From: Clarice Stasz
Organization: -at-Home Network
To: vocalist
Subject: Subject: before I give it all up..
Send reply to: VOCALIST <vocalist>

I'm chair of an academic department, and it is my job to deal with
student problems with faculty. Too often they come after a course is
over and the situation cannot be investigated and resolved. Your voice
teacher is not fulfilling her professional responsibilities. You should
sit down and reconstruct a calendar of exactly when and how many lessons
she missed or cut short, then take it to the chair/head of the program.
If the chair seems to "wave it off" and not listen seriously to you,
["Clue--he or she will say, if they mean to help, "I'll look into this
and get back to you."], then go to the Dean.

Over three decades of teaching I've seen instances where students fail
to report problematic behavior, and by the time a department learns
about a persistent, serious problem, the individual may have tenure or
be imbedded through other connections into the program. The only way
faculty really know what is going on is through student comments. So
don't be a victim here--speak up!

If you can find other students who have similar problems with this
teacher, see if one will join you.

Finally, do NOT discuss the audition. Just go with one simple point,
that you are receiving the training you are supposed to be and paying
for. You may find the Chair already knows and values your being another
case in the file. You may get hints the individual has extenuating
circumstances--(problems outside, illness)--though a responsible faculty
member always sees their job is covered in such cases and you deserve
the training provided in the catalogue regardless.

Incidentally, this is also your LEGAL right. Catalogue copy and syllabi
are contracts.

Clarice Stasz