who just brings up babies with someone he barely knows is obviously cuckoo for cocoa puffs.

Child free and always will be. I can think of about 500 things I'd rather do than have children. Honestly, I'm just too selfish and love my freedom way too much. Wouldn't trade my life for ANYTHING!

The majority of the people who nag me about having children are married and miserable, secretly wishing they could trade places with us single and/or childless people. And it gets much, much worse as you get older. Sometimes I feel like I'm being recruited for some kind of cult.

Childless and Proud!!!

Hi all!
 
PhD comics, reading forums and watching funny videos got me through the long and often dark days of graduate school, and so I took to contributing back to help others by making science parodies.
 
I wanted to share my latest creation, about the frustrations of getting funding, and hope that you may find some comic relief through it!  Please share if you enjoyed it; there is no motive behind this video besides pure creative fun, and it was done completely on a volunteer basis.  I'd love for it to brighten up someone's day!
 
Also, I'd like to solicit those who have interesting or informative thoughts or stories about grad school life and are willing to share.  I'll be writing up some pieces on what it's really like to do research, behind the publications and lab coats, to the depression and personality conflicts and backstabbing, to the struggles of balancing a love life while doing research, the thrill of getting data, the stresses of managing lab relationships and finding jobs after graduation.  I myself benefited a lot from the stories and advice of others, and I would like to share these more broadly to those who may not have the luxury of having strong supporters and allies during times of need during graduate school.
 

 
--V

I have a cat and spend oodles of time in the lab. She seems okay with it. Sometimes she wants attention when I get home. Sometimes she acts annoyed because I woke her up. I find it quite relaxing to have her sitting/sleeping on my lap.
 
My suggestions - and feel free to disregard:
1. Get a cat from a shelter. The cost is much lower than a pet store and the cat will already be spayed/neutered.
2. If you get a cat that isn't spayed/neutered, have it spayed or neutered. Female cats are very very loud when they are in heat and will wake you up.
3. Keep the cat indoors. You won't have to worry about fleas/ticks/etc, it won't run away, and it won't get hurt or killed.
 
I was able to toilet train my cat so I don't have to deal with litter boxes. My cat isn't declawed and she's really good about using her scratching pad. It's one of those cheap $10 cardboardy ones that she can stand on. She really likes it. She scratches her claws a lot. Way more than other cats. I'm a little worried she's plotting to kill me.

They are boring, needy, and annoying, which is how I imagine most of my students will be. Jk (about students, not children).
Boys are the worst: hyper, loud, and destructive.
Girls are tolerable,albeit still mind-numbingly boring.

"BITCH I'M DONE!!!!111!!" *drop the mic, back away slowly*
 
In all seriousness, I told my boss immediately and am helping him find a replacement to train. Wrote a resignation letter with my last day on it and various "thanks for everything" notes (I just copied this from a google search...don't judge me!).

After helping my advisor work through some budget snafus with the administration, I had a t-shirt made to commemorate what I was being paid as according to our strange accounting practices:
 
"2/3 Graduate Student
1/3 Technical Supplies"

You people need more religion in your lives. Here are some words of wisdom from the reverend Donne.

I can love both fair and brown,
Her whom abundance melts, and her whom want betrays,
Her who loves loneness best, and her who masks and plays,
Her whom the country formed, and whom the town,
Her who believes, and her who tries,
Her who still weeps with spongy eyes,
And her who is dry cork, and never cries;
I can love her, and her, and you, and you,
I can love any, so she be not true.

Will no other vice content you?
Will it not serve your turn to do as did your mothers?
Or have you all old vices spent, and now would find out others?
Or doth a fear that men are true torment you?
O we are not, be not you so;
Let me, and do you, twenty know.
Rob me, but bind me not, and let me go.
Must I, who came to travail thorough you,
Grow your fixed subject, because you are true?

Venus heard me sigh this song,
And by love's sweetest part, variety, she swore,
She heard not this till now; and that it should be so no more.
She went, examined, and returned ere long,
And said, Alas! some two or three
Poor heretics in love there be,
Which think to ’stablish dangerous constancy.
But I have told them, Since you will be true,
You shall be true to them who are false to you.

UC Davis is having a new graduate apartment complex built, and it is currently leasing for the 2014-2015 year. I got a heads up from the history graduate coordinator.