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Saturday, January 21, 2006

FREESTYLE PROFFING


'A University of Prince Edward Island lecturer makes no excuses for offering students a 70 to not show up for his course. But the administration gives his deal a failing grade.

David Weale said he made the offer because the class is too big and some students aren't interested in being there.


About 20 – out of a class of nearly 100 – took him up on it, he said.

The course is in the history of Christianity.

Weale, a retired professor who came back as a sessional lecturer, said he originally offered students a 68 to go away. "But they negotiated with me and got it up to 70," he said before his class on Thursday night.

A 70 is a B-minus at UPEI.

…Weale had only one assignment for the dropouts: walk to the registrar's office and pay for the course.

The fee? "Over $400, close to $500," he said. "They're not doing something for nothing."

The university has vetoed the idea, however.

…"I enjoy his class," Philip MacIsaac said. "I think he's free to do what he wants to do, and I'd like to see more freestyle proffing, as such." '