The University of North Carolina - Charlotte

Many times, when I attempted to interface with other departments (e.g., registrar's office, graduate school,etc ) attitudes were, generally, negative. Example: I received a letter from the registrar's office which indicated that I had a credit balance and that a check was waiting for me. When I inquired, I was accused of trying to "embezzle" money from the university. It turned out that the university's records were wrong. the credit which showed on my balance was from the previous semester (ooops!).

My own counselor failed to provide me with up-to-date information regarding program changes, reading lists for exams, etc., despite the fact that I visited her office often and made frequent inquiries. Information regarding crucial exams, reading lists, and lectures was acquired from other students.

My department disenrolled me from the university (by mistake-- ooops). It awarded my scholarship to another student by mistake (ooops!). It failed to clear me for graduation in time to attend commencement exercises to receive my BA (by mistake ooops!) It took two years for my department to approve my thesis ( somebody forgot to sign the papers before all of my advisors quit to go to other universities... oooops!).

My department failed to inform me of MA lectures, even when though I asked frequently (ooops!)I was given a 125- book reading list to prepare for the MA exam. The requirements chaneg one year into my program, but my counselor failed to tell me (ooops).

My department failed to clear me for graduation in time for me to attend commencement ceremonies to receive my MA (oooops!).

The Dean of of my college, the assistant dean and the chancellor refused to answer letters or to return phone calls ("We lost our phone records...ooops!").When I contacted the board of governors, I was referred to the university's general counsel (the lawyer) who wrote me a threatening letter telling me to stop making inquiries. In a phone conversation, he said that the university would answer my questions only if compelled to by a court. (Forget about due process as 'guaranteed' by the university. You'll get 'due process' only if the university can hold the threat of expulsion over your head).

Of twenty-three nontraditional students whom I met when I began at UNCC, I was the only one to graduate.

I wasn't the only student to receive similar treatment,however, and the department in question didn't reserve maltreatment for 'nontraditional' students. I saw a lot of bright, young minds trampled by insensitive, unfair, and self-centered faculty. Why? I think that it was done for sport. Students who were not politically savvy enough were swept aside while many undeserving students received grades (A's and B's)even though they rarely attended class. There was clearly a dual system in place.

One prospective employer called a professor (who did not even know me) for a personal evaluation. The professor trashed me and I didn't get the job, even though I made it through two other interviews for that position.

Would I recommend UNCC to a non-traditional Humanities major? Never. Would I recommend UNCC to a "traditional' humanities major? With great reservation. If you have a pedigree of some sort and your father holds a congressional seat or if he is a civil liberties lawyer, I'd say go right ahead. Just inform the dean which shade of red you want for the carpet they'll roll out for you.