Serious About Lawsuit Against UConn

[drPheta]

I wouldn't discredit DrJeff, and he puts things into perspective very well. Remember when you guys were young and hated "so and so" because they were mean? Think back to what that did for you. Think back about whether or not they were really mean.

I'm not going to delv into any details pertaining to what goes on at UConn, but I can tell you all this. There is NO school in their right mind to let something as crude as what you've all implied to go on. It doesn't make sense. Why would any dean want to have something illegal happen under their authority. If this truly is the case, it'd warrant the ADA to revoke it UConn's accreditation, but I highly doubt this really is the case.

DrJeff sees things from both perspectives; that of a student and that as faculty (part time or not, he's still faculty). EVERY faculty member at every school remembers what it was like to be a "victim" of the system. Those same people also remember how important a strong education is.

I think if you are to pursue a lawsuit, you really sit down and think about what you're about to do. Like I said, it just doesn't add up. Even the most money hungry CEO of a company (who didn't care about his slaves) couldn't pull off what you say UConn is doing for that long. Eventually the governing body catches up and stops the nonsense. The ADA is a very strong entity, and they wouldn't leave something like this running for as long as it seems like it has.

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[iamhuman]

Yeah well it may be a palatal torus, but JRogoff chooses to post it for very obvious reasons. It looks like a penis.

Uh, it's a clinical photograph of a palatal torus, not "a goddamn penis in someone's mouth." Beyond that particular instance, if you see something you think is against the rules, you need to report it if you expect anything to be done. The "report bad post" button is in the lower left corner of every single SDN post, and it sends a report straight to the moderators.

WRT the UConn situation, you're perfectly welcome to discuss it here--you just have to do it within SDN's terms of service. All I'm asking is for people to ditch the personal attacks; is that really so much to ask from a group of adults?

 

[iamhuman]

Again, you are excusing bad behavior and not addressing the real issues, dr. Jeff. I don't need UConn to teach me about life.....I've already had a life that has taught me about life. I don't need them to violate laws and break rules to "teach lessons" either.

Oh, and boy you are a real ****ing hero for going to Haiti! Wow! Giving so much to all those so very very poor people! Give yourself a big pat on the back and a big freaking medal. When you all were driving around dig you have that stupid "MISSION OF MERCY" painted on the side of your truck so people could know what big ****ing heroes you all were? Did those people bow at your feet for helping them?

I hope you can take a step back and realize it's a PRIVILEGE to work in the mouths of people in Haiti, whether you get paid for it or whether you can come home and boast about how ****ing charitable you are!

And, they wondered why they landed in Peru (I'm pretty sure it was Peru) a few years ago and found no work to do. The gov't probably didn't want them touching people. No one likes to have "charity case" stamped on their ****ing foreheads, not even very impoverished and needy people.

Boy, you goto Haiti for a long weekend of volunteer charity dental work and the folks of this thread start playing, although I'll thank aphistis for turning the actual post count number back on

As I was down working on some of the poorest of thr poor the last few days I was thinking a little bit about this thread and the entire UCONN education process, and the theory and spirit behind it. Basically it appears to have failed you few folks, and you can now expect a miserable life from here on out. One of the key concepts that I've heard one of your deans say that is the goal of the UCONN education process is that it should teach you to teach yourself, and not just about dentistry, but about life in general. This profession is advancing at a dizzying rate and if you stay where your at and be able to move on and evaluate things and decide what is wrong and right, you might as well not be in this profession.

I'm guessing that way back when, what ever prof that became ticked off at you, there was some incident/event that you were involved in that started the process, since I highly doubt that the first time you walked into the room with that prof that they instantaneously singled you out and decided to make your life miserable. Think back about it, and you might actually have to take a hard, critical look at either a failure you had, or a personality trait that might rub people the wrong way, especially some "old school" dental faculty members. Reconizing things like this, dealing with them and learning from a "defeat" like this is not just a dental school education objective, but a "life skill" that they try to teach. Developing the ability to "read" people quickly in this profession is one of the key skills that is needed for continued success, and some people can do it, while others can't. Especially when it somes to D-school the ability to read a professor the correct way, and quickly can make things much easier for you (and I'm not saying that this is right to have to do this, just a fact of life sometimes). The inability to read someone can lead to a long tenure in many events in life, from dental school, the dental practice, even to things like marriage

I know that you'd never believe it coming from me, since you obvious feel that I wake up and grab my UCONN "pom-poms" each day, but the folks in the deans office actually care quite a bit about your education, and having a superior(and constantly progressing/adapting) curriculum/education experience. It does though seem that the unhappy 5-10% of folks will make 90% of the noise, and one day, you'll realize the quality of the entire education/life learning process that you got up on the hill in Farmington.

 

[Me4]

Again, you are excusing bad behavior and not addressing the real issues, dr. Jeff. I don't need UConn to teach me about life.....I've already had a life that has taught me about life. I don't need them to violate laws and break rules to "teach lessons" either.

Oh, and boy you are a real ****ing hero for going to Haiti! Wow! Giving so much to all those so very very poor people! Give yourself a big pat on the back and a big freaking medal. When you all were driving around dig you have that stupid "MISSION OF MERCY" painted on the side of your truck so people could know what big ****ing heroes you all were? Did those people bow at your feet for helping them?

I hope you can take a step back and realize it's a PRIVILEGE to work in the mouths of people in Haiti, whether you get paid for it or whether you can come home and boast about how ****ing charitable you are!

And, they wondered why they landed in Peru (I'm pretty sure it was Peru) a few years ago and found no work to do. The gov't probably didn't want them touching people. No one likes to have "charity case" stamped on their ****ing foreheads, not even very impoverished and needy people.

Wow! IAmHuman puts it in perspective!

 

[Me4]

I wouldn't discredit DrJeff, and he puts things into perspective very well. Remember when you guys were young and hated "so and so" because they were mean? Think back to what that did for you. Think back about whether or not they were really mean.

I'm not going to delv into any details pertaining to what goes on at UConn, but I can tell you all this. There is NO school in their right mind to let something as crude as what you've all implied to go on. It doesn't make sense. Why would any dean want to have something illegal happen under their authority. If this truly is the case, it'd warrant the ADA to revoke it UConn's accreditation, but I highly doubt this really is the case.

DrJeff sees things from both perspectives; that of a student and that as faculty (part time or not, he's still faculty). EVERY faculty member at every school remembers what it was like to be a "victim" of the system. Those same people also remember how important a strong education is.

I think if you are to pursue a lawsuit, you really sit down and think about what you're about to do. Like I said, it just doesn't add up. Even the most money hungry CEO of a company (who didn't care about his slaves) couldn't pull off what you say UConn is doing for that long. Eventually the governing body catches up and stops the nonsense. The ADA is a very strong entity, and they wouldn't leave something like this running for as long as it seems like it has.

Dr Pheta,

My perspective is from a FULL-time faculty member as well as an ex-student.

Further, I don't think you realize how insulting and insensitive your statements are to many of us. These things HAVE happened. Too many of the same experiences get reported with consistency. For you to claim that it couldn't have happened b/c we have such policies in place is a major slap in the face. In many ways, it makes you just as guilty for turning your back on the situation.

Also, you are doing what the administration did when it was reported to them--claim that it couldn't have possibly happened.

Sheesh, I hope you never go into administration if this is the way you respond to these allegations. An administrator should take all serious, numerous, and consistent accusations very seriously and investigate them instead of just blowing them off and saying "that couldn't have possibly happened at this fine institution!"

Now, I'd like Dr Jeff and Dr Pheta to understand that we are actually on the same team. We all care about UConn and we all want it to be the best institution that it can be. Where Dr Jeff and Dr Pheta drop the ball is in refusing to acknowledge that UConn has some serious problems. You can still love the institution, but recognize that it needs major improvements! You know, you guys seem to keep saying that our perspective about UConn is immature, undeveloped, unaware, etc, but it is actually you two who seem to have the one-sided perspective of refusing to acknowledge that we are not trying to be "meanies," but we are trying to solve a major problem, even if that means taking legal action. Failure to recognize that there is a major problem is a problem in and of itself!

On a final note, you put an idea into our heads: make some of these complaints to the ADEA and/or ADA and let them investigate. If that is what is needed to wake up the school and make it a better place, then so be it. Why don't you take the same approach with us that you think we are not taking with the school? We are not trying to "be mean," we are doing it b/c it is important to the integrity of our alma mater, thank you very much. This isn't b/c someone didn't give us a passing grade or decided to single us out, it is b/c the institution that I love dearly has some serious problems that I want fixed so that I can be proud to say I graduated from UConn.

 

[Me4]

Boy, you goto Haiti for a long weekend of volunteer charity dental work and the folks of this thread start playing, although I'll thank aphistis for turning the actual post count number back on

As I was down working on some of the poorest of thr poor the last few days I was thinking a little bit about this thread and the entire UCONN education process, and the theory and spirit behind it. Basically it appears to have failed you few folks, and you can now expect a miserable life from here on out. One of the key concepts that I've heard one of your deans say that is the goal of the UCONN education process is that it should teach you to teach yourself, and not just about dentistry, but about life in general. This profession is advancing at a dizzying rate and if you stay where your at and be able to move on and evaluate things and decide what is wrong and right, you might as well not be in this profession.

I'm guessing that way back when, what ever prof that became ticked off at you, there was some incident/event that you were involved in that started the process, since I highly doubt that the first time you walked into the room with that prof that they instantaneously singled you out and decided to make your life miserable. Think back about it, and you might actually have to take a hard, critical look at either a failure you had, or a personality trait that might rub people the wrong way, especially some "old school" dental faculty members. Reconizing things like this, dealing with them and learning from a "defeat" like this is not just a dental school education objective, but a "life skill" that they try to teach. Developing the ability to "read" people quickly in this profession is one of the key skills that is needed for continued success, and some people can do it, while others can't. Especially when it somes to D-school the ability to read a professor the correct way, and quickly can make things much easier for you (and I'm not saying that this is right to have to do this, just a fact of life sometimes). The inability to read someone can lead to a long tenure in many events in life, from dental school, the dental practice, even to things like marriage

I know that you'd never believe it coming from me, since you obvious feel that I wake up and grab my UCONN "pom-poms" each day, but the folks in the deans office actually care quite a bit about your education, and having a superior(and constantly progressing/adapting) curriculum/education experience. It does though seem that the unhappy 5-10% of folks will make 90% of the noise, and one day, you'll realize the quality of the entire education/life learning process that you got up on the hill in Farmington.

Alas, you let me down again. I was hoping that the reason you hadn't responded was b/c you had finally decided to respect our thread and leave, but you failed me yet again.

 

[CatsMeow]

Now, I'd like Dr Jeff and Dr Pheta to understand that we are actually on the same team.

we r soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo not on the same team!---i hate uconn more than anything else and would luv to see it get hit w/a serious lawsuit & humiliated in the press---then all those profs who claim they are protecting the integrity of the school would be revealed for what they were really doin---protecting the "integrity" of the place they work at so that it looks good on their cv---just a thought, that's prolly what jeff is doin---he works there so he has to protect it or it don't look good on his cv!---Me4 clearly doesn't have to protect it cuz he is not a prof at this institution!

 

[HardWay]

I'm not going to delv into any details pertaining to what goes on at UConn, but I can tell you all this. There is NO school in their right mind to let something as crude as what you've all implied to go on. It doesn't make sense. Why would any dean want to have something illegal happen under their authority. If this truly is the case, it'd warrant the ADA to revoke it UConn's accreditation, but I highly doubt this really is the case.

Uh,....the reason it has gone on so long is due to students either being too frightened (due to threats) to report it or due to students getting punished or harrassed when they do report it! That's how fascism works!

 

[drPheta]

Serioulsy, I'm not saying they did or didn't happen. I don't know. What I am saying is that you really need to assess what you are trying to do, and need to try to be as objective as possible. Trust me, if I were in administration you'd be whining about something trivial, not serious like what you're saying in here.

The point of the matter is that your credibility is somewhat lost by (not yourself, per se) comments that could be considered immature. Granted, this is the internet. However, you need to be diplomatic about the issue if you want to get anywhere. This goes for this situation or anything for that matter. If you want to take professional action against a professional entity, you need to act professionally. DrJeff, while he doesn't jive well with your stance, is doing just that. He's stating his perspective and opinion on the subject matter in a conducive way. To lash out in an aggressive manner is only going to make matters worse. Judging by the way those of you defend your positions, I can see how that would dig a deeper hole than you'd like with anyone on the administration at UConn.

I challenge you to print out what's being said here, bring it to an unbiased third party who actually can grasp the concept of professionalism and the seriousness of these allegations (I call it that because nothing's be PROVEN yet... I don't care how many of you say this or that happened. It's just like an argument between two kids saying who started what first). See how far your arguments and habits take your stance with that independent party.

That's why so many of us on this board are skeptical (if you want to call it that). You really don't paint yourselves in a great light with the company you have. I'm not saying you're childish, because I've seen 50 year olds get stupidly aggressive over something. I'm just saying that you need to build your case from all points that you're coming from. Another reason why I can tell you that DrJeff isn't some paid monkey. He's been on this board for a long time, and I've seen the things he does for those on this internet community. As for what he does for his dental community, I can rest assured he's doing the right things (both at UConn and at his practice).

My comment on the ADA not allowing something like to happen is there to guide you along your way. If what you say happens(ed) at UConn is true, then surely your case should be valid and taken seriously by the ADA. They will in turn do something to revamp the administration and education at that school. To simply take this to court would be far too aggressive and rash at this point.

If students lived in fear so much for so long, why is it that the teaching faculty also acknowledge it and let it go for so long? Like everyone has said, you want to make a change do so in a positive way. Suing is only going to make the school look bad and it'll be harder to make things better, compared to had you taken your bout up to the administration the way we've suggested. Not everyone can be "old school." Someone's got to be willing to work with you from the inside if they're aware of it enough to say "don't say those things. You could get in trouble for that."

Get what I'm saying?

 

[DrJeff]

On a final note, you put an idea into our heads: make some of these complaints to the ADEA and/or ADA and let them investigate. If that is what is needed to wake up the school and make it a better place, then so be it. Why don't you take the same approach with us that you think we are not taking with the school? We are not trying to "be mean," we are doing it b/c it is important to the integrity of our alma mater, thank you very much. This isn't b/c someone didn't give us a passing grade or decided to single us out, it is b/c the institution that I love dearly has some serious problems that I want fixed so that I can be proud to say I graduated from UConn.

Here's the channel to file a complaint with the ADA's Acreditation committee, UCONN is due for it's next cycle of acreditation for a few years, but I'm sure they'd take your complaints into consideration if they're valid.

http://www.ada.org/prof/ed/accred/commission/complaint.pdf

 

[DrJeff]

we r soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo not on the same team!---i hate uconn more than anything else and would luv to see it get hit w/a serious lawsuit & humiliated in the press---then all those profs who claim they are protecting the integrity of the school would be revealed for what they were really doin---protecting the "integrity" of the place they work at so that it looks good on their cv---just a thought, that's prolly what jeff is doin---he works there so he has to protect it or it don't look good on his cv!---Me4 clearly doesn't have to protect it cuz he is not a prof at this institution!

So sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm a community volunteer faculty member, that doesn't get paid a cent to do what I do(okay I do get a faculty lot parking pass). And in actuality, between me giving up time that I could be spending in my own office treating(and billing) my own patients, and the 110 mile round trip for me to get from my office and back to my house on the roughly 20 times a year I head over to Farmington, it actually costs me about $30,000 a year.

As for using it to pad my CV, the last time I actually gave someone a copy of my CV was when I was applying to my GPR 10 years ago, which was BEFORE I started teaching at UCONN. I do this because I actually LIKE it, and I want to give back to the school(not monetarily until a certain faculty member retires though), because while it may not be perfect, it sure gave me a great education and continues to turn out first class practitioners. So sorry that it failed you and that you're now doomed to a life of hopeless misery.

 

[DrJeff]

Serioulsy, I'm not saying they did or didn't happen. I don't know. What I am saying is that you really need to assess what you are trying to do, and need to try to be as objective as possible. Trust me, if I were in administration you'd be whining about something trivial, not serious like what you're saying in here.

The point of the matter is that your credibility is somewhat lost by (not yourself, per se) comments that could be considered immature. Granted, this is the internet. However, you need to be diplomatic about the issue if you want to get anywhere. This goes for this situation or anything for that matter. If you want to take professional action against a professional entity, you need to act professionally. DrJeff, while he doesn't jive well with your stance, is doing just that. He's stating his perspective and opinion on the subject matter in a conducive way. To lash out in an aggressive manner is only going to make matters worse. Judging by the way those of you defend your positions, I can see how that would dig a deeper hole than you'd like with anyone on the administration at UConn.

I challenge you to print out what's being said here, bring it to an unbiased third party who actually can grasp the concept of professionalism and the seriousness of these allegations (I call it that because nothing's be PROVEN yet... I don't care how many of you say this or that happened. It's just like an argument between two kids saying who started what first). See how far your arguments and habits take your stance with that independent party.

That's why so many of us on this board are skeptical (if you want to call it that). You really don't paint yourselves in a great light with the company you have. I'm not saying you're childish, because I've seen 50 year olds get stupidly aggressive over something. I'm just saying that you need to build your case from all points that you're coming from. Another reason why I can tell you that DrJeff isn't some paid monkey. He's been on this board for a long time, and I've seen the things he does for those on this internet community. As for what he does for his dental community, I can rest assured he's doing the right things (both at UConn and at his practice).

My comment on the ADA not allowing something like to happen is there to guide you along your way. If what you say happens(ed) at UConn is true, then surely your case should be valid and taken seriously by the ADA. They will in turn do something to revamp the administration and education at that school. To simply take this to court would be far too aggressive and rash at this point.

If students lived in fear so much for so long, why is it that the teaching faculty also acknowledge it and let it go for so long? Like everyone has said, you want to make a change do so in a positive way. Suing is only going to make the school look bad and it'll be harder to make things better, compared to had you taken your bout up to the administration the way we've suggested. Not everyone can be "old school." Someone's got to be willing to work with you from the inside if they're aware of it enough to say "don't say those things. You could get in trouble for that."

Get what I'm saying?

Very well put. Of course though the conspiracy theorists will always abound

 

[TKD]

Very well put. Of course though the conspiracy theorists will always abound

Let's lay this post to rest. DrJeff is someone who's actually walking the walk. I think by now its obvious that the UCONN thing is no different than any other school. Sorry, if you whiners want a country club go into some other profession. DrJeff i don't think you'll ever get thru to these people. I think by now everyone's wasting there time. And if 1 of the posters did in fact clone themself, wow then that's double the time waste. Get this lawsuit mentality out of your head and motivate yourselves to make a change in the future.

 

[Me4]

Thanks DrJeff for the link. Now I don't have to go look it up myself.

As for not donating monetarily to the school until a certain faculty member retires, that statement right there suggests you have certain hangups with the school too!

TKD, if you re-read all the posts, including the ones in the closed threads, you will realize that this is not about "whining;" it's about improving my alma mater. Further, you have no right to voice your opinion unless you have been to this school.

To others: after I follow that link for the complaints to the ADA, I will update you guys.

 

[DrJeff]

Thanks DrJeff for the link. Now I don't have to go look it up myself.

As for not donating monetarily to the school until a certain faculty member retires, that statement right there suggests you have certain hangups with the school too!

TKD, if you re-read all the posts, including the ones in the closed threads, you will realize that this is not about "whining;" it's about improving my alma mater. Further, you have no right to voice your opinion unless you have been to this school.

To others: after I follow that link for the complaints to the ADA, I will update you guys.

I actually don't have a complaint with the school per say as much as I have an issue with a particular faculty member. The school, in particular the dean at that time, handled the situation quite well in my opinion.

 

[Squared]

So sorry to burst your bubble, but I'm a community volunteer faculty member, that doesn't get paid a cent to do what I do(okay I do get a faculty lot parking pass). And in actuality, between me giving up time that I could be spending in my own office treating(and billing) my own patients, and the 110 mile round trip for me to get from my office and back to my house on the roughly 20 times a year I head over to Farmington, it actually costs me about $30,000 a year.

As for using it to pad my CV, the last time I actually gave someone a copy of my CV was when I was applying to my GPR 10 years ago, which was BEFORE I started teaching at UCONN. I do this because I actually LIKE it, and I want to give back to the school(not monetarily until a certain faculty member retires though), because while it may not be perfect, it sure gave me a great education and continues to turn out first class practitioners. So sorry that it failed you and that you're now doomed to a life of hopeless misery.

Have u evr stopped to read your posts and realize how rude and thoughtless they are? U come off as a very arrogant, crass person. How do your pts tolerate ur attitude?

As for $30,000, I don't believe u for a minute!

This is why iamhuman wrote that last post to you.

 

[aphistis]

if 1 of the posters did in fact clone themself, wow then that's double the time waste.

Indeed. No matter what you think of UConn, you're only allowed one SDN account.

 

[drPheta]

He's talking about 30,000 being the amount he could have made had he stayed in his practice, instead of volunteering at UConn, wasting money on gas, maintenance, and no income during that time he's not in his office.

Sure, it may only cost him a couple hundred/thousand a year to volunteer at UConn, but the actual cost to him is far greater since he's forgoing any potential income he could have had.

 

[DrJeff]

Have u evr stopped to read your posts and realize how rude and thoughtless they are? U come off as a very arrogant, crass person. How do your pts tolerate ur attitude?

As for $30,000, I don't believe u for a minute!

This is why iamhuman wrote that last post to you.

First off, my patients in general really enjoy coming to my office, and I treat them like gold. After all it's their like of my practice that keeps them coming back, and referring their friends/co-workers to my practice. I basically treat them like I want to be treated in the chair, and the rest takes care of itself, thats basically one of the lifeskills that I follow.

I will admit that when I feel passionately about something and have a STRONG disagreement with someone/feel that I've been taken advantage of/ feel that alot of the opposite opinion of mine is based on more half truths than whole truths, I can really be one stubborn S.O.B. (one of those self analysis things that has allowed me to help accentuate my strengths and deal with my weaknesses to get to where I am). I also won't deny that when I feel strongly about something that I will take many steps to get to the bottom of something/find out more info via an extensive netwok of contacts that I have either via my family or my personal experiences, and hence I'm willing to get aggressive and defend a topic ad nauseum when I am confident of the info behind my stance.

As for the $30,000 loss for me. It's really pretty simple. Including the faculty training/preparation sessions that I attend with the course I'm involved with, I make 20 trips to UCONN a year. That's 20 afternoons of patient time I pass up (60 hours total chair time). My average production per an afternoon session (I have a block scheduling system where I certain types of proceedures at certain times of the day - i.e. I prefer to have just restorative patients during the afternoon) is $500 an hour. Thats $30,000 in potential, production that I pass up volunteering my time, and with my schedule I work 3.5 days a week, except teaching weeks where I work 3 days a week. Through in 2200 miles of driving , which is about 110 gallons of gas for me to get back and forth, and there's the $$ it costs me to teach.

 

[MsPurtell]

What did said faculty member do to make you hate him/her so much???

It's funny. I know who you are talking about. That individual and I had an excellent rapport. I could easily say that you are telling a half truth or that you are exaggerating or just whining, but I don't do things like that. If you say you hate the person and won't donate a dime to the school till this person in dead, well then I believe that person must have done something very serious to you and over a prolonged period of time.

I actually don't have a complaint with the school per say as much as I have an issue with a particular faculty member. The school, in particular the dean at that time, handled the situation quite well in my opinion.

 

[DrJeff]

What did said faculty member do to make you hate him/her so much???

It's funny. I know who you are talking about. That individual and I had an excellent rapport. I could easily say that you are telling a half truth or that you are exaggerating or just whining, but I don't do things like that. If you say you hate the person and won't donate a dime to the school till this person in dead, well then I believe that person must have done something very serious to you and over a prolonged period of time.

Really likes to use compound and a 212 rubber dam retainer. That should be plenty of a hint

 

[MsPurtell]

Yeah, he made all of us do that. What's the biggie? That was your issue with him??? I thought you kind of implied that you hated him and that there had been a big issue that the school had to step in on. Since you felt so strongly I was wondering what exactly he did? I was assuming you were talking about some kind of long term harrassment. It sounded serious.

Really likes to use compound and a 212 rubber dam retainer. That should be plenty of a hint

 

[DrJeff]

Yeah, he made all of us do that. What's the biggie? That was your issue with him??? I thought you kind of implied that you hated him and that there had been a big issue that the school had to step in on. Since you felt so strongly I was wondering what exactly he did? I was assuming you were talking about some kind of long term harrassment. It sounded serious.

Very short term issue on my graduation day where he had my diploma witheld basically just due to the fact that a part time secretary had gone home early for a long weekend Back when I graduated actually having all your requirments done and getting your diploma on graduation day was a HUGE thing. For example, had that prof just simply made the call down to the dean of students office and said that I had everything done (which I did, but just not on the official department printed list, and this prof had no clue how to access the official print out ), I would have been the 7th student(out of a class of 39) to get their official diploma on graduation day (that was a pretty consistant percentage when I graduated. The Dean at that time recticfied the situation later that evening.

 

[MsPurtell]

At least you are honest.

I, therefore, have to conclude that if you had happen to you what some have had happen to them (and have discussed here) you'd be reacting just as we react, if not worse. I know the people posting here. We are talking about long term harrassment, not a "short term issue".

Now I don't want to minimize what happened to you. That would tick me off and I'd be annoyed at the old guy, too.

Very short term issue on my graduation day where he had my diploma witheld basically just due to the fact that a part time secretary had gone home early for a long weekend Back when I graduated actually having all your requirments done and getting your diploma on graduation day was a HUGE thing. For example, had that prof just simply made the call down to the dean of students office and said that I had everything done (which I did, but just not on the official department printed list, and this prof had no clue how to access the official print out ), I would have been the 7th student(out of a class of 39) to get their official diploma on graduation day (that was a pretty consistant percentage when I graduated. The Dean at that time recticfied the situation later that evening.

 

[DrJeff]

At least you are honest.

I, therefore, have to conclude that if you had happen to you what some have had happen to them (and have discussed here) you'd be reacting just as we react, if not worse. I know the people posting here. We are talking about long term harrassment, not a "short term issue".

Now I don't want to minimize what happened to you. That would tick me off and I'd be annoyed at the old guy, too.

I never thought about filing a lawsuit against the school, just what actions I could take from within to make changes, and I feel that I have taken steps to help with that via my involvement since graduation as a trip chaperone, a part time teacher and a student mentor. I am very honest with the studenst that i interact with and tell them that during their years in dental school that there are times when dental school really sucks. However, perseverence through that has great rewards after graduation in the form of a wonderfull, meaningfull career where depending on what type of environment you choose to practice in, you'll have so much autonomy over that you may not believe it.

I also encourage students if they're frustrated with the dental school experience to get involved after they graduate, if not with UCONN than with another school/teaching setting near them, simply as a way to let that group of currect students know that it is worth it at the end.

As for not giving back $$ to the school until a certain prof is gone, I'm in the majority of dentists out there. My partner about 2 weeks ago came back from a meeting at the ADA central office in Chicago, where one of the ADA task force committees he's on was discussing how to work on maintaining a high level of transferance from dental school graduates to ADA members. One of the stats that he told me he found out at that meeting is that when looking at alumni giving amongst professional schools, that dental schools have the lowest percentages of graduates giving back monetarily to their school (the exact number slips my mind right now but as I recall it was somewhere arounf 15% that give back ) My partner who was UCONN '89 won't give $$ to the school until a certain prosth faculty that has been eluded to in this thread previously is COMPLETELY gone from the school (and as of last Monday I can for certain say that that hasn't happened yet!)

I think that the biggest problems with D-School is that relatively speaking there isn't enough time to get all of the information from professor to students brains in a way that the info can be fully comprehended in the duration of dental school. Plus, even under ideal situations as a student, you have s HUGE stressing variable to deal with, the conept of not only getting a patient that has the specific disease processes you need to experience to graduate, but then getting that individual who often doesn't have alot of available $$ to spend it on their teeth, when they may have other bills like rent/mortgage, car payments, etc competing for those same $$'s. This scenario can bring out alot of frustration both from the perspective of the student, and even the faculty that has to deal with managing both the student and the patient. I'm not saying that it always gets handled correctly, but often the events surrounding both sides of the situation lead to the problem in the first place.

 

[S Files]

I find DrJeff's posts to be great. I however believe that the concept of not supporting your alma mater, either monetarily of through other means, until a certain individual is gone is rather juvenile. I mean, earmark the funds to go elsewhere.
My 2 cents thinks that UCONN is top 10 d school (when considering didactic, clinical, specialty rates, boards, etc etc). Man you guys on here complaining should give NY-Zoo a try for a week.

 

[Holy Thursday]

Man, in my AEGD, I heard some wicked stories about the craziness at NYU. That craziness deals with red tape; not the same as the craziness at UConn.

Man you guys on here complaining should give NY-Zoo a try for a week.

Jeff, I find it wickedly scary that you berate and insult others for acknowledging that UConn is less than perfect and wanting to fix it, but yet you hold the whole school accountable for the actions of one professor during one instance. Furthermore, that one instance is really no big deal. That prof just didn't want to be rushed into doing something...a normal thing for a prof to do. If that's what makes you "wah, wah," you would never survive nowadays at the school.

After I got out of ds, I was depressed for almost 1.5 yrs. You would think I would be happy once I got out of ds, but I guess that the piled up grief sent me into a pretty serious depression. That was 1.5 yrs of my life lost to utter misery. Thankfully, we have meds now that help ppl back from the brink of despair.

Punishing the whole school for one justifiable incident by one professor...Good Grief, Charlie Brown.

Very short term issue on my graduation day where he had my diploma witheld basically just due to the fact that a part time secretary had gone home early for a long weekend Back when I graduated actually having all your requirments done and getting your diploma on graduation day was a HUGE thing. For example, had that prof just simply made the call down to the dean of students office and said that I had everything done (which I did, but just not on the official department printed list, and this prof had no clue how to access the official print out ), I would have been the 7th student(out of a class of 39) to get their official diploma on graduation day (that was a pretty consistant percentage when I graduated. The Dean at that time recticfied the situation later that evening.

 

[aphistis]

I find DrJeff's posts to be great. I however believe that the concept of not supporting your alma mater, either monetarily of through other means, until a certain individual is gone is rather juvenile. I mean, earmark the funds to go elsewhere.
My 2 cents thinks that UCONN is top 10 d school (when considering didactic, clinical, specialty rates, boards, etc etc). Man you guys on here complaining should give NY-Zoo a try for a week.

I think it's perfectly within his prerogative to do with his money what he chooses. I'm in exactly the same boat as DrJeff--as glad as I am to be attending IUSD, the school won't see a cent from me until a certain administrator is gone. I'm grateful for the education I'm receiving, but after dealing with this individual in school, I simply can't trust that any gifts won't be exploited & diverted away from its intended ends. I'd *much* rather give to my undergrad biology program, where I know gifts will be handled as I request.

Dental students spend four very long years getting unnecessarily hazed time and again by various agents of their respective schools. If the schools want alumni relations to improve, they're gonna have to recognize that, and start taking at least the first step themselves.

 

[Holy Thursday]

Aphistis: Kinda sounds like u r in a diff boat, man. I mean, u r worried @ funds being misused/mishandled. Jeff is doing it out of anger toward 1 prof (not an admin) & ovr 1 minor instance. hopefully, u have >1 instance &/or the instance was very serious. Given that ur beef is w/an admin, I can understand the reason for worrying @ the misuse of ur $.

Jeff=(little fists pounding on table & in a high-pitched,temper-tantrum voice) "daddy didn't give me my dessert right after I finished my brussel sprouts, so I don't love him anymore."
Aphistis=(in a suit & tie) "I'm worried that the agency will exploit the donation."
Get the difference?

Food for thought Aphistis: Did u evr consider that the rest of the school may be just as accountable for looking the other way & allowing this admin to retain his/her position? And how do u know that once this admin leaves that there won't be another equally low 1 to take their place? (By then, you could have contributed tons.) Have u thought @ reporting this admin?---If not, u may be helping to promote the problem. Not that I do or do not believe all this, just something to ponder.

Funny u should speak of hazing...I guess that is what ds really is & is what ppl r complaining @ here.

Alumni relations do need to improve, not for the sake of $, but b/c it is a sign that a lot was done wrong in those 4 yrs. Eventually, ppl r going to do a lot more than just not give $, they will take action & all ds's around the nation could feel the repurcussions. The repurcussions could even end up hurting the very targets they r trying to help. It's kinda like the idea that dentistry needs to police itself or the feds will step in & make a mess of it. Well, ds's need to police themselves otherwise enuff of a stink will be made that schools will be policed by way too many outside agencies.

In the past, it was unheard of to question ur doc, much less sue them. Now, ppl consider it pro-active to "protect" themselves from their docs & to get multiple opinions as well as do some research for themselves. They also have no qualms @ suing. Lots of things have contributed to this shift in attitudes, but a lot of docs having bad bedside manner in the past didn't help. DS's should consider disgruntled students a sign of bad bedside manner rather than as the exception to the norm. A ds can have a good bedside manner while being ethical & doing its job. Although they won't be able to make evry student happy, they won't have so many disgruntled students & donating $ should occur. Besides, aren't ds's trying nowadays to teach good chairside manner? If they really believe that it is a must in this profession, then they should have no problem applying that concept to themselves, ie teach profs & admins to have a good "deskside" manner.

What's even sadder @ the $ thing is that abc news just reported this morning that the 3 highest pd professions in the U.S. are oral surgery, orthodontia, and prosthodontia (in that order). Kinda sad that we r the top 3 yet we give back less than others. (Sorry, I caught the broadcast at the end and didn't get a chance to see all the other spots.)

My $0.02: the ppl here r examples of UConn's poor alumni relations. Attempting to curb that problem while the students r in school would prevent stuff like this on sdn from happening. Regardless of what Jeff says, the number of disgruntled students isn't around 5 or 10%, it's closer to 40-60%. That was the number in my class. I think the class behind mine had a higher number. I heard, but I have no stats or anything to back it up, that UConn has the worst alumni assoc in the nation and the lowest number of graduates donating $. I'd like to know if this is true.

I think it's perfectly within his prerogative to do with his money what he chooses. I'm in exactly the same boat as DrJeff--as glad as I am to be attending IUSD, the school won't see a cent from me until a certain administrator is gone. I'm grateful for the education I'm receiving, but after dealing with this individual in school, I simply can't trust that any gifts won't be exploited & diverted away from its intended ends. I'd *much* rather give to my undergrad biology program, where I know gifts will be handled as I request.

Dental students spend four very long years getting unnecessarily hazed time and again by various agents of their respective schools. If the schools want alumni relations to improve, they're gonna have to recognize that, and start taking at least the first step themselves.

 

[groundhog]

This one could get me banned for life from SDN...but so be it. Check out the "Any combat vets applying?" thread on the Pre Dental forum. Some of those folks have darn good stats plus some real world in the trenches life experiences. Wonder how they would hold up under "all that emotional stress" at UCONN? I bet, for them, it would be like water off a duck's back.

 

[aphistis]

This one could get me banned for life from SDN...but so be it. Check out the "Any combat vets applying?" thread on the Pre Dental forum. Some of those folks have darn good stats plus some real world in the trenches life experiences. Wonder how they would hold up under "all that emotional stress" at UCONN? I bet, for them, it would be like water off a duck's back.

Too bad blind speculation doesn't pack much evidentiary value.

You're as welcome at SDN as anybody groundhog, but given that you've never been to UConn--or any dental school, for that matter--to have any idea what you're so casually disregarding, most people aren't going to regard you as a heavyweight on the subject.

 

[rambo2006]

This thread is getting really boring...

 

[Holy Thursday]

This one could get me banned for life from SDN...but so be it. Check out the "Any combat vets applying?" thread on the Pre Dental forum. Some of those folks have darn good stats plus some real world in the trenches life experiences. Wonder how they would hold up under "all that emotional stress" at UCONN? I bet, for them, it would be like water off a duck's back.

Actually, it may just be the hair that breaks the camel's back. There is this one theory in psychology that a person can only take so many devastating events before they have semi-permanent negative effects on the brain and cause the pt to go into a deep depresssion.

As for this thread being boring, sorry that we are not here frequently enuff to entertain u. Afterall, that is what this thread is for...entertaining u.

 

[groundhog]

Actually, it may just be the hair that breaks the camel's back. There is this one theory in psychology that a person can only take so many devastating events before they have semi-permanent negative effects on the brain and cause the pt to go into a deep depresssion.

As for this thread being boring, sorry that we are not here frequently enuff to entertain u. Afterall, that is what this thread is for...entertaining u.

Theory schemery.....My fellow vietnam vets who went into depression after returning home were by and large those draftees who were "society's nobodys" prior to induction, acquired high self worth as valuable team members within their units while in vietnam under very stressful conditions, and then had to return home only to find that they were still undervalued "society's nobodys" without much of a future. Those who returned to supportive families and prospects for a future tended to do just fine when faced with adverse challenges in civilian life.

 

[Sprgrover]

...Dental students spend four very long years getting unnecessarily hazed time and again by various agents of their respective schools. If the schools want alumni relations to improve, they're gonna have to recognize that, and start taking at least the first step themselves.

Hear, hear!

 

[Holy Thursday]

I guess all those studies dealing w/PTSD were all lies, right? That must B just another "theory shmeory," right? All that research & data was faked.

According to u, those who had lives & families to return home to were "somebodies." Were they "somebodies" when they battered their wives & children while experiencing PTSD flashbacks?

I can remember 1 x-military ds prof that was very successful in ds, went into the military, came back home to his family & his VERY successful dental career (littered w/tons of honors). According to u, he was a "society's somebody." In fact, he was a "somebody" that has been married & divorced twice, is still alone (last I heard), has several grown kids that still despise him, became addicted to drugs to numb the pain of the experience, & has no friends (save the students who pretended to like him for LOR's). Hooray for the "somebodies!"

Further, did it evr occur to u that the reason the "society's nobodies" didn't do so well was that they didn't have the "supportive family & friends" (of which u acknowledge the "somebodies" had) to return home to? I seriously doubt they were "nobodies," but more so, ppl w/o extensive support networks to help them emotionally recover from what they had just experienced.

Also, if I were u, I'd think twice before calling ppl who put their lives on the line for this country "nobodies."

I will give credit to the idea that those currently or previously (& honorably discharged) in the military probably do better than civilians in ds. Y? B/c they r usu the type of ppl that r willing to blindly obey rules, willing to have basic rights taken away, & willing to B pimp-slapped by their commanding officer w/o having any recourse (no recourse in reality, only on paper)...that's basically what ds is like. Come to think of it, that's probably Y retired military personnel seem to show up later as profs in ds!

What lessons can we learn from all this?
1. Groundhog's categorization of "somebodies" & "nobodies" is disrespectful (at best) toward those who put their lives on the line for this country.
2. His categorizations r insensitive toward those who suffered severe emotional disturbances after military duty or during ds.
3. Groundhog clearly thinks his opinion matters more than reality as well as more than facts supported by lots of good research.
4. Groundhog's views r so naive as to make 1 wonder if he was evr really in the military.

All this leads me to think: Groundhog, do u really have opinions that disagree w/ours, or r u just posting opposing opinions b/c this is the only way u can get ppl to talk to u & acknowledge ur existence? U just might have a deeper problem than u r willing to admit. U might want to seek help for this.

This thread would again be interesting if so many ppl weren’t banned & if ppl w/real experiences would post here.

Theory schemery.....My fellow vietnam vets who went into depression after returning home were by and large those draftees who were "society's nobodys" prior to induction, acquired high self worth as valuable team members within their units while in vietnam under very stressful conditions, and then had to return home only to find that they were still undervalued "society's nobodys" without much of a future. Those who returned to supportive families and prospects for a future tended to do just fine when faced with adverse challenges in civilian life.

 

[Holy Thursday]

Sorry, I guess I must have hit the "submit reply" button too many times.

 

[groundhog]

I guess all those studies dealing w/PTSD were all lies, right? That must B just another "theory shmeory," right? All that research & data was faked.

According to u, those who had lives & families to return home to were "somebodies." Were they "somebodies" when they battered their wives & children while experiencing PTSD flashbacks?

I can remember 1 x-military ds prof that was very successful in ds, went into the military, came back home to his family & his VERY successful dental career (littered w/tons of honors). According to u, he was a "society's somebody." In fact, he was a "somebody" that has been married & divorced twice, is still alone (last I heard), has several grown kids that still despise him, became addicted to drugs to numb the pain of the experience, & has no friends (save the students who pretended to like him for LOR's). Hooray for the "somebodies!"

Further, did it evr occur to u that the reason the "society's nobodies" didn't do so well was that they didn't have the "supportive family & friends" (of which u acknowledge the "somebodies" had) to return home to? I seriously doubt they were "nobodies," but more so, ppl w/o extensive support networks to help them emotionally recover from what they had just experienced.

Also, if I were u, I'd think twice before calling ppl who put their lives on the line for this country "nobodies."

I will give credit to the idea that those currently or previously (& honorably discharged) in the military probably do better than civilians in ds. Y? B/c they r usu the type of ppl that r willing to blindly obey rules, willing to have basic rights taken away, & willing to B pimp-slapped by their commanding officer w/o having any recourse (no recourse in reality, only on paper)...that's basically what ds is like. Come to think of it, that's probably Y retired military personnel seem to show up later as profs in ds!

What lessons can we learn from all this?
1. Groundhog's categorization of "somebodies" & "nobodies" is disrespectful (at best) toward those who put their lives on the line for this country.
2. His categorizations r insensitive toward those who suffered severe emotional disturbances after military duty or during ds.
3. Groundhog clearly thinks his opinion matters more than reality as well as more than facts supported by lots of good research.
4. Groundhog's views r so naive as to make 1 wonder if he was evr really in the military.

All this leads me to think: Groundhog, do u really have opinions that disagree w/ours, or r u just posting opposing opinions b/c this is the only way u can get ppl to talk to u & acknowledge ur existence? U just might have a deeper problem than u r willing to admit. U might want to seek help for this.

This thread would again be interesting if so many ppl weren't banned & if ppl w/real experiences would post here.

I think you got me wrong about my "nobodys" remarks. I was saying that our society treated those folks as "nobodys" back then. They were poor and under educated. At that time "white trash", "******", "****" "gook", etc. were still terms that flowed freely and basically meant that you were in a group of folks who did not count in the USA and who were constantly reminded of that notion in so many many ways. UNTIL....the military needed cannon fodder for vietnam. The "nobodys" (who did not get student deferments), got drafted in droves, scored low on the military aptitude tests, and got put into to the Army or Marine infantry units. Then, a stange thing happened to those folks in vietnam. Like I said before they became highly valued members of thier new "society" while working under one of the the most stressful environments that I could imagine and they were momentarily transformed into "somebodys." Well, we know what happened to those "somebodys" when they returned home. They found that society (which was down on war anyway) still didn't give hoot about them and they went right back to where they had started before the draft. I know that would have made me go into deep depression for sure. However, I was lucky. I was white middle class, had gotten a fair education before being drafted, scored decent on the military aptitude tests, and landed a good gig in vietnam (in fact military jobs like mine were better in vietnam than elswhere because we were not subjected to all the "spit and polish" nonsense while there). I got home to a supportive family, returned to college, and did fine.

You make a very valid point too about your dentist "friend" which reminds me of something that I was taught in English 101 (it is dangerous to apply the general to the specific). Maybe that is the trouble with a lot of these threads. Folks (myself included) often generalize too much in an attmept to make their points. Let's suppose Me4 had overcome countless obstacles in route to getting into dental school. Let's suppose Me4 would have been given only a 1% chance of even getting into dental school faced with such obstacles. Then yes, in that specific case, it would not be unreasonable for the unnecessary harrassment felt by Me4 in dental school (stressful in and of itself) to become "a straw that breaks the camel's back"

 

[aphistis]

This thread would again be interesting if so many ppl weren't banned & if ppl w/real experiences would post here.

Unfortunately, all those banned people were actually just one person, who refused to stop talking to herself with different accounts. Unfortunate, but c'est la vie.

 

[Holy Thursday]

Uh, I've been chatting w/a couple of them thru regular e-mail. I know who several accounts r...they r clearly not the same ppl. I actually met a couple of them when they were lowly freshmen looking to us for advice on lab work.

Unfortunately, all those banned people were actually just one person, who refused to stop talking to herself with different accounts. Unfortunate, but c'est la vie.

 

[Holy Thursday]

DUDE, WHAT EVER U DO, DO NOT CALL THAT PROF MY FRIEND...IT'S CREEPY. I was merely 1 of the students who had to pretend to like him...doing otherwise would have gotten u in lots of hot H2O. He had lots of power & no problem abusing it so u pretended to like him.

Ur post still contains lots of contradictions. On the 1 hand, u say it is dangerous to apply the general to the specific. On the other hand, u apply the general to the specific when discussing mefour.

I wasn't a "society's nobody" yet I ended up in a very deep depression immediately after ds. It was that all the **** that I went thru in ds finally caught up to me. (Using ur analogy, I was a "somebody" prior to vietnam/ds, went to vietnam/ds, and came back/graduated yet--unexpectedly--went into a deep depression.) The unnecessary harrassment in ds was not just a "straw," it was the heavy load itself. When I held that diploma in my hand, it should have been the happiest day of my life. I should have been able to go forward from that point w/a smile on my face, but instead, I couldn't make myself be happy no matter what I did. Logically, I knew that my future was bright, yet I felt like nothing was worth living for. Maybe, for some ppl, the breaking point occurred during the middle of ds, not at the end. Maybe they were emotionally sound, but went thru a heck of a lot more than I did, so they broke sooner than I did.

Finally, just b/c some ppl can tolerate the harrassment better than others does not make the harrassment okay. This is something others have said & I agree w/it.

Write u later. I'm gonna jet for a while.

I think you got me wrong about my "nobodys" remarks. I was saying that our society treated those folks as "nobodys" back then. They were poor and under educated. At that time "white trash", "******", "****" "gook", etc. were still terms that flowed freely and basically meant that you were in a group of folks who did not count in the USA and who were constantly reminded of that notion in so many many ways. UNTIL....the military needed cannon fodder for vietnam. The "nobodys" (who did not get student deferments), got drafted in droves, scored low on the military aptitude tests, and got put into to the Army or Marine infantry units. Then, a stange thing happened to those folks in vietnam. Like I said before they became highly valued members of thier new "society" while working under one of the the most stressful environments that I could imagine and they were momentarily transformed into "somebodys." Well, we know what happened to those "somebodys" when they returned home. They found that society (which was down on war anyway) still didn't give hoot about them and they went right back to where they had started before the draft. I know that would have made me go into deep depression for sure. However, I was lucky. I was white middle class, had gotten a fair education before being drafted, scored decent on the military aptitude tests, and landed a good gig in vietnam (in fact military jobs like mine were better in vietnam than elswhere because we were not subjected to all the "spit and polish" nonsense while there). I got home to a supportive family, returned to college, and did fine.

You make a very valid point too about your dentist "friend" which reminds me of something that I was taught in English 101 (it is dangerous to apply the general to the specific). Maybe that is the trouble with a lot of these threads. Folks (myself included) often generalize too much in an attmept to make their points. Let's suppose Me4 had overcome countless obstacles in route to getting into dental school. Let's suppose Me4 would have been given only a 1% chance of even getting into dental school faced with such obstacles. Then yes, in that specific case, it would not be unreasonable for the unnecessary harrassment felt by Me4 in dental school (stressful in and of itself) to become "a straw that breaks the camel's back"

 

[aphistis]

Uh, I've been chatting w/a couple of them thru regular e-mail. I know who several accounts r...they r clearly not the same ppl. I actually met a couple of them when they were lowly freshmen looking to us for advice on lab work.

They spend a lot of time in the same places logging in & out of the same computers to post, then.

 

[HuyetKiem]

They spend a lot of time in the same places logging in & out of the same computers to post, then.

duh.. my post and others would contain same info such as ip address and network card id because we've used our school's computer lab and library.

 

[aphistis]

duh.. my post and others would contain same info such as ip address and network card id because we've used our school's computer lab and library.

If that were the case, it would show all the users who have logged in from those computers. In the entire history of SDN, the only people to have logged in from the IPs were the accounts in question here. Furthermore, most of the IP's & usernames resolved uniquely to individual residential ISP accounts.

If you have any other questions, please contact me via PM so this thread can get back on track.

 

[Holy Thursday]

Hey all, I'm back. If anyone is going to the Greater New York Dental Conference from UConn, PM me and maybe we can get together.

Back to the topic at hand: Jeff said that students are sent before committees by a group vote. MsPurtell said that it was based on one prof's opinion. They are both right...You see, usually one prof says something, they others take their word for it and then they vote. The vote is more a legal formality to say that all profs feel that way when in reality, it was only one prof who felt that way. Profs back each other up for 3 reasons--1. trust of other profs, 2. desire to not put one's neck on the line for a student who is just another student to them, and 3. desire to have other profs back them up when they make a request. Thus, MsPurtell has a right to say what she said.

 

[Holy Thursday]

Just so you know Dr Pheta, schools are governed by different laws than for-profit companies. So, yes, they can get away with a lot of stuff. Further, it's not UConn's a$$ that will lose in a lawsuit; it's the state of connecticut that will lose. Thus, motivation is different when not at a private school.

I wouldn't discredit DrJeff, and he puts things into perspective very well. Remember when you guys were young and hated "so and so" because they were mean? Think back to what that did for you. Think back about whether or not they were really mean.

I'm not going to delv into any details pertaining to what goes on at UConn, but I can tell you all this. There is NO school in their right mind to let something as crude as what you've all implied to go on. It doesn't make sense. Why would any dean want to have something illegal happen under their authority. If this truly is the case, it'd warrant the ADA to revoke it UConn's accreditation, but I highly doubt this really is the case.

DrJeff sees things from both perspectives; that of a student and that as faculty (part time or not, he's still faculty). EVERY faculty member at every school remembers what it was like to be a "victim" of the system. Those same people also remember how important a strong education is.

I think if you are to pursue a lawsuit, you really sit down and think about what you're about to do. Like I said, it just doesn't add up. Even the most money hungry CEO of a company (who didn't care about his slaves) couldn't pull off what you say UConn is doing for that long. Eventually the governing body catches up and stops the nonsense. The ADA is a very strong entity, and they wouldn't leave something like this running for as long as it seems like it has.

 

[Holy Thursday]

Hello! Anyone there?

Haven't seen any replies to my posts. Where is everyone? What happened to Dr. Pheta and Dr. Jeff and all the rest?


BTW, Dr. Jeff keeps talking about how "miserable" your life will be just b/c you hate the school. He's so wrong (not to mention very rude). I love what I do, but yes, I hated UConn. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.

 

[Lemming]

Maybe you're hot.

I think you just located the problem. There are to many people like this in the world. This thread is going nowhere, pull it and find a forum where this guy can't toy with you.

 

[Pelotari]

1. We don't have a problem with requiring students to think critically and with preparation for leadership positions. We have a problem with the maltreatment that serves no purpose and is actually counterproductive to critical thinking skills and leadership goals.

2. When we interviewed, we were flat out lied to. This school's mission statement states that it strives to educate us in a "collegial" environement. I have by no means been educated in a collegial environment in any sense of the word.

3. To say you wouldn't care if we brought about change is just plain rude and shows no concern for social progression.

4. Ttly true!

Have you tried calling a meeting with the dean of the dental school first ? Instead of going all gung-ho about a lawsuit, it may be easier to ask for change from within the school itself. In other words, I suggest you go about it by persuasion rather than by intimidation. Bringing an outsider (lawyer) to resolve an internal issue could bring an even more repressive environment than the one you have at present.

My advise to you is to organize the student body and come up with a plan to discuss your case with the school's head honcho. Make a concise list of well documented issues. During your meeting with the dean, only one of you speaks, but all students must be present. Make your case, but don't come empty-handed. Propose changes, which may include changes by the students as well as faculty & staff. And a very last important point: when you present, do it in a business-like manner (i.e. DON'T WHINE or get upset).

You'll be surprised at how folks react when they realize that they have a real problem in their hands. Many normally want to help out rather than fight it or ignore it. If this doesn't work, then you go to the next level up (board of trustees?) and try again. If this fails, then you can start thinking about a lawsuit and its implications to you and the rest of your classmates.

My $0.02. Best of luck to you all.

 

[Holy Thursday]

Have you tried calling a meeting with the dean of the dental school first ? Instead of going all gung-ho about a lawsuit, it may be easier to ask for change from within the school itself. In other words, I suggest you go about it by persuasion rather than by intimidation. Bringing an outsider (lawyer) to resolve an internal issue could bring an even more repressive environment than the one you have at present.

My advise to you is to organize the student body and come up with a plan to discuss your case with the school's head honcho. Make a concise list of well documented issues. During your meeting with the dean, only one of you speaks, but all students must be present. Make your case, but don't come empty-handed. Propose changes, which may include changes by the students as well as faculty & staff. And a very last important point: when you present, do it in a business-like manner (i.e. DON'T WHINE or get upset).

You'll be surprised at how folks react when they realize that they have a real problem in their hands. Many normally want to help out rather than fight it or ignore it. If this doesn't work, then you go to the next level up (board of trustees?) and try again. If this fails, then you can start thinking about a lawsuit and its implications to you and the rest of your classmates.

My $0.02. Best of luck to you all.

Wow! That was really insightful! Good ideas. I hope they seriously consider them. The only counterpoint to what you suggest is that I know for a fact that a lot of people have tried other, more peaceful means of dealing with the school and it only got them in trouble and black-listed. Maybe Dr. T could bring this issue to the students showing the students that they really do want to be the best dental school possible.