Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) Math 105A
To start, in any given quarter I have anywhere between 150-750 students, so there are definitely way more of you than there are of me. I also receive a high volume of emails daily, so it may take me a little while to respond (usually no more than 2 days). To help me out, when you are emailing me about an assignment make sure to include your name, which class you are in, and the name of the assignment you are referring to. Not doing this can slow things down considerably.
Email: rhingtge@ucsc.edu
Yes it exists, just for some reason on the ucsc email you have to type out the full thing for my name to pop up.
I prefer being emailed directly and not through Canvas’ messaging system.
I missed the deadline for a quiz or missed a section definition quiz, can I retake it?
Without justification for the absence, no. (And I drop 2-3 quizzes anyways) With justification (medical emergency, family emergency, university sanctioned absence, pre-approved absence), then yes you can make it up. Do not email me your submission or send it on canvas. (See below)
I missed the deadline for a homework assignment, can I still submit it?
Yes, but there will be a small penalty. I will let assignments be submitted up to 3 days after the due date with a small penalty. However, there is a big difference between 5 minutes late and 3 days late. If you miss a deadline by 5 minutes (or like 4 hours), email me in the format above and I will make sure there is no penalty. Do not email me your submission or send it on canvas. (See Below) If you feel like you will be late with your submission, talk to me. I am far more sympathetic to proactive behavior than reactive.
I missed a midterm, what do I do?
It depends. If you need to miss an exam due to a prior commitment, then make sure you speak with me as soon as possible to set up a different time to take the exam. If you miss an exam due to illness or some other emergency then check the syllabus. I typically let the final count for a missing midterm exam. Also, there may be make up exams (no guarantee on this), it is largely dependent on if I can schedule a large enough room for make-up exams (which is not always possible for large classes). And similar to the above, make up exams will only be allowed for pre-approved absences or emergencies of sorts.
Exam dates are on the syllabus from day 1. The dates rarely move, and if an exam date is moved it is pushed back, never up.
I missed two midterms, what do I do?
Two? Really? C’mon, you’re killing me. I can only let the final count as one.
My grade on canvas is not the same as the letter grade I received in the course, why is that?
Canvas does not recognize dashes (missing assignments) as zero grades, and while I will periodically go through and update the gradebook by replacing dashes with zeros there is no guarantee this process will be regular. The reason is with the many myriad absences and excuses students are likely to have, I like to wait until all scores are in for a given assignment before replacing dashes with zeros.
So be careful of this, it can make you think your overall score is higher than it really is. Make sure you are checking on your end that everything you submit is accounted for. I will do the best I can but once again I am one person against many.
Also, at the end I make grades on excel not canvas (it’s easier to submit to myUCSC) and typically I give letter grades that are higher than raw score. And do remember that your final letter grade is on myUCSC and not Canvas.
I sent a submission to you online via email or attached to a canvas comment or submission, why has it not been graded.
As mentioned above, please do not do this. If you are contacting me because you missed a deadline or missed a submission, email me like I asked above and if I allow for the late submission I will make sure you have access to the normal submission process.
Just make sure you are following directions for submitting assignments and following the correct format. If an assignment is submitted to canvas, submit to canvas. If it is on an online homework platform, submit on the online platform. If it is a paper in class submission, then submit in class on paper. I will only accept submissions of a different format if they have been previously decided upon by both you and me during a conversation in office hours or an appointment in which you lay out exactly why you will require a different submission format.
It is far too easy to lose track of assignments or submissions that are emailed to me directly with how many emails I get a day, and I do not have time to personally submit 30+ student papers for them. Also, if you submit an assignment to canvas that does not allow for online submissions (for example, attaching photos to a comment on a submission) then I am not notified of this except once in an email and in all likelihood I will not see your submission. So please follow protocol and email me if you have issues with a submission or something is late for whatever reason (life happens).
I need to be absent for a time due to prior commitments or an emergency, what do I do?
Please come to office hours and talk to me about this as soon as possible. Do not talk to me right after class as I may not remember. If you can not make office hours, email me and we can make an appointment to discuss this topic.
The nature of most emergencies are immediate, so in this case, I understand if you can not speak to me during office hours. In this case, send me an email and set up a time to meet with me when you return or we can set up a zoom meeting if you will be gone for longer.
Why are you so mean? And why don’t you allow for late submissions?
I don’t know, “behind every cynic is a frustrated romantic or idealist”. That and taco bell took away the double decker (bastards).
In all seriousness, I am not against late assignments directly. To put it simply:
- Just talk to me
- Be proactive not reactive
I can’t work a problem if I don’t know the details. But I also can’t save something or someone if it is too late. And there is a big difference in 100 small asks over a two month period than a really big one all at once (typically at the end of the quarter)…
Realistically, when I allow for late assignments, chaos follows. I can’t post solutions to assignments because not everyone is done yet, so helping one person turns into punishing others. Late assignments means multiple due dates, which means more stress for graders, and more spinning plates which leads to mistakes. And it is very hard to be consistent while grading when you’re grading an assignment in batches weeks apart from each other. So understand, if I deny a late assignment, it is not a slight against you, just me trying to keep the train running smoothly and on time.
I’m generally panicking, what do I do?
Breathe, go for a walk. Watch a short video that makes you happy. Make a to-do list (pretty easy on google).
School can be super stressful, especially with how much it costs. But for all the posturing that facebook and linkedin and all those other fantastic apps that manufacture fomo and insecurity allow for, at the end of everything, time will pass, pain will pass, etc. In all sincerity, health and mental health are worth more than any of this by a massive amount. So make sure you prioritize them. Math is hard, it’s even harder when you’re panicked and not doing well.
I added into the class late, what do I do?
Read over the syllabus, look over Canvas. Make sure you know what is expected from you content wise and assignment wise. Make an appointment and/or come to my office hours with a detailed list of exactly what you have missed by adding late, and do this as soon as possible once you add the class. Not having a detailed list of things you have missed can make things considerably more difficult. Important Part: Adding late is not an excuse for missing assignments (without speaking to me). If you add in week 3 or 4 and wait to come speak to me about what you missed at the end of the quarter, then I’m sorry, there is nothing I can do. Deadlines are crunched at the end due to grades being due, so make sure if you add late you meet with me ASAP to make a plan to make up what you missed.
General Advice?
Just call me Bob. If your email starts with “dearest professor” or any other flowery language, it means you’re about to ask me for something. And seeing my full last name makes me feel like the grand jury’s decision is coming down.
Never fall asleep in a cornfield taller than you
Never try to catch a soldering iron you drop.
Math can be hard, and maybe some of you try to memorize formulas. I would maybe treat it more like zoology. Try and diagnose problems, be able to look at them and know their ‘type’. To me, it is much easier to remember a path than landmarks and in the same way it’s easier to know and make a flowchart for each type of problem then just memorize abstract formulas (and maybe forget what they are for)
They’ve tried to sell the public on Crystal Pepsi 2 times, they will try again.
The 27th amendment was a mistake.
Look up Sister Rosetta Tharpe
Purple Gatorade is the only one that tastes good at above 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
If the song you are writing is missing something, it’s a saxophone solo.
Human ego and blind certainty are bigger limitations on progress than you think.
Know the exits of any room you walk into and have an exit strategy.
Being kind costs nothing, but that doesn’t mean it’s free.
“Denial ain’t just a river in Egypt” - Mark Twain
“Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” - MLK Jr.