To whom it may concern:
I have been attending this college for the last four years, and needless to say, I have not agreed with a number of the decisions that the college has made regarding the welfare of its students. However, the firing of Dr.
Mark Hubley is the biggest mistake that the college has ever made.Anyone who has had Dr. Hubley as a professor knows that he is dedicated to both his profession and to his students. He spends endless hours helping his students succeed. Whether you need help with material that he is covering in one of his classes, or help making a career decision, Dr. Hubley will take the time to help you. He has always been prepared for class, presented material in an organized fashion, and accommodates the learning styles of his students.
In recent years Dr. Hubley has received grant money for summer research, allowing students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience within their discipline. He has also formed new programs since his arrival. He has expanded the Allied Health Program and created the Concentration in Biochemistry.
Needless to say, Dr. Hubley has invested many hours in enhancing the biology department, only to have his efforts dismissed.As far as research, Dr. Hubley has spent many hours working with both students and faculty on a number of research projects. Whether he has been published or not, should not have been the basis for his dismissal. I think that the college should take into consideration that the success of its students is based on how well the professor provides information. And if the professors cannot pass the information on to the students, what good is it for the student?
The information that I have learned from Dr. Hubley's lectures and labs, I have been able to use during my student teaching and plan on using in my own classes. I credit a number of my successes here at the college to Dr.Hubley. He has helped other students like myself develop into dedicated scientists. Isn't that what a teacher and a professor is supposed to do? Turn out strong representatives in his or her field?
Dr. Hubley is an asset to this college and the biology department. His reputation on campus is impeccable. When one even hears his name, only great things can be said. I feel for the future of the biology department without Dr. Hubley, and the school should reconsider their decision concerning the matter. They should strongly take into consideration the will of the biology majors and the student body at Washington College. Or are their wishes and concerns not a voice at this college?
Thank you for you time,
Melissa Amzibel
Dear Editor,
I am writing this letter in protest of the recent firing of Dr. Hubley.
I am a first year biology major and have been lucky enough to have Dr. Hubley for both semesters of my freshman year, for Biology and for CNW. It was evident to me from the first day of class that Dr. Hubley is different from most other teachers. He teaches in a way that enables his students to absorb and remember material, not just memorize it for the next test. He cares about his students, setting up study sessions on his own time and always having an open door. I think that most students would agree that there is always one teacher that stands apart from the rest, a teacher you feel free to confide in and go to for advice on all subjects. For a lot of people at Washington College, that person is Dr. Hubley.And so it is of little surprise to me that there has been such a response to the news of Dr. Hubley's firing. It has left everyone wondering what in the world the administration is thinking. It leaves me with serious doubts about whether this school is one that I want to stay at. I wonder what kind of message is being sent to the faculty here. What state is the Biology Department going to be in when I take my upper level classes? Since hearing the news, I have heard many disturbing stories from upperclassmen who say that this is not the first time something like this has happened here. They are concerned for the level of education an institution can provide when it doesn't stand behind its faculty, not even the best of faculty like Dr.
Hubley. I am concerned, too. It saddens me that Dr. Hubley will very likely soon be leaving Washington College, because even if the decision to fire him were overturned, why would he want to stay?Student support can only go so far, and he definitely has that. We can only hope that if we fight hard enough, history will not repeat itself.
Kerri Davis
Dear Editor,
I was extremely upset by an e-mail I received which informed me that Dr. Hubley is going to be fired because he has not done enough published research. In my time here, I have endured several professors who obviously did not care about their students, could not adequately explain the material, or just did not even try to show up for class. Then, there is Dr. Hubley.
His door is always open to his students, and he is willing to sit down with someone for as long as it takes for him or her to learn the material. He makes class and lab interesting and worth attending. Dr. Hubley grades his students fairly, but pushes them to achieve and doesn't make is class a "slack class."Even more importantly, unlike several professors at this college, he genuinely cares about his students. I took his biochemistry class last semester and am in his physiology class now. Any time I struggled, or felt as though I just could not understand a concept, he guided me to comprehension and kept me from becoming discouraged. He was honest in his criticism, but generous with praise when it was deserved.
I was recently in a serious car accident which left me hospitalized at University of Maryland Medical Center. Dr. Hubley took time out of his schedule to call me at hospital and at home, not to discuss the exam which I missed, but to express his concern for my well-being and to let me know that he was thinking and praying for my recovery. He did not push me to take the exam until I was ready, even though my waiting could have made him have to do extra work, such as making up and grading another exam.
What message is this college sending to its students, its prospective students, its faculty, and the rest of the world if it continues to employ professors who could not teach a fish to swim because they do tons of research, but fire a professor because he does not get enough grants who is talented, dedicated, respected, and loved by his students? I had hoped to be one of the lucky students who would be able to do my senior thesis under Dr. Hubley's guidance. Now, I have been denied that opportunity.
I and many others are devastated and heartbroken to discover that we will be losing a beloved professor. As someone who pays her own tuition, I feel as though I am being short-changed, and not receiving my money's worth. Do I and my fellow students matter at all at Washington College? Is our education important to anyone? Or does the administration merely care about the almighty dollar, seeing the institution's name in print, and to hell with the students? I am disgusted and ashamed to be attending this college where apparently the students do not come first.
Sincerely,
Alice A. Waggoner
Greetings,
I would like to address the administration as well as the student body on the issue of quality education.
Recently, Dr. Mark Hubley was told that his contract to continue teaching in the biology department would not be renewed. This termination came as a result of Dr. Hubley's "lack" of published research. Many students are outraged at this decision, especially when Dr. Hubley is one of the best teachers at Washington College.
Just this year alone, he has begun an interdepartmental project with the Department of Psychology that deals with Alzheimer's disease. Other than a recent publication, although one is in review by a publisher, their are no major faults with Dr. Hubley's performance. The quality of teaching that Dr. Hubley gives is outstanding and should be recognized with promotions and tenure, not a dismissal.
It seems that the priorities of the administration are a bit cloudy.
I would rather have a professor who works hard and earns a name for his or herself by good rapport and hard work with students, than one who is nationally recognized for work that does not even involve students. Just something to think about.Sincerely,
Jennifer M. Walker
Dear Editor,
Dr. Hubley is one of my favorite professors I have had in my past two years at Washington College. He is always willing to help students, even if it means sacrificing time out of his day, that evidently should be spent on research instead of on students according to the administration.
A professor's worth should not be based on how much research he completes within a confined amount of time. If a professor wanted to concentrate on research, he wouldn't be a professor. Professors are here to teach and support their students, not to make the college look good. I don't know about some students, but I take the teacher evaluations at the end of the year very seriously. It's nice to know that what students say about a professor has no merit or worth, and that we waste our time giving our opinions about our professors. Many of my friends and acquaintances have had Dr. Hubley as a professor, and I have not heard one bad thing about him nor known anyone that has given him anything but excellent evaluations.
We need to take a step back and evaluate how this institution is really run. Toll said himself in the front of this year's Student Handbook, "As we begin a new year together, I welcome your suggestions for the improvement of Washington College ... The most important changes will be those you make and those that all of us make together. I look forward to working with you."
As far as I'm concerned, so far this year the administration has done nothing but work against the students. If they want to run this institution as a business, then we the students need to be treated as equal shareholders in this slowly crumbling institution we like to call Washington College.
Michelle House
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