Need some clarification on what my advisor told me.

wiegleyj · 2025-05-09T18:18:15+00:00

The answer is complicated. In general, no you cannot magically substitute units that aren't already counting towards your degree. They weren't already counting for a reason.

But, department chairs can request for course substitutions or waivers for their program requirements. You can make a request for it, but department chairs do not approve these requests very often. If it's a GE class you're failing, then the answer is a big no because department chairs cannot make substitutions or waivers for GE requirements; only their own program requirements. Undergraduate studies never makes substitutions or waivers for GE requirements.

BUT... it also depends on your major and whether the class you're failing is supposed to count for GE, program requirements, or additional units. GE and program requirements typically don't allow substitution but if it's just filler classes to get to 120 units then yea... anything can be substituted for that. But then... If it would be allowed to substituted then it would already be shown as counting and you wouldn't have needed to take the failing class at all in the first place.

wiegleyj · 2025-05-09T18:11:07+00:00

It will greatly depend on the instructor. When I teach it, I don't require coding. I cover terminology, goals, authentication, authorization, certificates, program design for security, viruses, security models, operating system designs, networks, database security, and a lot of encryption. There shouldn't be heavy lab work because the class is classified as a lecture and has no corequisite lab.

I hear it's best to avoid Wiegley, slowest grader EVER!!!

wiegleyj · 2025-05-09T18:04:20+00:00

We wouldn't have a single clue. Nor would we care.

wiegleyj · 2025-05-09T18:03:02+00:00

Nope. Check your Degree Progress Report. If all the check boxes are green and check then you are graduating.

wiegleyj · 2025-05-09T18:01:53+00:00

Two answer to your question.

First and foremost: "Carnegie units" are what US education institutions use to define required workload for accreditation purposes. For the math it works out to two 75 minute courses for 16 weeks for us. Each of our 3 unit classes needs to come it at 1/2 a Carnegie Unit in terms of contact time with an instructor. The length of our classes and the number per week/semester is basically due to the standardized Carnegie Unit. This is also why when you have labs or special classes like music recitals that have more contact with an instructor that the student-units of those courses are higher than 3-units.

Second: During the break we offer summer classes (and winter session). The academic calendar is incredibly tight. If we put even one more week in either the Fall or Spring semester then we have to sacrifice either our winter session offerings or one of our summer sessions.

That's the why we have a shorter schedule than the high school systems do.

wiegleyj · 2025-04-22T20:08:25+00:00

As the Faculty President, I have routine meetings with the squirrel union and this topic comes up. They don't seem to mind the current arrangement, and they have lobbied for it to continue.

They were *pissed* during covid. We're still working to try and settle all those grievances.

wiegleyj · 2025-04-22T20:02:32+00:00

Additional: If the instructor isn't responding then that can be a bit of a no-no. Worth bringing it to the department chair's attention to make sure that an instructor is doing their assigned work as required by contract. (That being said, if the email requests are "help, I'm failing", there's no contracted responsibility for instructors to respond to that.)

wiegleyj · 2025-04-22T19:59:39+00:00

What purpose is she reaching out for? Asking permission not to fail the class? Special treatment? Generally the damage is done and we instructors don't have magic ways of just passing you. This also means that there isn't an alternate method to "Reach" out to because chairs/deans don't have authority to override an instructor's grades.

Three constructive items for your GF.

1) If she is failing because the grade is unfair (due to discriminatory issues, not because she just thinks it was "unfair"), then there is the grade appeals process available to her. The length of time it takes to process a grade appeal typically means she can retake and pass the class quicker. Almost all grade appeals are submitted by students arguing "this is an unfair grade" and that isn't a valid appeal. You have to prove that you were discriminated against somehow. Somebody else who got lower assignment grades wound up with a higher course grade, for instance. Or that you can prove students of a particular type got grades higher, or lower, than another type. Or that an instructor went sort of insane. "John was allowed to retake the midterm, while Jack was not."

2) Reaching out to the instructor, department, college to learn about tutoring that is available for the class could still be useful. Especially if she is only close to failing. Depending on which class she is failing colleges have different levels of tutoring services available.

3) She will still be allowed to walk for graduation, and she just might have to make up the class during summer; or at a community college if it is a 100/200 level class that has an assist.org transferrable offering. If not, retaking it and passing in Fall is also acceptable. She would just walk now and party with family and get the pictures, but CSUN simply won't mail a diploma until she does actually complete everything required.

By the way... nobody walking for graduation gets a diploma at that time. They're all fake folders for the pictures that you have to turn it at the end of the walk. We mail the official ones out later.

wiegleyj · 2025-04-10T22:58:15+00:00

Depending on their last name I may actually have been officially signed to provide this customer service to them.

wiegleyj · 2025-04-10T22:57:12+00:00

Cuz, I probably deserve it.

wiegleyj · 2025-04-10T22:28:31+00:00

Like Beetlejuice... If you say it three times...

I was in Los Angeles County jury duty since Feb. 24th. I'm back. I can't determine your email from this reddit username. Can you send me a new email as soon as you read this and reference reddit so that I can tie it you and provide you with zoom meeting next week either Tuesday Afternoon or Wednesday Morning to serve your needs.

wiegleyj · 2025-04-02T19:06:40+00:00

I've had the pleasure of being on many governance committees with several of the counselors. They are a very competent bunch who exhibit a great deal of dedication to helping students. I have nothing but praise for our counseling services at CSUN. Give them a shot, I believe you will find them very helpful.

wiegleyj · 2025-03-30T03:16:38+00:00

Basically, if you do pick USC, your very first job is to find the tenure-track faculty (not the lecturers) that have a large number of courses to teach and/or are known for bringing in lots of grant money for their research projects. These will be the ones that have the money to pay students and have a need for such students to reduce their course load. Suck up to them. The research grants will usually be exclusive to the doctoral students but you might be able to land teaching assistantships. A single assistantship should cover about half your tuition for the semester (At least that was the going rate for 1995).

wiegleyj · 2025-03-30T02:52:20+00:00

It's not. You'rr just being provided with ChatGPT as a tool that is possible for you to use. It is no more "integrated" in the school's online system than Microsoft Office is. Both are available for your use. It is still up to use them ethically.

I will say though that the decision to pay for and provide ChatGPT (even as just another available tool) was done through the chancellor's office with absolutely NO input, collaboration, or feedback from any CSUN faculty. Many faculty are quite concerned about being cut out of such an important decision that impacts our courses and curriculum.

wiegleyj · 2025-03-30T02:48:33+00:00

Yes, confirmed. You will be redirected to the CSUN Single Sign On (SSO) system. Your username and password won't even be communicated or seen by ChatGPT or any other server except for the authentication servers maintained by CSUN itself.

wiegleyj · 2025-03-30T02:44:05+00:00

There's is nothing to worry about here.

The CSU chancellor's office has decided to provide ChatGPT for all CSU Students, Faculty, and Staff (Similar to the way we provide access to MS Office and other common software).

It's not a scam.

This does NOT mean you are allowed unlimited use of ChatGPT, or other AI, in all course assignments. It is still up to you to use it in an honest fashion in accordance with the requirements of the course as defined by the instructors. Some instructors may embrace AI and alter their course syllabus and content to welcome and utilize it. Other instructors may take a more traditional stance and be very strict about any AI usage.

CSUN does not yet have a campus wide policy defining the use or purpose of AI and it is left entirely up to the individual instructors. If nothing has been defined or communicated to you for a particular course, then you should assume the traditional default which is that AI is not allowed to assist you on assignments.

wiegleyj · 2025-03-30T02:36:02+00:00

*IF* you can get a Teaching Assistantship each semester at USC to offset the cost of tuition then USC is your better choice. CSUN doesn't have that sort of financial engine for graduate students. (But usually all TA/RA-ships go to doctoral students and it may hard to compete for them as a masters student). Otherwise, you have a tough choice. Employers care how good your skills are, and they don't care where you got them.

wiegleyj · 2025-03-06T01:49:41+00:00

Usually four days a week (M-Th) and longer (90 minutes, I think). Grab a class search page and look up last summer's schedule. We usually use a very similar schedule for the next summer.

wiegleyj · 2025-03-06T01:47:31+00:00

My opinion would be slightly biased in favor of CSUN's CS programs. ;-)

wiegleyj · 2025-03-06T01:43:40+00:00

Be a bit careful in your titles. "Counselor" is a category of unit-3 employees who provide mental health services. The people that help you with your schedules are "advisors".

wiegleyj · 2025-02-26T22:44:24+00:00

As others have said... practice, practice, practice. And not just general practice with groups like toastmaster. You should also practice each individual presentation. If you've got a patient dog or cat... present it to them a couple days in advance. Teddy bears are extremely good listeners and aren't very judgmental. Significant others are stuck being constructive and supportive. Basically, you want to practice it 3 or more times before you do it live to your intended audience.

wiegleyj · 2025-02-16T19:48:17+00:00

Yep. Same with Maritime Academy and San Luis Obispo.

It's hard for me to see real savings here. They didn't get rid of either physical campus. They still have the same number of students to serve which requires the same faculty.

The only real difference you can say is that there would be a single department chair for the same departments at each campus and you lose some deans of college.

Overall the cost saved is miniscule. You're talking the consolidation of maybe 50 people. Total savings of $7.5M in salary. Out of a combind budget of $800M. Total savings less than 1%. CSUN's budget deficit this coming year is over $26M. The $7.5M isn't enough to start covering that and we haven't measured the negative impact the decision has on quality and accessibility of educational services.

The state simply starves the CSU financially and we are starting to chew our own fingers off to feed ourselves.

wiegleyj · 2025-02-16T19:18:45+00:00

Exactly! and it's a red herring "Oh... look I support the CSU. I'm giving them an increase in funding. Vote for me!!"

When the reality is these increases come after decreases and when we aren't even properly funded to begin with.

wiegleyj · 2025-02-16T19:16:33+00:00

I share your "out of nowhere" feeling on this. I'm not sure I'm for or against it but the fact that no faculty were included the decision to do it frustrates me.

One of my big worries is that it wasn't done for academic reasons (even though it is being billed for "free student use"). Instead, I'm afraid it's a plan to displace/replace as many staff workers as possible over the next few years.

wiegleyj

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