[MATHEDCC] math requirement for graduation
Landry, Anne (landry@sunydutchess.edu)
Mon, 14 Dec 1998 08:58:20 -0500
Sandy,
The only instance in my recollection of waiving the math requirement for
graduation occurred in the case of a 76 year old woman who was completing
her degree after a zillion years of working on it. She returned to school
in her mid 60s, got a GED, took a couple of classes each semester and was
finally ready for her AS in Liberal Arts Humanities, except for the dreaded
math course. She had taken elementary algebra (the pre-req to all our math
courses) FIVE times and was unable to muster even a D. The department head,
in conjunction with the registrar, wrote her a waiver on condition that she
prepare a substantial research paper on a mutually agreed upon mathematics
topic (math in art or math in finance or the history of zero or some such).
I don't know what she finally put together (or how substantial it actually
was) but I do know that she tottered across the stage on graduation day and
received her diploma.
I was ambivalent about the decision at the time and I still have some
doubts. The "pity degree" just isn't what we should be in the business of
dispensing.
Anne Landry
Dutchess Community College
Poughkeepsie, NY
****************************************************************************
* To post to the list: email mathedcc@archives.math.utk.edu *
* To unsubscribe, send mail to: majordomo@archives.math.utk.edu *
* In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe mathedcc *
* Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! *
* Archives at http://archives.math.utk.edu/hypermail/mathedcc/ *
****************************************************************************