Complaint Review: University Of Houston Downtown

It started when I went to do a petition to enter a class that has been closed. The advisor was extremely rude as usual and you can read the notes students wrote about her in www.ratemyprofessor.com, and she refused to give me a petition form to fill up for the class. Couple of days later my girlfriend text me saying she emailed the dean and she got an approval to get in that class. I got really mad so I called the dean and I left him a massage and he never called me back. I went down to the school and they said he wasn't available, so I emailed him about what happened. He replied back to me with no help , so I replied back telling him that all what I am looking for is justice nothing more than that . he emailed back telling me all kind of wrong information and that I am trying to bully the school and I am trying to be hostile , and he is going to take an action against me . here is the emails that I sent him and you will see the replies back from him



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Compalint from a student


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batesdon@uhd.edu Good afternoon, I am writing to let you know of an incident that has occurred on this date July 2nd and 7th. I tried to register for Acct 3302 CRN#40149 after the system drop of unpaid students. The schedule showed that the class was open but the system gave me an error message. I went to the advisory room to obtain a form to file a petition. I spoke to a counselor's assistant who then spoke to Ms. Cuevas. To my understanding, I was refused the form flat out because the dean had said no one was allowed to register in that class. A fellow student who I know intimately and outside of the academic institution told me that she not only got approval for the same class just yesterday but also got her petition form without any problems. I believe this is very unfair practices. I have no problem if my petition was rejected. The problem I have is the fact that I wasn't allowed the form to turn in. I wonder what deems this fair. I asked that to Mrs. Cuevas and her first response was because my friend might have filled it out earlier. Untrue, I told her that she had filled it out the same day that I came asking for a petition. Her second response was that the dean's office is the one making the decision whether to accept or deny any petition. This is not a problem. My problem is if she knew this information from before then why did she not notify me to e-mail the dean's office. Isn't an advisor's role to help a student's planning. Am I to believe I'm better off to do things on my own that seeing a counselor? I am not sure if Mrs. Cuevas wants to help anyone. Sometimes I wonder why she is in this field. I've spoken to many students and no one has had any positive comments. A friend of mine e-mailed her asking her if he can take advance accounting with intermediate accounting 3 and her response was Please don't email me stupid questions. I was reading ratemyprofessor.com and I couldn't believe the comments that students have about her. I believe I'm being treated in a terrible bias by my advisor. My intelligence, dignity and feeling of fair treatment have been insulted. I would appreciate a few minutes of your time to discuss this issue with you. Please reply back or call me 82-878-7878. Thank you for your time



His reply was

Thank you for your note, I will investigate. However, I can tell you that admission to closed classes is not one of the areas of responsibility for Dr. (not Mrs.) Cuevas. That decision is made by the Department Chair and/or myself.



It is true, I have told Dr. Cuevas not to allow petitions for closed classes. Class size is based on teaching pedagogy, not room size, therefore, when a class is closed because it is full, the class has reached the maximum effective size for the design of the course. That is why we do not permit people into closed classes.



I have been a dean at several universities both here in the USA and abroad. People in Dr. Cuevas's position tend to be either loved or hated. They are loved by people once they graduate but are hated by the students who are told no to their request not to follow prerequisites, follow the curriculum, or they have failed to met some requirement. Therefore, sine My Professor is a self reported by principally those students who want to vent, I do not give it much credence.



I emailed him back

think you missed my point here I don't have a problem not getting in the class. My problem is that I wasn't allowed to petition but other students were able to. This is what I call discrimination against me. If I was provided with the petition paper and I got denied and someone else got accepted then it would be okay. I pay for my classes the same as any other student and I expect to be treated the same. Second thing I am not trying to vent, I am trying to get justice. I was mistreated by your staff and that is why I am complaining to you and if that is not going to get me justice there is always the media and other ways to get justice. Just to let you know I am very serious in this matter and if I have to protest in front of school with signs that UHD is discriminating against Arabs I will do that. I will make sure I will go to every mosque and post I will make sure everyone knows the story and I will make sure the media and everyone knows how the students are treated in UHD. I will report discrimination to every organization I can. I am not threatening anyone all what I want is justice. I should be treated equally as any UHD students this is not the 40's.



His reply and telling me he is going to have the Student Discipline Committee to take action

I have investigated your claim. First, you were not given a petition because petitions do not exist. Even if a petition existed, you did not qualify to receive one, there are criteria for qualifying and you enrollment in a current class disqualifies you from receiving one if it existed.



The student in question, Ms. Tran, I am familiar with her situation because she first emailed me, and I forwarded it to the department chair (as I do all emails from students with these kinds of issues) who makes those decisions. She DID NOT complete a petition. You are mistaken, mislead or distorting the truth. She was handled on the basis of my forwarded email to the department chair.



You confounded your situation by not being forthright about your status to the advising office staff. Your story seems to change each time you talk. Here is the chronology of how you made your requests.

Your first facts to Tina was that he was Post-bac, needing this course for CPA, which means he did not meet the criteria for a petition

When you spoke to Dr. Cuevas, you changed that to declared major who needed it to graduate, but you have not filed for Fall graduation

You already were in a ACC 3302 section, therefore you he did not meet the criteria for the petition

Ms. Tran did not get a petition from the CoB advising office. She wrote me an email, that was forwarded to Dr. Manrique. In the end, she did not get in either.



Additionally, before you left the office yesterday, you were told four times to talk to Dr. Manrique or Dr. Aven. Neither recalls you talking to them.



You already have a degree from UHD therefore you are familiar with our system and how quickly classes fill. We began registering in April, why did you waited until July 2nd or 6th to try to enroll in a class?



Dr. Cuevas has NEVER told a student please don't send me stupid emails. Furthermore, Dr. Cuevas has lived in the Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and I have lived in UAE and Dr. Cuevas and I, in our discussion of our common experiences, both agree we find Arabs to be courteous, gracious and kind. Hence, there is no pat evidence of discrimination against Arabs or people of Middle Eastern descent.



My investigation has revealed that you have been verbally abusive to the student services staff on at least two occasions, ignoring instruction not to proceed beyond the entry point in the advising area, shouting, overbearing and intimidating to the staff in an attempt to get them to give you what you want. Your behavior is that of a bully and you are creating a hostile work and learning environment and your are using the threat of discrimination as an intimidation tactic. This will not work.



My investigation finds the reports of your behavior to be so reprehensive that, by cc of this email, I am referring you to Associate Vice President Tommy Thomason (Student Discipline) for action and possible placement on probation. Continued behavior, such as my investigation discovered, that creates a hostile work and learning environment will not be tolerated. You can expect to be contacted by AVP Thomason.

SO I replied

Let me correct your information. I was never been told to see Dr. Manrique or Dr. Aven, and I informed Mrs. Cuevas that if I found someone else to talk to about the problem I would have done so . I even went and I asked for the head of the department and he wasn't available either and you can ask your staff in the dean office area. Second I have declared a second major and if you check Financial aid have a copy of it , to get my student loan , and I will look through my papers and I will send you a copy of it if you want .Third Ms.Tran was registered with me in 3302 acc too, so that makes her ineligible too . I didn't want to file for graduation yet and I really didn't want to walk . also the reason I waited until july 2nd because I was waiting until they drop the students who didn't pay so I can register so I won't have to go through this .

His final answer

That is not an excuse for your bullying and intimidating behavior to the advising staff. AVP Thomason will be your next communication.



My final answer was

I haven't been trying to bully anyone I emailed you and I asked you for justice nothing more. I will be waiting for MR. Thomason call . Thank you


Student
houston, Texas
U.S.A.