Show Bait and Switch In The n Classroom 41 Janice Blackham Horizon Copy CopyEditor CopyEditor CopyEditor Editor I feel tre tremendous tremendous tre- tre amounts of frustration disappointment disappointment disappointment and anger when I arrive the first day of a new quarter to an lIu important t class only to find an unexpected stranger as the instructor What is this Bait and switch in the classroom I am noticing a definite pattern pattern pattern pat pat- tern when registering especially especially especially espe espe- for English and Humanities courses at The teacher advertised in the class schedule is often not the teacher you end up with To Tome Tome Tome me this is a deceptive advertising advertising advertising advertis advertis- ing practice I like to consider myself an educated consumer and expect expect expect ex ex- fair and truthful practices in the marketplace When businesses employ deceptive advertising practices practices practices-adver- adver advertising one thing and then substituting substituting substituting sub sub- another the another the Federal Trade COIn Commission mission steps in Is exempt from truth in advertising It does matter to me who the instructor is of a particular class in fact it matters a lot For summer quarter I arranged arranged arranged ar ar- ar- ar ranged my entire life around English advertised in the schedule to be taught by Dr Elree Harris Harris had been highly recommended to me meby meby meby by her colleagues and my fellow fellow fellow fel fel- fel- fel low classmates Since writing is important to me I did everything possible to arrange my Iny schedule Jo to fit a spot for this highly regarded writing instructor My face wa was red with anger and my jaw was clenched tight with frustration frustration frustration tion when I didn't see Harris in the front of the classroom on the first day of the quarter I wanted my money back and yet at the same sanle time I wanted to g get t behind me Advertising staff in the schedule doesn't cut it with me either There are some SOine instructors instructors instructors in in- on this campus I would just as soon avoid How can I do that when they may Inay maybe maybe be hiding behind the word staff Oh that's right I could go wait in line for a 3 drop card To me Ine that is a lot lotof lotof lotof of trouble that could be avoided d if departments would simply provide the name of the real instructor in the class schedule Life at this college would be easier for me it I could depend on the class schedule to advertise advertise advertise adver adver- tise the truth I realize that some last minute changes in classes and instructors are inevitable inevitable inevitable in in- evitable but what efforts efforts' are being made to inform the students students students stu stu- stu- stu dents of these changes After all we are the he consumers around this place As an editor I welcome the idea of publishing last minute class instructor changes in the Horizon so that everyone could be informed Id I'd even be happy with a posted listing near the office of the department department department depart depart- ment head Until this takes place I guess its it's caveat let emptor tet the buyer beware or in this case the student I |