Can I get some advice on a sticky situation re: my school lab partner?

[Heddi]

Okay.

I am currently taking prerequisites so's I can get into a nursing program. I'm taking my last required class, physiology, this quarter.

the teacher has assigned us lab partners---says she doesn't want 'cliques' (??) I guess I'd understand this if I were in high-school, but I'm in college, and everyone in my class knows practically everyone else b/c we've taken all of our classes together...

So I get stuck with this girl that I don't know. She seems nice enough, but here's the sticky part.

English isn't her first language. Now, that's not REALLY the sticky part.

The sticky part is that because English isn't her first language, she's unable to communicate with me, and I'm unable to communicate with her effectively enough to get the assignments done in the class.

The other sticky part is that being lab partners, we're supposed to turn in ONE lab report btwn the two of us---which would be fine, except she can't participate because she can't effectively communicate via writing.

So that means that *I* have to do the entire lab report for BOTH of us, by myself. That means that SHE gets a good grade (because I'm a good student) without having to put any effort into it whatsoever.

Now, before anyone starts calling me xenophobic or bigoted---think again. My school has a very diverse student body. We have exchange students from around the world. My microbiology lab partner last quarter spoke English as a second language, but she was WILLING to do whatever she could on her end to be as productive as possible with regards to lab assignments. Example---because she could read and speak english well, but not write well, seh would do the majority of the in-lab assignments, and I would write the report. Or she would write her part of the report, and send it to me for 'proofreading' and I would correct her very simple mistakes.

But this lab partner does NOTHING. She doesn't do the exercises, but seh gets credit for doing them b/c we're a "team" so she gets a 100% because *I* do everything and get 100%.

She doesn't write the lab reports, or contribute ANYTHING to them, but she gets whatever grade *I* get because we're a 'team'.

I've talked to the Professor about it, and she told me I NEEDED TO BE MORE OPEN TO IMMIGRANTS---hello! I'm not 'down' on immigrants, or down on anyone for that matter. I dont' care if English is her FIRST language, the fact is that she's not doing ANYTHING, I'm doing EVERYTHING, and she's getting the benefit of my grade for it.

Even when I tried to explain this rather simple fact to the teacher, she accused me, in a round-about-way, of being a RACIST, and made some underhanded comment that I wouldn't be complaining if my lab partner's last name was "Smith" instead of "Wong"---which just isn't the case.

So here I am, again, writing ANOTHER "team" lab report where my partner did NOTHING the entire lab class, put in NO effort on the lab report itself, and is going to get whatever grade *I* rightfully should get.

There's no way I can do a crappy job on the report because then my grade is affected as well as hers. I feel like I've hit a brick wall with the teacher. THe funny part is, my lab partner was with ANOTHER girl at the beginning of the quarter, and the other girl was able to get a new lab partner b/c of the just.....lack of motivation/work/teamwork that her (now my) lab partner did. But the teacher saw no problem with doing that apparently, because both girls were of Asian descent. But when I try to change lab partners, it's because I'm a racist, a bigot, whatever....

what can I do??? Does anyone have any words of advice??

[SpiralHawk]

1. Grin and bear your burden with good cheer

You will be building up good karmic rewards. Before you know it, your troubles will be over -- and you will have had the chance to teach your lab partner the right way to do a study and a report.


Phil-O-sophically, SH

[toddzilla]

2. suck it up..

you're stuck. at least you are in a position to do the report and get a good grade. if you go above the instructor's head, you'll likely suffer repercussions about your grade or future classes you take from this teacher.


i dropped several classes because the instructor had us do "team" assignments. i won't do them, period.

[Maple]

3. If you were on a 'team'

with a person who spoke great English, but was simply lazy...you'd have the same problem.

It's a problem with teams generally...what usually happens is that one person does the work, and the rest get to coast on a good mark.

But then, who said life was fair?

[Heddi]

11. well I know life isn't fair

but the class I'm in is

1) VERY hard to get into. I was lucky and got in right away. Other people wait up to 6mos to get into the class

2) a "weeder" class---named b/c anyone who can't pass this class won't get into the nursing program. This is the last pre-req class one has to take before being accepted.

The nursing program itself is VERY competitive. 30 openings a quarter with over 250 people applying every quarter.

If I do good on these reports (which I am doing), then she gets to coast by, get a good grade, and will pretty much be a shoe-in to get into the nursing program.

I find this insulting because I'm working my ASS off for this class. I don't get to coast by. 99% of the class doesn't get to coast by. I'm not spending 12+ hours PER LAB REPORT so that she can sit in her chair and file her nails----it's not just unfair to ME, but it's unfair to EVERY SINGLE PERSON who is also trying to get into the nursing program.

If she aces this class (which she will if she's getting the same grade I am), then she's going to get into the nursing program, even though SHE DOESN'T DESERVE IT. Not at all. SHe didn't get through the class on her own merits--she got through by hanging on my back.

I've had shitty teamwork assignments in the past, but not one where 75% of your grade is based on the teamwork part. She can fail all of her tests, but still get a stellar grade in the class b/c of the work that *I* do and that she's getting undo credit for.

I'm IM'ing a friend of mine in the class now---I'm SO pissed off about it---she says this gal did the same thing in Biology 3 quarters ago---only in biology, your labs only counted for something like 50% of your grade....

Ugh.

This really sucks. Not only by doing a good job am I guaranteeing MYSELF a spot in the nursing program, but I'm basically guaranteeing ANOTHER PERSON, WHO I DESPISE, a spot in the nursing program. That's just not fair. It's not right. I work for MY Grade, and so *I* can get accepted, not so that my schlep of a partner can snooze through lab and get a spot right beside me....argh

[Maple]

19. Yeah, I understand

but do you really want to spend time going thru all the legal hassles and jumping thru hoops to change it...and then be seen as a troublemaker?

And it could well be the same when you're actually on the job.

If this is the worst thing to happen to you in life...count yourself lucky.

[absolutezero]

27. tell everyone in your class about this

I'm sure everyone of them will be willing to speak to the proffesor if they dont think this girl is doing any work...

You could also try getting everyone to sign a letter and give it the registrar, department chair and the student government (if they can do anything)

You can even send it to the school paper if anyone reads it on your campus (mine can get things done if we want to)

OR, if all else fails, you could find someone that speaks her language and bring them into the class to translate

[bleedingheart]

4. that is a hard situation to be in...I had it happen when I was

in college but language wasn't a barrier.. I had a white male lab partner who did nothing. I spoke to the prof and he said that I had to deal with it. So I stopped putting "freddie the freeloader's" name on the reports and he failed the class.

The prof did nothing to help him saying that if he had been helping with the reports he would have surely seen that his name wasn't on them.

[Hawkeye-X]

5. My advice..

Is to speak with the dean of that class, explain your situation. This can effectively filter it down to the teacher who can be *reminded* that any effort that the student has not done will NOT be tolerated and "passing the buck" is also unacceptable. It does not matter if your teacher think you are bigoted or racist. Show them that you have made the effort to try to get your partner to do the work, but she has done jackshit, and thusly does not deserve the grade that you share with her. Again, provide proof. Explain to the dean that you tried to talk to the teacher about this, and was accused of being a racist even though you aren't. Even if you have to drag your computer to school and prove it.

This will show that the dean needs to have a meeting with that teacher and slap her silly. If the teacher doesn't work right, you go to the top, because it shows that you *TRIED*.

LMK what happens. I'm really interested in this. I've had a share of lazy partners where I wound up doing the work.

Also, bleedingheart's suggestion is quite good. Don't put the freeloader's name on your work. If she doesn't make any effort, she doesn't deserve it.

Hawkeye-X

[Dogmudgeon]

6. Who to contact

1. The Dean of the School of Nursing

2. A lawyer.

Since your instructor is going to try to spin it as bigotry, you can either deal with it, or fight it. I think you should fight it, including the instructor.

Of course, with the best-planned fight, they're quick to settle the matter as quietly as possible. Which is ideally what you want. And which is why you need the lawyer. You can usually find a lawyer who will let you "cc: Bob Howe, Esq. (Dewey Cheetham and Howe)" for free if a case is to be made.

Good luck!

--bkl

[qanda]

7. Maybe a visit to the Dean would be in order.

eom

[DBoon]

8. Being facetious

I would suggest writing the lab paper in your partner's native language, and handing it in like that. Maybe, to be "nice", run it through Babelfish or some other automatic translator and hand that in as the English version. (No, don't really do this)

More seriously, do you know someone who is bilingual in both English and the unspecified Asian language? Maybe have them work up some to-do list for your partner, or look at her lab notes and translate for you?

It looks like you are stuck writing the paper, is there a way you can allocate the work so that the tasks that don't require English fluency are done by your partner?

Then if she still doesn't do the work, you have made every possible accomodation, and you should have a very strong case.

[RoonShark]

9. Real Life Is Like That

In the job you get after graduation, not only are you going to be stuck with all the work, you'll have to guard against somebody else glomming all the credit for it. People will be knocking themselves out trying to find an answer to a problem, and you'll have a brilliant insight. The guy next to you will say something like, "You took the words right out of my mouth!" And he will be praised and honored and promoted ahead of you.

[Heddi]

12. well I know what the 'real world' is like

I'm not some wet-behind-the-ears 16 year old who's never lived outside of mom & dad's attic-apartment.

I'm 27 years old, have worked in advertising sales for over 6 years, have an AA in Culinary Arts---so I know how the 'real world' is.

[RoonShark]

16. So Speak Up

You don't need advice, you just need some encouragement to speak up. You are being taken advantage of, and your instructor is blowing you off. It's time to go to the next level.

I thought you were a kid. Obviously you're not. Do whatcha gotta do. Don't be taken for a chump.

[Heddi]

18. I'm sorry if I sounded snotty

I'm just in a very foul mood right now. I was snippier with you than I should have been. I apologize :(


And you're right. I do need encouragement to speak up. Everyone I go to school with tells horror stories of how their grades plumetted, or tests got harder once they complained about a teacher to the dean....I've worked REALLY hard through my pre-req's, and I've busted my ass to get good grades, and aggggh!!! It sucks being in a position where you can't decide whether doing the RIGHT THING is worth having the WRONG THINGS happen to you in retaliation....

[DuctapeFatwa]

10. It sounds like an excellent workplace simulation, minus the language thing

Although far from certain, there is a possibility that you will be able to find employment once you graduate, where you will find yourself in the exact same situation, except for the language barrier, and instead of your lab partner, the person will be your boss.

[DBoon]

13. I've found in this situation

1. You have to give the offending party every reasonable chance to make good.

2. You have to carefully document their mis-steps

3. You then take it to management and tell them this person isn't cutting it, and it is harming the project.


My earlier suggestions about working around the language problem were geared to #1 above. Take that away as a possible issue.

Provide your partner with specific tasks having deadlines. Note each time these aren't met. If they are met but the quality is poor, note WHY the quality was poor (e.g., experiment performed incorrectly, not enough measurements, poor documentation, etc.)

Bring these to the attention of the teacher before it gets far enough to hurt your grade.

If your teacher won't do anything, bring it to the folks above.

[patdem]

14. Maybe this is school policy...pair up non-english students with good

students to help them in their grades??? Have you asked any other English speaking class mates with good grades who they are paired with? This could be a way to 'suppliment' the grades of the non-english students who are paying 'out of state' tuitions...supplimenting your own tuition (if you are in state that is?) Of course this is only one point of view?

[Wickerman]

15. YOu've tried the teacher, go to the Dean

This woman will never be any good to anyone as a nurse and she should either make some changes or be gone. Help her along. YOur teacher sucks. She knows she has a problem and her way of dealing with it is to pass it along to someone who will carry her problem student so she doesn't have to deal with it.

And, like everyone else has said, great window into real life employment. Think of all the people that Bus* has taken advantage of in the same manner.

[Heddi]

17. I've tried to help her

The first time we were together she told me she didn't write very well in English, so I told her to email her part of the report to me and I would make any corrections and clean up the grammar and stuff. (like I did with my lab partner in Microbiology). Nope. See, She can't READ English that well either. Fine, I said. You do the lab portion and I"ll write the reports. WEll, she can't COMPREHEND English that good either, so ixnay on the labs.

But I find amazing is that she CAN take 45 minute-breaks in the class and chitter-chatter with her friends outside. And she CAN instant message her friends on her cellphone during class, and she CAN talk on her cellphone during class.

I even told her to call me on the telephone and DICTATE what she wanted to say in the lab report and I would transcribe it for her, but then she says she can't SPEAK or HEAR english very well either :-/

Now, I *DO* know for a fact that to get into the higher-level science and math classes, you have to take an English Competency test before they'll even let you register (EVERYONE has to take it---native and non-native English Speakers)---You basically have to have a 12th grade comprehension level in reading, listening, and writing skills.

So she HAD to have passed the test in order to be in the class--they wouldn't let her regsiter without passing the test.

So I doubt when she says she can't Read, Write, Comprehend, or Speak English AT ALL------she *HAS* to be able to in order to have been admitted to the classes.

Oh I'm so stressed right now .....!!!

[NicoleM]

20. That sucks.

I have been in that situation more times than I can count. One time, a partner didn't show up at a meeting and didn't let me know beforehand. I helpfully rescheduled and hauled my cookies all the way over to her house, which was a PITA. She was still not prepared. Why? Because she was, and I quote, "in bed fucking (her) boyfriend all weekend."

But enough about me. The question is, how much are you willing to risk? Would your spot in the nursing program be in jeopardy if you "rock the boat"? If you just let her coast, even if she gets into the program I would imagine at some point somebody will realize that she has no idea what she's doing.

I'm a big fan of boat rocking, but it's gotten me into a lot of trouble. Sometimes it wasn't worth it. Sometimes it was.

I'm sure that was quite helpful. :)

[masmdu]

21. Ask your prof. to...

consider that you have a valid (non-racist) point and ask if he/she will for a single paper allow you to submit your work seperately. Offer to ungrudgingly go back to working with your partner as a team if the Prof. can honestly say to you that your partner is just as capable as you (based on the reports you generate seperately).

Alternately, if your prof wont go for this and you want to make your point and are willing to take a minor hit with regards to your grade, write a report that is completely insane, nonsensical, halucinagenic about some unrelated bizzare subject. Write it up in the same form that you would do a normal report and ask your team partner to put their name on it, you do the same and submit it. The prof will see that your partner is completely unaware, your point will be made, and the cost will be the grade on one of the many papers you have to do.

Good luck

[Lars39]

22. Do what YOU have to do to get the grades YOU want.

She's a parasite who WILL NOT make it in nursing school. At some point in nursing school/hospital setting she will have to know/regurgitate this information and she will fall on her face. If you have to share/turn in assignments together, try to make sure that hers contains the bare minimum and yours is the expanded/more knowledgable version. Just my 2. :) Been there, done that.

[mitchum]

24. That is excellent advice, Lars39

[amazona]

23. well, i had sort of the opposite issue

I used to do all the lab reports for all my labs. I guess I was a control freak but I never felt as if my "partner" was as capable of doing the job to my standards. My attitude was I'd rather do the whole report and be sure of getting an A than "share" and not be so sure. So in your situation I would just be glad that my "partner" was staying out of my hair. Most of my "partners" (all but one) were white southern males, so I don't think a prejudice against immigrants was the cause of the problem; I think most all lab partners set-ups end up with someone doing most or all of the work, regardless of race and language issues.

She is the one being cheated of an education by not doing the work. If she isn't concerned, I wouldn't be either. It's her problem.

If the work is truly too much for one person, I'm stumped. In my chem and physics labs, I found that the lab work actually went faster and more smoothly with only one cook in the stew. But I have no idea of your true situation. I wouldn't appreciate being accused of being a bigot by the professor but, frankly, I don't see where you have anything to gain by discussing the point further if she has her own wild ideas floating around in her mind that have nothing to do with reality.


i actually had one partner who wanted to contribute to the report so i had to pretend to incorporate her nonsense into the final report, sigh...it goes without saying that i'm not about teamwork

[Rowdyboy]

25. I echo bareknuckle liberal

First the dean of the school of nursing. Then, if necessary, a lawyer. This is obscene. I certainly don't want her nursing me or anyone I care about. It is seriously a matter of public safety because potentially lives are at stake..

[Deja Q]

26. That used to happen at me in school

Except they would keep me away from doing any of the work or learning and I wanted to learn and then turn around and say I didn't do anything.

Bastards.

Made me wish I was Carrie at the time. x(

[Lydia Leftcoast]

28. If there are other students of your lab partners' nationality

in the class, and if you are on speaking terms with them, complain to them about what a freeloader she is. Don't ask them to convey the message, just tell them everything you've told us in a "can you believe this" sort of mood.

The X-Landian Grapevine and Peer Pressure Network may work wonders if they agree that she's out of line.

[dmr]

29. What stumps me is how she got this far?

Surely she hasn't had a lab partner in every class or project. It sounds as if the school is enabling her to pass. Teaming her up with an intelligent student who they know is capable of doing the project on their own and a student who they know will do the sacrifice because they (you) want a good passing grade. The prof probably doesn't want to deal with your pleas because he/she knows this is the school's practice with this student, and maybe other students, as well. It angers me that you are being belittled along the way by being called a racist.

I have been in similar situations both in school and at work. I worked 18 years in the county hospital in Miami, where everything can and does happen there.

I have tons of respect for you Heddi and can imagine you as a nurse. Nurses are the backbone of any hospital. Somewhere along the line, your lab partner will meet up with an instructor who will not enable her. If she makes it into nursing school, and finds herself doing rotations on a nursing floor, her preceptor or instructor will not let lack of knowledge or incompetence slide by. She'll be out on her ass lickety-split. It's not like becoming president where there are others to do your job. A nurse does everything, the nurse runs the show, is the patient's advocate as well as caregiver.

My advice for you today is complete the project on your own gracefully. I'd address it after you are out of the prerequiste program, and in nursing school. To address it now will more than likely harm your grades, and a wrongful notation in your school file. I know it is frustrating. The school is doing no one any favors (except tuition payments into their bank account) by allowing her to skirt by, not her, not you, not other students, not the nursing school, and most especially not the patient. God help the patient!

Good luck, and can't wait until you are Heddi RN! :)

[DoNotRefill]

30. suck it up....

Do the work, get the grade, and don't worry about the free rider.

[LynneSin]

31. If this is the last class you need to get into the nursing program

just get it overwith. I know this really really sucks, but you need this class and it's not worth the hassle ESPECIALLY if this bites you in the butt and that prof comments on your record about you complaining about your partner.

I wish I had better advice, but I don't.

:shrug:

[BBradley]

32. I'll tell you who to talk about it with: HER.

Is there really that huge of a language barrier? If there is, find someone who speaks her language, and have them interpret. If you can't discuss it with her, why are you discussing it with the teacher?

[hunter]

33. I had the lab partner from hell...

He would come to lab drunk, and mess up. An overworked graduate student was running the lab, and he didn't want to hear anyone's complaints.

Pretty soon I was doing all the labwork because my "partner" was always screwing around. One day I got irritated with him, and I called him something nasty, and a few days later he spilled acetone on my backpack and lit it on fire, "accidently" of course.

I went to the professor in charge of the lab, and he told me I needed to learn how to get along with people.

Well yes, I did have trouble getting along with people in college, and was known to be somewhat abrasive, but nobody had ever lit my stuff on fire before. He said his grad student had assured him the fire really was an accident.

After that I pretty much ignored my lab partner, and let him copy my work, while he was goofing around making pipes out of glass tubing and stuff.

On the last day of the lab we were supposed to check in our lab equipment, but my lab partner wasn't there, and all our equipment was gone. The university tried to charge me for it because they couldn't find my lab partner.

When I eventually transfered to another university I had to fight to get my transcripts released because of the unpaid bill.

I don't know if that story helps you. My advice is to take the high road. Try to encourage your "partner" to participate, but if she doesn't, don't let it eat you up. She's the one who's throwing away the opportunity.

The world is full of people like that and you can't let them suck the life out of you. You will learn to do the work of two, and be highly respected in your field, and your lab partner will get hit by a train, and then you can torture her while she's your patient in the extended care unit of your hospital.

BWAAAAAAHAAAAAAAHAAAAAAA!

Okay, I made that last part up. I never saw my lab partner again, but if life is fair I'm sure he got hit by a train.