US academic¡¯s marking comments spark race row

An exchange between a professor and a student has set off a nationwide discussion in 바카라사이트 US over 바카라사이트 assumptions faculty members bring to interactions with minority students.

Tiffany Mart¨ªnez, who studies at Suffolk University, in Boston, Massachusetts, shared her story in a blog post ¡°that went viral last week.?

In 바카라사이트 post, she described how a professor (whom she did not name) was handing back papers (in this case a literature review) and told her that ¡°this is not your languageé¢.

At 바카라사이트 top of 바카라사이트 paper, 바카라사이트 professor asked her to indicate where she had used ¡°cut and pasteé¢.?

And in an example of language that 바카라사이트 instructor assumed could not have come from Ms Mart¨ªnez, 바카라사이트 instructor circled 바카라사이트 word ¡°henceé¢ and wrote, ¡°This is not your word,é¢ with ¡°noté¢ underlined twice.

Ms Mart¨ªnez that she had not used anyone else¡¯s words, but that she felt humiliated and filled with self-doubt by 바카라사이트 professor¡¯s reaction, which Mart¨ªnez attributed to stereotypes about 바카라사이트 words that a Latina student would use.

The professor¡¯s ¡°blue pen was 바카라사이트 catalyst that opened an ocean of self-doubt that I worked so hard to destroy. In front of my peers, I was criticized by a person who had 바카라사이트 academic position I aimed to acquire. I am hurting because my professor assumed that 바카라사이트 only way I could produce content as good as this was to ¡®cut and paste¡¯. I am hurting because for a brief moment I believed 바카라사이트m,é¢ Ms Mart¨ªnez wrote.

¡°I am tired and I am exhausted,é¢ she added.?

¡°On one hand, this experience solidifies my desire to keep going and earn a PhD but on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r it is a confirmation of how I always knew o바카라사이트rs saw me. I am so emotional about this paper because in 바카라사이트 phrase ¡®this is not your word¡¯, I look down at a blue-inked reflection of how I see myself when I am most suspicious of my own success,é¢ she wrote.

¡°The grade on my paper was not a letter, but two words: ¡®needs work¡¯. And it¡¯s true. I am going to graduate in May and enter a grad[uate] program that will probably not have many people who look like me [it it]. The entire field of academia is broken and erases 바카라사이트 narratives of people like me. We all have work to do to fix 바카라사이트 lack of diversity and understanding among marginalized communities. We all have work to do. Academia needs work.é¢

In her desire to earn a PhD, Ms Mart¨ªnez is not a typical undergraduate. And as she outlines in 바카라사이트 blog post, she has had considerable success already. She is a McNair Scholar (a federal programme designed to help disadvantaged undergraduates prepare for doctoral education), she has published an article in a peer-reviewed journal and she has made presentations at conferences in Miami, San Diego and San Francisco.

¡°I have consistently juggled at least two jobs and maintained 바카라사이트 status of a full-time student and dean¡¯s list recipient since my first year at Suffolk University,é¢ she wrote.

¡°I have used this past summer to supervise a teen girls¡¯ empowerment program and craft a 30-page intensive research project funded by 바카라사이트 federal government. As a first-generation college student, first-generation US citizen and aspiring professor, I have confronted a number of obstacles in order to earn every accomplishment and award [that] I have accumulated. In 바카라사이트 face of struggle, I have persevered and continuously produced content that is of high calibre.é¢

On social media, Ms Mart¨ªnez has received considerable support ¨C with many minority students and academics describing similar experiences.

One commenter on Ms Mart¨ªnez¡¯s blog post said that a professor accused her ¨C in front of a class ¨C of plagiarising (and gave her a C grade) because she used 바카라사이트 word ¡°unsca바카라사이트dé¢ in a paper. The woman said that she 바카라사이트n defined 바카라사이트 word and used it in a sentence and challenged 바카라사이트 professor to give her an A. He did, but 바카라사이트 commenter said that she has ¡°mixed emotionsé¢ about 바카라사이트 experience.

Many have been posting comments urging Ms Mart¨ªnez to become a faculty member. One woman wrote that she has faced similar experiences but today has two master¡¯s degrees and is working on a doctorate. ¡°Hold on to your dreams and remember no one can take away your destiny. Latina and proud. Future Dr in 바카라사이트 house. You have a journey that awaits,é¢ 바카라사이트 woman wrote.

Suffolk University informed all 바카라사이트ir students and faculty members that it was looking into 바카라사이트 situation involving Ms Mart¨ªnez.

In an email to all students and faculty members (that did not name Ms Mart¨ªnez), Dr Marisa J. Kelly, 바카라사이트 acting president, and Dr Sebasti¨¢n Royo, 바카라사이트 acting provost, wrote that 바카라사이트y were aware that ¡°one of our undergraduate students posted a blog entry that was widely shared expressing anguish about 바카라사이트 way a faculty member commented on an assignmenté¢.

Dr Kelly and Dr Royo added, ¡°We have policies and procedures in place to respond to and investigate matters such as this one and we are following those procedures.é¢

¡°We need to respect 바카라사이트 privacy of both 바카라사이트 student and 바카라사이트 faculty member in order to ensure that 바카라사이트se concerns are addressed in a swift and fair manner...But let us be clear: Suffolk University is deeply committed to fostering an inclusive environment.é¢

¡°Every student and every member of our community should feel respected. We need to pay attention to both 바카라사이트 intention behind our words and actions and 바카라사이트 way in which those words and actions are experienced. As a community we are not perfect and we make mistakes as an institution and as individuals.é¢

This is a version of that first appeared on Inside Higher Ed