Is it Appropriate to Use University Resources for Personal Study Projects?

[mesa]

During the Fall semester (due to unforeseen circumstances with losing daycare) I had to switch my MATLAB class to an audit. The Professor agreed but there was an error with getting all the necessary paperwork in and so it has been referred to the deans office.

I recently received a message from the deans office stating they may not be willing to grant the audit not due to the paperwork mix up but because I was making use of my access to the computing lab and Professor for more than just MATLAB but also for projects of personal study.

I would have thought a University would encourage such things but apparently not?

 

[Choppy]

Full students tend to get priority over those who are auditing the course. When making the decision on whether or not to allow an audit, the university has to consider whether you are using up resources that students who would otherwise be fully enrolled in the course might make use of.

It seems an odd thing to deny in restrospect though.

 

[mesa]

Full students tend to get priority over those who are auditing the course. When making the decision on whether or not to allow an audit, the university has to consider whether you are using up resources that students who would otherwise be fully enrolled in the course might make use of.

It seems an odd thing to deny in restrospect though.

I could understand your point but as you also pointed out this is after the fact.

So much for encouraging the exploration of knowledge, this is the last time I work with this department.

 

[AlephZero]

An obvious question ask is: are fully enrolled students allowed to use the lab facilities for non-course-related activities? It would be surprising if there were no restrictions whatever.

FWIW, at the company I work for, the standard penalty for non-company-related use of the facilities (whether computers or anything else) is instant dismissal. The last case I heard of, was somebody using the company CAD software to draw plans for some building work on his house. He wasn't doing it during working hours but his own time, but he still lost his job.

 

[mesa]

An obvious question ask is: are fully enrolled students allowed to use the lab facilities for non-course-related activities? It would be surprising if there were no restrictions whatever.

I'm not sure, but I doubt that is the case.

FWIW, at the company I work for, the standard penalty for non-company-related use of the facilities (whether computers or anything else) is instant dismissal. The last case I heard of, was somebody using the company CAD software to draw plans for some building work on his house. He wasn't doing it during working hours but his own time, but he still lost his job.

Perhaps that company felt they had good reason but this is University and I paid for this class.

Further, the Professor was fully aware of my intentions and was even helping with the project (and frankly it was a damn good one).

Most of what I do is on my time and I take great care not get in anyone's way. I am in it for the sole purpose of gaining knowledge and exploration of what has been gained.

Receiving a failing grade for a class for going beyond expectations put on students seems ridiculous and projects the image of an institution for stifled learning. What's next? Reprimands for testing infinite series solutions?

I do appreciate your insights and hope my comments do not come across as being against you in any way. Grades are not important but an 'F' in place of an 'audit' is incredibly frustrating.

At least I feel better for posting.

 

[Choppy]

They're assigning you an F for a course that you audited?

That sounds very odd indeed. Perhaps we are both operating under the assumption that the worst they can do to you for auditing a course is simply assign a "withdrew" grade. I would go through you school's academic calendar and student code of conduct read the fine print to see if this is permissible. Based on what you've said here, it sounds like you may have a case to challenge this decision. That will likely be an uphill battle though, even if you are in the right.

 

[mesa]

They're assigning you an F for a course that you audited?

That sounds very odd indeed. Perhaps we are both operating under the assumption that the worst they can do to you for auditing a course is simply assign a "withdrew" grade. I would go through you school's academic calendar and student code of conduct read the fine print to see if this is permissible. Based on what you've said here, it sounds like you may have a case to challenge this decision. That will likely be an uphill battle though, even if you are in the right.

Grades are unimportant unless they are wrong.

 

[mesa]

The official word just came in from the deans office, the 'F' stays and they added, "...no one here has done anything wrong", to which I replied,

"Discouraging exploration of knowledge at a University is doing something very wrong.",

To hell with them and their department.

 

[nickbob00]

That sounds completely outrageous, my university has a policy explicitly permitting use of computer facilities for personal things. If you were using the resources "inappropriately" they should have told you at the time and given warning.

 

[mesa]

That sounds completely outrageous, my university has a policy explicitly permitting use of computer facilities for personal things. If you were using the resources "inappropriately" they should have told you at the time and given warning.

I agree.