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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Don't Make Me Teach! I'm so Ashamed!

Venkatesan wrote the following to Dartblog:

I am not at all bitter about poor teaching evaluations. I am a currently a Fellow at one of the most reputed research (emphasize research) institutions in the country and I am the product of the educational system of the finest research (emphasize research) academic institutions in the country. I am very confident in my ability to teach as well and know that I will perform well where I am right now (which is undisclosed) because basically it offers a healthy environment for academic discussion, debate and personal and professional growth…

One obvious question: Why was someone who was so obviously enamored of the research ethic teaching Writing 5? The evidence keeps mounting that the College dumps its worst professors in the Writing Program.

P.S. Dartblog also has two other posts up about this fiasco, here and here.

Posted by A.S. Erickson at 7:42 PM

Comments

I counted as least two grammatical errors in the 3 sentences above. She's a writing professor at Dartmouth?? Embarrassing. I'm more forgiving of the possibility she is suffering a mental meltdown.

Posted by Anonymous AnonymousApril 27, 2008 8:04 PM  

I Googled her. First hit is Rate My Professor. (I'm too old to do links.) If this is for the same person, she is teaching Health Science at Pasadena City College and her ratings are bad.

Posted by Anonymous Robert Mugabe '46April 27, 2008 8:11 PM  

By the way, I'm beginning to see the fun in all this. Can I be Dartmouth's next president?

Posted by Anonymous Robert Mugabe '46April 27, 2008 8:25 PM  

Calm down, boys. Before everyone goes crazy about Pasadena CC, let me say that it is one of the "most reputed research (emphasize research) institutions". It was my first choice and I was rejected. Fortunately for me, Dartmouth recruited me to play hockey. And, if you want to know what she is talking about, read a little Richard Rorty. Let's cut this girl a little slack.

Posted by Anonymous Stray BeaverApril 27, 2008 8:44 PM  

Cut her slack? maybe loosen the restraints on the straitjacket she should be fitted for.

Posted by Anonymous AnonymousApril 27, 2008 9:00 PM  

@robert mugabe:

Looks like a Priya Venkatesan is listed in the Pasadena CC staff directory, but an archive of the same page from 2005 also lists her as a adjunct faculty. While it's quite possible that she had a dual appointment (or the page hasn't been updated since she left Pasadena for Dartmouth), it's also possible that there are two different Priya's.

The archive link:
http://web.archive.org/web/20051228230104/http://www.pasadena.edu/Departments/staffDirectory.cfm?Dept=natsci

Posted by Anonymous djbApril 27, 2008 9:20 PM  

http://web.archive.org/web/20051228230104/http://www.pasadena.edu/Departments/staffDirectory.cfm?Dept=natsci

Posted by Anonymous djbApril 27, 2008 9:21 PM  

There are two different Priya's. I can confirm that the Dartmouth prof never taught at Pasadena CC.

Posted by Anonymous JamieApril 27, 2008 9:42 PM  

In terms of evaluating her lawsuit, I'm not sure any attorney would take her case. She left the college voluntarily for another paying job, so she's got an uphill climb to prove she suffered damages as a result of discrimination or harassment. It's my general understanding that no damages = no claim. - D'03

Posted by Anonymous AnonymousApril 28, 2008 9:21 AM  

I believe she is in Chicago now, but I don't know the specifics. It is comical that she lists her location as "undisclosed." Unless she plans to go off the grid a la Ted Kaczynski, it's somewhat difficult to hide these days.

As an aside, Chris Lowrey is one of the most friendly and down-to-earth people one will find in academic science. Priya's comments about him are merely a window into her troubled mind.

Posted by Anonymous AnonymooseApril 28, 2008 2:12 PM  

While she may have a viable claim for empliyment discrimination somewhere, her emails and "interview" on dartblog.com do not shed any light on the matter. It seems delusional to intend to sue her former students. And her claim of "intellectual distress" is especially wacky.
Questions: what did the Dartmouth legal Counsel tell thee students during the sit-down meeting on Sunday? How does the College intend to respond? Where can I advance order Venkatesan's new book?
--'06 1L

Posted by Anonymous AnonymousApril 28, 2008 3:33 PM  

Richard Rorty was not a postmodernist idiot, and was an amazing teacher, unlike this moron. Please don't sully his name.

Posted by Anonymous AnonymousApril 30, 2008 3:59 PM  

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