Ryan ChartrandI am writing in response to the article regarding graduate students teaching classes at Cal Poly, and frankly I am quite appalled. I seem to recall that as I toured the campus as a prospective student, I was frequently told that one of the wonderful qualities of Cal Poly is that nearly all classes are small, and all are taught by real professors – not graduate students.
While I recognize how important it is for grad students to have that teaching experience, I do not think Cal Poly is the place for that. We have a long-established tradition of close student-professor relations, and bringing more graduate students in as teachers will only serve to further gap those relations.
Furthermore, I am astounded that the first I have heard of this new decision by the Academic Senate is after the measure has already passed. I believe that we, the students who are enrolled in these classes, should have more of a say in the matter of whether we are being taught by grad students or more knowledgeable, experienced professors. Let’s work together to keep our university a small community and avoid becoming just one more place where each student is just a number, just a face in the crowd.
I say this new measure by the Academic Senate should be overturned and we should not allow more grad students to be teaching our classes.