Dear Aggie,
I realize this is a very difficult subject to discuss, but I’m losing my mind over what to do. I have seen undeniable proof that a professor in my department is having a romantic or sexual relationship with one of their students. Of course, this is a gross ethical violation since this professor will be writing this student letters of recommendation as well as other professional documents. This student also receives departmental details not typically available to other students, and is sometimes even told about other students’ grades, which is a FERPA violation. The ethical thing would be to report what I know, but my dilemma comes from the impact it would have on my department. Classes might not be offered, classes would be stretched thin, and I don’t know if I’d be black listed myself for “rocking the boat”. So what should I do? Keep to my ethics and report this, or keep it to myself in order to keep the peace?
Sincerely,
Between a Rock and an Ethical Place
Dear Between,
It’s easy to see how this could be a shaky predicament not only for you but also for the people in your department. However unfortunate the immediate future may be for you or for the department, it may be better in the long run for you to anonymously report the incident along with any irrefutable proof.
Though it can cause a massive upheaval, the ramifications could be even more massive if the situation were to go on any longer. If the illicit relationship were to go south, the student might suffer as a result if he or she were to interact with the instructor stemming from the relationship-based bias. If someone else were to find out about the relationship and report it, you could be just as culpable for knowingly propagating the violation. The department-level implications would be exponentially larger than those on the individual level.
Though the decision is ultimately yours, it may be best for the department and everyone involved to report any activity and just hope for the situation to resolve as smoothly as possible.
Sincerely,
Aggie
Dear Aggie,
I am a 45-year-old college student who often feels out of place among the more traditionally aged students. What can I do to bridge the generation gap and acclimate to my environment?
Sincerely,
Out of Place
Dear Out of Place,
It is tough for many non-traditional students to come into an environment where there is an apparent generation gap. As much as social networking and other technologies have bridged much of the gap, there can still be difficulties trying to connect.
Joining a club or organization can do wonders. Whether you are a veteran, a person of faith, an international student or someone heavily involved in your major, there is a club that can help you get in touch with like-minded people.
If you are interested in joining any of clubs or organizations on campus, you can visit http://www.cameron.edu/organizations/info.html and see what different organizations suit you.
Finding common ground, whether it is in clubs and organizations or in classes, can be a good first step to connecting to your peers and acclimating to the college environment.
Sincerely,
Aggie
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