Notes in the Margins: Shooting a student, classroom democracy and unpaid overtime

When May I Shoot a Student? I am a biology professor, and I had never considered bringing a gun to work until now. But since many of my students are likely to be armed, I thought it would be a good idea to even the playing field. I have had encounters with disgruntled students over the years, some of whom seemed quite upset, but I always assumed that when they reached into their backpacks they were going for a pencil.  (The New York Times)

Teachers and lecturers ‘do most unpaid overtime’ Teaching professionals who work unpaid overtime put in an extra 12 hours a week on average – the highest of any profession, a new study claims. (Times Higher Education)

Classroom democracy is rarely offered by professors But college students almost always deflect offers of classroom democracy, or offers to help decide on course content and how it is presented, from their teachers. (USA Today)

Alan Alda, Spokesman for Science Best known for his role as Hawkeye Pierce in the long-running television series “M*A*S*H,” Mr. Alda, 78, has a new mission: helping train scientists to communicate to a wider audience. (The New York Times)

Colleges ramp up career guidance for students Under growing pressure to demonstrate a return on investment of a college education, many schools are boosting their attention to jobs and careers. (USA Today via University Business)

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