Me: Okay. Which part?
Student: Well the presentation?
Me: The one you e-mailed me about ten minutes before class to say you would not be giving it*.
Student: Yes.
Me: Any reason?
Student: It just wasn't coming together.
Me: I assigned the presentation the second week of class. Other students have been in my office hours for the past two weeks preparing. Where have you been?
Student: Around.
Me: Well, you've failed.
Student: And how much is the Presentation worth?
Me: Well, the presentation is 40%, the Portfolio is 50%, and the homework is 10%. There is 5% extra credit if you complete a few other assignments. You have not turned in your last five chapter summaries at all though**.
Student: So... I should drop?
Me: Last day to drop is this Wednesday. After that you would have to seek a retroactive withdrawal from the college, so I really don't enter into that decision.
Student: So... I should drop?
Me: I'm not supposed to say one way or the other, but I would suggest you do the arithmetic on your current and potential grade and decide for yourself***.
And then there were 3. That's seven minutes of my life I will never get back.
*It is clearly stated in the syllabus that students must give 24 hours notice if they will not be giving their presentation and have a legitimate excuse with documentation (jury duty, medical emergency, etc.).
** The portfolio is a semester long project where students write a chapter summary applying the theories and concepts in the textbook to current events in their given country. They are two pages in length double spaced; they are not hard.
*** All of these numbers are easily available on Blackboard.
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