Re: Privacy issues and crossed boundaries!!

Any time a professor has directly asked questions about anything of personal nature it was for an assignment. One professor had us fill out a questionnaire about our relationship history and then computed statistics on it and used it to help teach us about writing in APA format. This was anonymous and anyone could lie who didn't feel comfortable answering (we might have even been told to do that if we wanted). The second time was for a class on family psychology and we were told to look at things that can affect families in different ways starting with specifics in our own family (suggestions included illnesses, divorces, deaths, etc.).

Maybe I'm in the minority, but because these were for specific classes and they served a purpose in teaching us about the material or helping us to learn something, I didn't mind so much when it came to divulging the information. The information ends up being between you, the professor and possibly a TA, so I didn't see the big deal in sharing something with someone I have very little contact with. You get to choose how much you divulge, so if there's something you don't want to share, don't share it. Simple as that.

That being said, if a professor just randomly walks in and says 'give me this information' and has no other reason why, that is definitely not ok. It's really all a function of how it's going to be used in the classroom. If it is for the professor's personal gain she should complain to the department chair first and if nothing is done go straight to the dean.

As far as the health information. Did a professor ask for that or the school ask for that? All colleges are required to provide their full time matriculated students (I'm not sure if this extends to part time students) with health insurance. Forms about health information may be related to that as that is required by health insurance companies. If Debi is declining it, she can probably get out of handing it in.

Re: Privacy issues and crossed boundaries!!

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Posted by MrsInglima

Any time a professor has directly asked questions about anything of personal nature it was for an assignment. One professor had us fill out a questionnaire about our relationship history and then computed statistics on it and used it to help teach us about writing in APA format. This was anonymous and anyone could lie who didn't feel comfortable answering (we might have even been told to do that if we wanted). The second time was for a class on family psychology and we were told to look at things that can affect families in different ways starting with specifics in our own family (suggestions included illnesses, divorces, deaths, etc.).

Maybe I'm in the minority, but because these were for specific classes and they served a purpose in teaching us about the material or helping us to learn something, I didn't mind so much when it came to divulging the information. The information ends up being between you, the professor and possibly a TA, so I didn't see the big deal in sharing something with someone I have very little contact with. You get to choose how much you divulge, so if there's something you don't want to share, don't share it. Simple as that.

That being said, if a professor just randomly walks in and says 'give me this information' and has no other reason why, that is definitely not ok. It's really all a function of how it's going to be used in the classroom. If it is for the professor's personal gain she should complain to the department chair first and if nothing is done go straight to the dean.

As far as the health information. Did a professor ask for that or the school ask for that? All colleges are required to provide their full time matriculated students (I'm not sure if this extends to part time students) with health insurance. Forms about health information may be related to that as that is required by health insurance companies. If Debi is declining it, she can probably get out of handing it in.

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Thanks, Lila, good post. Will talk to Debi about it. Mary MOB