100 West Squantum Apt 518

Melanie Wong

100 West Squantum Apt 518

North Quincy, MA02171

February 12, 1999.

UMass Boston

100 Morrissey Blvd.

Boston, MA02125-3393

Dear The Mass Media editor,

The Registrar’s office was unreasonable to students due to their determination of whether or not they were proficient in the Chinese language. The Registrar sent withdrawal letters just from “simple pulling out all the students’ admission files and checking for Chinese last names, place of birth, and primary language” (Samantha Young, 1). Because of UMass Boston policy states, “no student may get credit for a course in which they are already proficient” (Young, 1) The Registrar couldn’t judge a student by their admission files. “They should at least look at the records before they send letters and give at least a semester’s notice, so we have a choice of picking another class” (Lau qtd. in Young, 1). Students were affected by this decision. The Registrar should’ve given explanations stating whether the students were ineligible to take the Chinese course and having a specific course description with warnings. Professor Mao doesn’t determine student proficiency by their linguistic backgrounds. Mao said, “I do not look at the names and the faces and ask-Where were you born? When did you come here? What Language do you speak at home?” The language departments’ procedures at UMass Boston are similar in the process of withdrawal students. Dr. Efrain Barradas said, “The Professor has all the authority.” As she said, “We don’t do it in terms of last name and where they were born, but in terms of proficiency.” For example, in a Spanish class, a student detected as Dominican background with the last name, “Lockhard” was sent to the office to take a placement exam. As a professor, I think even we have “all the authority” (Barradas qtd. in Young, 4), we should be fair to students because they have their right not to be singled out and determined being proficiency. Students have their right to stand for themselves. In this generation, there are “compounded by the varying linguistic backgrounds that the students have” (Young, 4). Professors shouldn’t determine students by their ethnicity background because all people are equal. “People need to work together” (Mao qtd. In Young, 4) because in “a complex issue requires a large amount of careful study, clear understanding, and cooperation from all parties involved before further action can be taken” (Young, 4). The Registrar and the professors should inform the student’s schedules ahead of time if they are determining by their admission files. Since the Registrar is treating this case as an unsophisticated matter, however, it is now causing the university to be unprofessional and unorganized.

Sincerely,

Professor of English

Lily Chan

Professor McCarthy

July 3, 2007

Position Letter

149 Foster St.

Fall River, MA. 02721

March 11, 1999

UMass Boston

100 Morrissey Blvd.

Boston, MA02125-3393

Dear Mass Media editor,

Exactly one month ago, there had been a commotion that was called a discrimination event. This discrimination event rose because the administrators, whom were following the UMass Boston policy, had withdrawn students from Professor Isabelle Mao’s Chinese language course. The Registrars quick assumption on the students’ knowledge of Chinese had made the students felt discriminated, because the registrar had only withdrawn them due to their last name. If the process of sorting out which students were already proficient in Chinese were delayed, then the outcome of this commotion might’ve been even worse. The administrators work for our students benefits, not to create more problems for them. Even though that is the case, the administrators still have to follow the UMass Boston policy. Everyone has rules and guidelines that need to be followed, and as for the administrators, they are no different. The administrators had only followed the UMass Boston policy because that is their set of rules and guidelines that they need to follow.

In the UMass Boston policy, there is a statement that is required for every language course to follow. This statement was followed by an administrator named Arlene Belliveau. “Belliveau quickly determined that the first six students on the list appeared ineligible, and that overall, half of the students in all three classes seemed ineligible according to the current UMass Boston policy, which states that no student may get credit for a course in which they are already proficient” (Samantha Young 1). This statement had triggered the act of withdrawing students from Professor Isabelle Mao’s Chinese language course. Belliveau had admitted to some faultiness in her actions from following this statement. “She also admitted to making some very quick decisions, therefore some errors” (Young 1). After realizing that she had made some errors in withdrawing students, she had corrected them. “Belliveau admitted at least seven students back into the classes after hearing their reasons for taking Chinese and double checking their files” (Young 1). Belliveau had only wanted what was the best for students. “Belliveau said that she ‘leaned on the conservative side’ and withdrew anyone who seemed ‘questionable,’ knowing ‘it would be easier to add them back in’ than remove them later in the semester” (Belliveau qtd. in Young 1). “Belliveau said she wanted to ‘give these students an opportunity to rearrange their schedules,’ rather than risk losing credit for the class later” (Belliveau qtd. in Young 1). Administrators, like everyone, do make mistakes. This decision from withdrawing the students from the Chinese language course was only for their benefits and protection from losing credit. The administrators had no intention to traumatize them with this commotion. As administrators, they had no choice but to follow the UMass Boston policy, because thay is their rules and guidelines at UMass Boston.

Sincerely,

* I counted my name as 2 words to make this letter 500 words.

Lily Chan

Director

Melissa Bang Introduction to Critical Thinking June 28, 2007

Professor McCarthy Position Letter

Dear Mass Media editor,

Currently the pandemonium around the UMass Boston campus is over the recent published issue of the student run newspaper The Mass Media, Registrar’s Office Enforces Controversial Rule, written by Samantha Young. In Ms. Young’s article it discusses how the Chinese language department had withdrawn students due to the UMass Boston policy that would have found students unsuitable for the course. The concern at the Registrar’s office was that if students were found inappropriate for the course by reason of the UMass Boston policy, “which states that no student may get credit for a course in which they are already proficient.”(The Mass Media page 4). Although, the Registrar approach to addressing this problem was done in a very sloppy manner. “On January 28, Arlene Belliveau, from the Registrars Office decided to investigate the students backgrounds…” (Young page 4) to Young’s research “the Registrars office had determined the students were already proficient in the language by simply pulling out all the students” admission files and checking for Chinese last names, place of birth and primary language.”(Young page 4)

Published in The Mass Media, a Registrar’s official has confessed “to making some very quick decisions, therefore some errors.” (Young page 4) But the students still feel there is unjustified explanations and reckless actions that were taken in the process. As for Professors, well many teachers are caught in the middle. Some may agree with the Registrar’s quick decision because a student should not have to put in a serious effort into a class were they may not receive credit for at the end of it. Also, many teachers would cringe at the fact of correcting extra papers for no reason. On the other hand many teachers would sympathize with students who felt they were unfairly withdrawn from the class and felt discriminated against for the reasons why each was chosen to switch to another class. Plus, the actions taken by the Registrar were messy and should have thoroughly investigated each student the first time before accepting anyone into the class, let alone sending withdrawing letters out days before the course begins.

“So far, the Registrar has found that the problem lies, ‘only in the Chinese classes.’”(The Mass Media page 4). In many of the other departments teachers not the registrar are given full command over their classes. Fellow UMass Boston professor Dr. Efrain Barradas, who is the chairman of the Hispanic Studies Department states “the Professor has all the authority.” (The Mass Media page 4). Dr. Barradas quotes his method “We don’t do it in terms of last name and where they were born, but in terms of proficiency.” (The Mass Media page 4). Unlike Dr. Barradas, Professor Mao, who teaches the Chinese courses confessed “to feeling powerless” (The Mass Media page 4), especially when meeting the officials of the Registrar David Cesario and Arlene Belliveau, Mao found that both would not compromise on the subject at hand. Mao has shone concern by stating “If we are going to look into the matter, we should do so during pre-registration time. The students have rights.” (The Mass Media page 4).

Sincerely,

Melissa Bang

Brenda Iraheta

July 2, 2007

Inst. McCarthy

Position Letter on The Mass Media

Dear Editor,

The event that has occurred on the Chinese Language Department is an outrage. The Professors receive a short notice about the situation. Students who have register to their class were not eligible to take that class due to the students’ heritage. The professor feels that the university itself was not organized about the situation and that “People need to work together” (Young 4). Many of the professors feel that the University did not handle the situation in a very mature way. Professors felt that the University should have thought of the situation before the new semester had started.

Professors are frustrated due to the fact that the situation was short noticed. “If we are going to look into this matter, we should do so during pre-registration time. The students have their rights” (Mao qtd. in Young 4). If the situation was known to the Professors before registration, he or she would have done a placement test of the entire course for all the students who would register for the class. The professors would have the right to decide whether the student is eligible or not to take the course. If things have gone this way, many people would not be frustrated.

Professors feel that they are the one that can decide whether the student is eligible to take the class or not. “‘The Professor has all the authority.’ In determining eligibility for courses, Barradas said ‘We don’t do it in terms of last name and where they were born, but in term of proficiency’” (Barradas qtd. in Young 4). Not like the administrators, the professors know more about the students and where they are in a specific course. The professors themselves have the right to remove a student due to their knowledge of the subject or course.

Professors would want that the administrators to work as a whole. It would be easier if there was more communication between professors and the administrators. Administrators need to contact the professors before taking any actions that would affect the professors’ classes. The administration need to be more organized about what they are planning to do and they need to warn the Professors about any changes in their classes. The professors would like to work with students about situation that has an affect on their education. Professors would need to take action immediately especially in situation such as the once occur in the Chinese Language Department in order not to face any confusion and frustration.

Brenda Iraheta

Professor CLA

Reema Kanj

7/02/07

Professor McCarthy

Position Letter

Dear Mass Media Editor,

Many students were withdrawn from the Chinese couse because of their primary language, birth

place, and even their last name. Many of the students did not like the controversial rule that was being enforced

by the Registrar's office. The controversial rule was stating " 'No student may get credit for a course in which

they are already proficient' " (Young quoted in Umass Media para3). This policy affected alot of students,

especially the students who wanted to take a chinese course. Peter Tam who attends UMass Boston, grew up

in Macao and he spoke portuguese not chinese. But because of his last name he was pulled out of the class.

This had happened to many of the students at UMass. Wing Hong Lau who is also a student had it a little more

difficult. " 'They should at least look at the records before they send leters and give at least a semester's notice,

so we have a choice of picking another class' " (Young quoted Lau in Mass Media para6). Lau makes a very

excellent point. As sudents, we should have been notified ahead of time about this contreversial rule so if we can

not take the chinese course we wanted to take, we will be able to take another class. As students we feel like we

are being singled out and discriminated by the Registar itself. An international student stated, " ' an American student

has never been denied and English class' " (Young quoted in Mass Media pg4 para1). This international student

was saying that she felt it was unfair for students to be denied a class becasue they do not fit a certain profile

that is controversial rule is stating. This policy is not being taken care of just like the other policy on plagarism.

Plagiarism is, " 'To represent someone else's work as your own is intellectual fraud and failure to provide full and

clear indication of the sources from which your work derives is, at minimum, intellectual sloppiness' " (Ben Day

states in Mass Media pg12). Ben Day is saying that not only plaguarism is the students fault, but also the teachers.

As students, we know that the policy does not always work. Papers that students write and hand in to the teachers

by the pickup envelope system were being stolen by other students and were later being used for the same class.

The students do not feel at all safe or cinfident that the policy about plagiarism is being monitered and handeled

properly. Ben Day quotes, "Protections against plagiarism also range from sparse to non-existet" (Mass Media

pg12 para4). Ben is saying that plagiarism is such a big issue but at the same time and protection of the students

work is being shown. We as students should feel like the policys at UMass are having an effect and that we are being

treated fairly. As students, we feel that this policy and the controversial rule policy should be looked at twice and

that they should change. They should not have policys for students if they are not helpful and that they are only helping

students not hurting them.

Sincerly,

Reema Kanj

Jilliana Jean-Charles

Proffessor McCarthy

7/2/07

2nd Paper Assignment

Dear Editor,

A select group of students had been pinpointed and pulled out of a Chinese 101 class after the discovery that those students rendered ineligible for the class due to the heritage or last name of the particular individual. The events were documented in the February 1999 edition of Mass Media, entitled Registrar’s Office Enforces Controversial Rule. In response to comments made in Registrar’s Office, administration at UMass Boston are not out to “get” attending students. The selected students were pulled out of class simply because of School policy. Many students affected by the new policy regarding Chinese 101 charged the registrar with discrimination and felt unfairly singled out (Young 1). Despite the students’ complaints, administrators continue to believe that they are acting for the benefit of the student body in accordance to the UMass Boston policy, which states that students may not earn any accreditation for a class or course if it is obvious that the particular student is already proficient in the course being taken (UMass Boston).

Registrar’s Office Enforces Controversial Rule, written by Samantha Young, contained numerous scenarios and complaints of affected students. The students became enraged by the fact that judgments were being made based on the ethnicity, and the last name of the individual. Administrators executing the extraction of “ineligible” students seemed cruel, but an important to be understood is that the administration is merely adhering to UMass Boston’s most current policy. The students express through actions that the means of selecting those who were qualified for the course in Chinese was unfair and simply unethical. In many cases, this one in particular, the old saying “what you see is what you get” does not apply. A person’s last name and appearance can be completely deceiving. Peter Tam, a student victimized in the UMass Boston student selection scandal is a perfect example. Born in New HavenConnecticut, and then raised in Macao where he spoke Portuguese, Tam did not really appear to be of Chinese descent (Young 1). In fact, the only indication as to Tam’s nativity is his last name (1). An Du, also a victim of the student extraction, is an immigrant from Vietnam. An Du had a two hour confrontation with the registrar’s office in regards to be readmitted to the Chinese 101 course. Du was quoted ‘I am a 100 percent qualified to take the course. I’ve never gone to ChineseSchool and I don’t know any Chinese words. I want to learn Chinese’ (1).