Sometimes making a stink...

... works out.

We've been complaining about noise in the primary philosophy classroom for about 5 years. The Administer Selected to deal with Stuff ignored our requests -- even when raised by a dean or two...

The meeting to discuss stuff in ASS's realm was in a time I consistently taught class -- so I couldn't go.

Finally, brilliant new dean suggested I encourage my students to give 'input' to ASS.

Not long before finals week, I went to my students with ASS's contact information. I also went to the group of students who were ALWAYS the problem -- and told them that I didn't like having to tell them to be quiet, that I realized that they were only having fun, but noise in my classroom disrupts 40-50 students at a time and ASS was contemplating making their favorite hang out spot off limits. I gave them ASS's contact information. They said they'd call right away...

Imagine my surprise when I was CC'd on an e-mail with a host of possible solutions -- ASS suggested a few things -- but, he'd done that before and nothing changed -- so, while it seemed like it had potential, I wasn't getting excited.

Until yesterday -- when I walked into the classroom and saw an actual change. A couple of additional changes are in the works, and since they're pretty much up to new brilliant dean I suspect they'll be in place before the problem students come back in the fall.

So -- YEA!!!!! It seems to have worked.