***** Vol.3 Chap.13 The unexpected *****
Frank had another meeting to go to. He picked up some papers and headed out the door. Turning the corner, it looked to him like JB disappeared into her office. Being too far to yell down the hallway, he hastened his steps and hurried down the hallway. Stopping at the office, he asked Mary.
“Was that JB who just came by?”
“Yes, Dr. Abdulcizi.”
“Thank you.”
Frank hurried towards JB’s office. JB’s door was closed. He knocked on the door and waited.
There was no answer.
He knocked again.
“JB, are you there?”
No answer.
“JB, I like to talk to you.”
No answer.
Frank walked away, perplexed.
After the meeting, Frank made his way to the Dean’s office. Dean Cherry was already there waiting. He took a puff on his pipe. When he saw Frank coming in, he stood up and walked to the door. With extended hand, he shook Frank’s hand warmly.
“Frank, come in.”
“Thanks, Dean Cherry. What can I do for you today?”
Dean Cherry closed the door and motioned for Frank to sit down on the couch.
“Well, I heard about the trouble with your classes last week. I know you are one of our best teachers in the college. So, I like to learn firsthand from you what had happened.”
“I had to go to a conference last week. Right before I left for the meeting, I asked JB to take my classes. In the past, she always did that for me. Apparently, there must be a miscommunication.”
“I heard no one was there for both class periods.”
“JB knew where I was going, although I don’t think the office knew where I was staying. I forgot to send them an email.”
“No one contacted you during the conference?”
“No one, otherwise I would have made other arrangements. I was under the impression that JB was taking my classes.”
“Frank, I believe you. I will support you as much as I can. But you know that this case got the President’s ear and the State Regent’s attention.”
“I know.”
“There is only that much that I can do. If the State Regents and the President ask me, I will tell them you are one of the best faculty members in the college. But the decision of any actions does not depend on me, but lies with the Academic Appeals Board and the Provost.”
“Thank you for your support. I understand.”
“I just want to forewarn you.”
“What can they do, Dean Cherry?”
“Anything from making up classes, adding extra classes, to even dismissal.”
“You are kidding!”
“No, Frank. I am glad that we have this little chat. I hope from now on, you always leave a paper trail behind you.”
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“I didn’t think that was necessary!”
“Trust me. Always cover your back.”
“Thank you, Dean Cherry.”
“My pleasure.”
He stood up and patted Frank on his shoulder.
Frank met with his class the following day and no one spoke anything about the missed classes, so neither would he. Frank determined that the best way to handle the crisis was to put his heart and soul into lecturing. He mentioned nothing about the complaint; rather, he put extra efforts in preparing his lectures.
He made the lectures as interesting as possible. He engaged the students in the classroom and challenged them in the lectures. Several students came to him afterwards and commented on his lectures. He tried not to outguess who the troublesome students were. He treated all of them equally with respect and courtesy.
After another engaging lecture towards the end of the week, a student followed him to his office and confessed to Frank that he wrote the complaint letter with two other students.
The student was hesitant to send in the letter at first because he considered him to be the best teacher. The student just wanted to apologize to Frank for having done what was done. Frank was very careful in answering the student and only asked him to do what was right without telling him what to do.
After the student left, Frank considered and reconsidered the situation a great deal.
He knew he was not a poor teacher. He genuinely cared about the students. In fact, the whole time he was away, he was concerned about his classes. He felt asking JB to cover for his classes was much better than asking the teaching assistants. To him, JB should be able to give a better lecture.
JB had always been faithful; she was always someone he could count on. Thus, for her not to show up for his classes baffled him. Furthermore, he did not understand why she would not see him recently. Perhaps she was ashamed because she failed to take the classes?
As Frank considered the matter further, he felt he ought to do something related to the Academic Appeals Board. He did not want a word pitting game between JB and him. Neither did he want to put the blame on her. But the matter had gotten the ears of the State Regents and the President of the university; hence, it could not be dismissed easily.
If there was any way to salvage the situation without damaging the relationship with her, he would like to know. He thought of just saying that he forgot to arrange for a substitute teacher, but that would not look good on his records. But if he said he had asked JB who failed to show up, then it would be his word against hers. That did not appear like a viable solution, either.
After considering the matter for a while, he had the deep sensation that the best is to write a detailed account of what happened with no bias and sent the account to the Academic Appeals Board. He would mention that he asked JB to take his class, but would soften the blow by admitting that he did not double check with JB after the first class to see what had happened. He would admit that he should have kept closer communication with JB about the classes during his time of absence at the conference.
He typed out a detailed account of the events. After he drafted the account and read it over several times, he was satisfied and forwarded the draft to the Academic Appeals Board before heading home.
The next morning, when Frank came back into the office, there was already a phone message waiting for him. It was from Dr. Summer.
What now? Frank muttered to himself.
Frank was not that eager to pick up the phone to call her. He figured that she probably just wanted to remind him of the Academic Appeals Board meeting. He dreaded the return call. Instead, he took care of other pressing matters and the stack of mail and emails that had been accumulating on the desk and in his email account.
After finishing that, he had to read through the thesis of one of his master degree’s students. The writing was so bad that after reading and correcting the grammar for two pages, Frank got exhausted and sent the manuscript back to the student with a stern rebuke and a strong exhortation to take the draft to a professional technical writer.
The phone rang.
“Hello!”
“Dr. Abdulcizi?”
“Yes?”
“This is Dr. Summer.”
“Yes. I got your phone message, but was too tied up to return your call.”
“No problem. In fact, it was good that you did not call.”
“Oh?”
“I called earlier this morning just to remind you of the Academic Appeals Board meeting.”
“Yes, I have it on my calendar.”
“There has been a change in the case.”
“Oh?”
“The State Regents received an apology letter this morning from the same three students who wrote the complaint. They had withdrawn the complaint and said that you were, in fact, an excellent teacher. After coming off a terrible examination with another class that day, when you were out of town, they wrote the complaint in haste and took their anger out on you. They sincerely apologized for their actions.”
“I see.”
Frank was surprised and relieved.
“Since the complaint was withdrawn, we do not need to proceed with the case. The Board had also read your detailed account and determined that there was no further need for more investigation.”
“That is very nice to hear.”
“We are sorry to have put you through any troubles the past week, and I hope you understand.”
“Now that everything is resolved, no trouble at all.”
He said with a smile.
“Thank you, and have a good day.”
“Bye.”
Frank sat back and gave out a long sigh!
Case closed.
Even so, a fear within him lingered. Did JB intentionally not take his classes for him? Dark clouds seemed to gather around him.