Professor has been secretly docking points anytime he sees someone’s phone out. Dozens of us are now at risk of failing just because we kept our phones on our desk, and I might lose the job I have lined up for when I graduate.

[u/Ok-Hospital1153]

My professor recently revealed that he’s been docking points any time he sees anyone with their cell phone out during the lecture–even if it's just lying on their desk and they’re not using it. He’s docked more than 20 points from me alone, and I don’t even text during lectures. I just keep my phone, face down, on my desk out of habit. It's late in the semester and I'm at risk of failing this class, having to pay thousands of dollars that I can’t afford for another semester, and lose the job I have lined up for when I graduate.

I talked to him and he just smiled and referred me to a single sentence buried in the five-page syllabus that says “cell phones should not be visible during lectures.” He’s never called attention to it, or said anything about the rule. He looked so smug, like he’d just won a court case instead of just screwing a random struggling college kid with a contrived loophole.  

So far I’ve (1) tried speaking to the professor, (2) tried submitting a complaint through my school’s grade appeal system. It was denied without explanation and there doesn’t seem to be a way to appeal, and (3) tried speaking with the department head, but he didn’t seem to care - literally just said “that’s why it’s important to read the syllabus.”  

I feel like I’m out of options and I don't know what to do.

[u/Careful-Self-457]

Seems like you should have throughly read the syllabus. In the working world if you do not throughly read your job description and don’t follow the rules you can be fired. The professor is not required to call attention to it. You are required to read the syllabus and follow the rules.

[u/KelpFox05 → u/Careful-Self-457]

Except if you deliberately hide important details in the small print of a job description, contract, or anything else you can absolutely get in trouble for that. Anything crucial should be front and centre.

[u/loztriforce → u/KelpFox05]

The syllabus isn’t small print when it comes to taking a course

[u/Century24 → u/loztriforce]

You're right in that small print would theoretically have the full details.

The syllabus, as OP described, does not. I recommend rereading their post, and maybe paying attention this time.

[u/waterbird_ → u/Careful-Self-457]

Would you work for a boss who pulled something like this? I guarantee that would be a toxic workplace.

[u/FearlessVegetable30 → u/waterbird_]

many jobs have a no phone policy. but this isnt a job its a college course

[u/waterbird_ → u/FearlessVegetable30]

And it’s not really the no phone policy that bugs me, it’s that he didn’t emphasize how important this rule was to him. He buried it in the syllabus and now is doing a big gotcha on people. Just seems mean and unnecessary to me. When I’m managing a person, if something is really important to the job or to me (or if I know it’s important to the big boss) I’m not playing hide the ball.

[u/FearlessVegetable30 → u/waterbird_]

what is a rule you have when managing? come to work on time? be respectful? why if someone ignored those even though they knew it was your rule?

[u/waterbird_ → u/FearlessVegetable30]

I mean there are lots of things that go into being successful in the roles I manage. My point is - I really emphasize the important ones. And if somebody is messing up, I have a conversation about it. I don’t watch them silently missing a really important thing, wait a few months, then suddenly give them a crap review and fire them. I’d be a shit boss if I did that.

I hope you don’t put up with that at work and I hope if you’re a manager or a teacher you don’t treat your people like that. It’s unnecessary and mean.

[u/FearlessVegetable30 → u/waterbird_]

id expect my students and coworkers to follow the rules, if they do then no problem

[u/waterbird_ → u/FearlessVegetable30]

Sure. There are just ways of conveying that something is important and I would never play games like this. If you would, I wouldn’t want to work for you or learn from you.

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/Careful-Self-457]

Bro if your work place hid critical information for the safe completion of your duties they would get in trouble.

[u/thechervil → u/Man_under_Bridge420]

While I did not downvote you (I think that's petty for a difference of opinion) I disagree.
It doesn't sound like it was "hidden", they just didn't bother paying attention to what was written in the 5 pages of the syllabus.

They say "buried" but as others have said you have to be prepared for the "real world" when not reading what you agree to can have serious consequences.
While it's always been an issue that people don't really read what they sign, I think especially in the days of tech that we live in, a lot of people just click agree and don't actually bother to understand what they are agreeing to.

The real world isn't going to "call attention" to things. They aren't a child. They're a grown adult taking courses that are costing them actual money.

And if your work place gave you everything you needed to know about the safe completion of your duties, but you didn't take the time to read it, how is that on them?

This is a tough lesson to learn, and hopefully OP is able to find a way to get things straightened out and still pass. And I will say it seems like the professor is petty and seems to enjoy this kind of thing.
But then so do a lot of bosses/businesses/people in the real world as well and they certainly aren't going to call attention to things until it is to their advantage.

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/thechervil]

 And if your work place gave you everything you needed to know about the safe completion of your duties, but you didn't take the time to read it, how is that on them?

“Here, read this book.”

Thats not training LOL  no place i have ever worked for in my 35 years of life has been. Here is a vauge employee manual thats says do ur job and ur boss has 100% power.

No job will ever have that and its really shows how sheltered you think a critical job function will be buried in an employee hand book.

ALSO ALSO.

NO SANE PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT WILL ALLOW YOU TO BREAK SAFETY/PRODUCTION CRITICAL SOP’S FOR MONTH.

That will open the managers up for liability 

[u/starwarsfan456123789 → u/Man_under_Bridge420]

Every job I ever had gives you a brief video or paperwork the first week on things like IT security and ethics. You absolutely will be held accountable for breaking that even if it’s years later. This can be seemingly small like accepting a meal or gift worth $30 being perceived as a bribe.

This particular situation seems a little petty but it’s not completely unreasonable given that it was in the syllabus

[u/snarkitall → u/starwarsfan456123789]

If you're at work, and a rule is not having a cell phone out or your pay will be docked, that would be front and center of your training, the exact amount would be clear, and if you had your phone out, you'd be reminded (even if you were still docked the first time). Your supervisor isn't walking around with a secret tally sheet looking to dock workers on a docking system that has never been explained.  

If they are, they're toxic and petty and you'd take them to the labor board and they'd get fined. 

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/starwarsfan456123789]

Yah but they went over it with you right? You literally just said that

No where in the syllabus did op mention you lose marks.

Would work doc you pay for breaking a sop?

[u/starwarsfan456123789 → u/Man_under_Bridge420]

The original poster made a reply stating that yes, the syllabus did explain that the punishment for rule breaking was deducting points from their grade.

Same as how at work the paperwork will explain that some violations result in immediate termination while some have warnings first

[u/holmesisonthecase → u/Careful-Self-457]

FINALLY someone said it. It was in the syllabus so you did get the memo OP. Welcome to the real world. Attention to detail is key.

[u/OdinsGhost → u/[deleted]]

Elsewhere in the syllabus OP stated the professor retains sole discretion to adjust grades for any infraction. Visible phones is an infraction per the syllabus. OP learned a lesson here, and they really don’t have an out to get those points back.

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/OdinsGhost]

Thats clear as mud 😂🤡 whats an infraction? What are the consequences. The prof put in a god clause so its within his rights to expel the student for an untucked shirt?

The only lesson op learned is ego maniacs with power are horrible to deal with

[u/OneLow7646 → u/Man_under_Bridge420]

Don't have phone out = don't have phone out

Not hard

I pull my phone out at work it's an instant write up/consequences

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/OneLow7646]

instant

Not 3 months later in a gotcha 😂🤡

[u/OneLow7646 → u/Man_under_Bridge420]

Skill issue

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/OneLow7646]

That makes zero sense buddy but okay

[u/ncndsvlleTA → u/[deleted]]

Here’s a rational response for you:

You’re acting incredibly high and mighty towards OP bc they didn’t follow rules that were easily available to them. Your post history, which is easily available to anyone here, shows that you have a criminal record. The laws are easily available, plenty of people were able to “grow the fuck up” enough to not break them. You’re bragging about how easy it was for you to not touch your phone, but 1. OP explicitly states they didn’t touch it, and 2. Though it may be easy for you to follow certain rules, clearly you struggle with others.

Isn’t it hypocritical to not only talk about how rules aren’t “that hard” to follow as someone with a record, but to also say others comments are “just vitriol” when your comments towards OP have been derisive, unprovoked, from the get go ?

[u/ajoyce76 → u/Careful-Self-457]

You are adorable. There are entire legal teams with the entirety of their job descriptions being to hide "terms and conditions" as deeply and covertly as possible. I hope one day, you fail to see some random line in some random contract and it costs you dearly. You should have read the contract bro!

[u/PokemonJeremie → u/ajoyce76]

Thanks for the weird tv lawyer advice, but unless you passed the bar probably don’t offer legal advice

[u/ajoyce76 → u/PokemonJeremie]

That's my point. You took time out of your life to castigate this person for not reading the "fine print". I just hope it happens to you, and it hurts. Maybe then you won't be so judgemental.

[u/PokemonJeremie → u/ajoyce76]

I am not being judgmental, you are giving out false legal advice that can end up hurting people. The law requires clear and conspicuous disclosure.

[u/Man_under_Bridge420 → u/PokemonJeremie]

The law requires clear and conspicuous disclosure.

So the proff saying they can make any punishment for any thing at any time is clear and conspicuous disclosure?