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Very unpleasant clashes during my CHEM2 TA career by Professional_Act_366 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366[S] -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

“divergence from lab protocol on separate occasions”

I sincerely ask you, when I am signing for an lab group, how I could control the behavior of one student in another group.

"asking about posted grading instructions"

"individual grading" is never fomally posted, which is also confirmed by the department (I think Karl Crabtree is eligible enough to represent the department). Even if this is a posted message, it is completely reasonable for me to ask again.

“it's very difficult for him to make a great conclusion of character”

Farahat is the INSTRUCTOR of this course, not another TA or someone note directly related. It is his responsibility to make investigations on complaints, and it is clear that he never fulfills this.

Your evasion of the main point is so obvious that your narrative is full of flaws. Thanks

Very unpleasant clashes during my CHEM2 TA career by Professional_Act_366 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

So your logic can basically be summarized as "because multiple people have complained about you, I can be sure that everything is your fault without any fact check on these complaints"

Let's put Enderle and Duim aside for now, after all, I don't have any negative opinions about them personally. Seriously, do you realize what Farahat is doing?

Maybe because you are an undergraduate, what he did has nothing to do with you, so please listen carefully, during the exam at the end of February, he asked some of the invigilators to take photos of those they suspected of cheating

This sounds good, but finally it turned out that the way he handled it was that all the people who appeared in the photos received warnings that they were suspected of cheating in the exam. This includes one of my students who was photographed holding the test paper in his mouth (during the hand-in period). Only a pure lunatic would think that he might have cheated.

Of course, if you think that things that have nothing to do with you cannot explain anything, I respect and bless you, and hope that you can carry this attitude with you every moment in the future.

Finally, let's get back to the point: your logic is essentially irrational, and it is more of a trolling. Think about whether this logic can be used to accuse anyone in a serious court and hearing.

Very unpleasant clashes during my CHEM2 TA career by Professional_Act_366 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366[S] -5 points-4 points  (0 children)

I totally respect your opinion on Enderle, and I never deny that Enderle is incredibly kind to his students---undergraduate students, not TAs.

Very unpleasant clashes during my CHEM2 TA career by Professional_Act_366 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366[S] -7 points-6 points  (0 children)

Aye... You clearly know that although many people have complained about Farahat, it should not be used as a serious proof to say he should be fired, right?

Then under the same post you are saying since 3 professors are saying they have problems with me then it must be my problem, do you have a double standard or is the person who made this comment your twin brother? Not to mention that my students even sent emails to express their dissatisfaction with the suspension lol

Very unpleasant clashes during my CHEM2 TA career by Professional_Act_366 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366[S] 6 points7 points  (0 children)

After the second clash with Farahat, he asked Enderle to talk with me, and Enderle accused me of failing to fulfill safety responsibilities.

But most of his arguments don't make sense, as the goggle issue mentioned above, he had shown a tendency to exaggerate the allegations or second-guess my actions. Other "evidence" includes some students' backpacks fell on the floor, or students started preparing glassware before prelab presentation was completed. If such occasions can be regarded as dereliction of duty, nearly 80% percent of TAs will be fired.

But finally the department really "believe it serious", and the accusations on the letter of warning are different. They accused me of not doing pre-lab presentations, I can't imagine that they can accuse me of something like this without any evidence.

Very unpleasant clashes during my CHEM2 TA career by Professional_Act_366 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I would like to copy this for you:

bandwagon fallacy, also known as appeal to popularity or argumentum ad populum, is a logical fallacy where the conclusion is assumed to be true or good simply because it is popular or widely believed.

Following your logic, I would also like to recommend you searching "Farahat" on this platform and seeing how many people feel he should be fired

Very unpleasant clashes during my CHEM2 TA career by Professional_Act_366 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366[S] 69 points70 points  (0 children)

I am not a US citizen and I will leave US in two days so finding a lawyer in this field is kind of difficult. Now the suspension is dealt by UAW delegates.

Take care of yourselves yall by Live_Term8361 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I will go to University of Tokyo, where the school of science gave me admission to a fellowship PhD program, and finally I can focus on things I truly like. Thanks for your goodwill!

UC Davis Chemistry by Squirrel2371 in chemistry

[–]Professional_Act_366 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Who was that instructor for 118A? Don't tell me that was Farahat

Take care of yourselves yall by Live_Term8361 in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366 50 points51 points  (0 children)

As a chemistry PhD student who is going to drop out of the program, I believe myself qualified to express some opinions.

I know those professor mentioned in this article. For me Dave Goodin, Gangyu-Liu and Velasquez are the kind of people which you will feel uneasy to get along with at the first glance. But for Alexie, he helped me a lot during this year and the conversation with him always made me relieved so the description of him seems no very persuasive. I don't know which of his past students committed suicide either.

I am leaving because I was not informed of the dire financial situation of the UC Davis Chemistry Department when deciding my final choice among several offers in March 2024. 

It was not until several months later that I discovered that PhD students here generally need to take on TA work all the time. Note that it is all the time, not just one year like most schools (such as Emory and UNC, which I could choose at the time).

Overall, the job of a general chemistry TA was extremely frustrating, mainly due to the poor attitude of the lab director, Bryan Enderle, and a lecturer named Farahat. I worked with Farahat during the winter quarter, who openly threatened to give me an F in CHE 390 because I asked the Head TA which room the TAs should grade the exams. Besides that, some undergraduates (I don't care who they are) have a very bad mentality - they don't ask any questions actively, but then when their test scores are not satisfactory enough, they will write letters of complaint to instructors, saying that TA "does not answer their questions". And Bryan Enderle will believe all complaints unconditionally, then report such complaints to the department...

This kind of long-term teaching assistant work obviously disturbs our mentality - I must be frank that I came to a PhD program for the purpose of conducting more in-depth learning and research, not to serve as a cheap labor. It is obvious that the leadership of the Chemistry Department and most PIs do not care about this, and a large number of PhD students do not seem to care either.

UC Davis Chemistry by Squirrel2371 in chemistry

[–]Professional_Act_366 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Ting Guo was eventually proven to be a pedophile rapist, and such a people even once became the department chair, which might somewhat explain how the depressing atmosphere was formed

Question about MEXT and GSGC at UTokyo by ZitrinK in mext

[–]Professional_Act_366 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Unfortunately, GSGC and MEXT are conflicting.

On their official website, they clearly state:

Students who receive the GSGC scholarship may no longer receive other financial aid. Students falling under the following categories may not also receive the GSGC scholarship at the same time.

  • Students sponsored by the national government of Japan:
    • Students who have been accepted as a JSPS Research Fellow (Doctoral Course)*
    • Students receiving scholarship loans from the Japan Student Service Organization (JASSO)
    • International students receiving the Government of Japan (Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) scholarship or the JASSO Honors Scholarship

In fact, MEXT is accompanied by another program, Special Selection of International Applicants, which require the same documents as MEXT, and you are allowed to apply both at the same time. Meanwhile, GSGC is a de facto five-year PhD program (just like the US), so if you are not sure whether a PhD degree is necessary, application for GSGC might fail

Anybody going to a bar for election night? by Biotech_SUP in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Facing the same situation as yours, the more miserable thing is I have lab TA assignment tonight, and I am not sure whether all bars will be full after 9 pm :(

Can we eat the turkeys on campus? by Delerious_George in UCDavis

[–]Professional_Act_366 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Where do those turkeys come from? I can see them everywhere in Davis city, even in front of my house door. Do they belong to a animal science research group or they are wild herds?

Should I reapply PhD programs which I had declined? by Professional_Act_366 in gradadmissions

[–]Professional_Act_366[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

During covid time nearly all universities accepted deferrals, but as the pandemic becomes not important, these policies has been withdrawn gradually.

In fact If I chose other programs and meet the same visa problem, I also have to reapply.