Is my Professor taking advantage of his position?

[Rondo2287]

My professor just sent out an e-mail from a company called  saying how delighted they are that his class chose to use their software and instructing students to purchase a copy of the software for $95 per license. 

The e-mail is signed by


My professors name . 

So basically he is forcing his students to buy his software for an additional $95 bucks.  I feel like this isnt right.


Unless its just an incredible coincidence.

[Kwhit10]

Is this that much different than a professor using his own book for the class?

I mean would you have to purchase some software anyways for this class?

[Roy H.]

Stuff like this happens all the time, I imagine.  In law school, I had multiple professors who were authors of the text books we were using.

The question is, does the software help you learn the subject material, and will it benefit you in the long run?

[fairweatherfan]

Yeah, is the software useful to your classwork or not?  Would you be using some form of software either way?

It can seem a bit underhanded, but the professor knows something he wrote will teach the material the way he wants it taught. 

If it's not important to the class, it's a little sketchy, but if it is important, I can see his perspective wanting his course materials to be consistent with his teaching. 

[Rondo2287]

Is this that much different than a professor using his own book for the class?

I mean would you have to purchase some software anyways for this class?

Its my first accounting class where I have had to purchase software so im a little skepticle.

I think its a little different than buying a book the professor wrote because there alot of the money is going to the publisher and you hope that the publisher wouldnt publish it unless it was of reasonable quality.

Here I imagine the money is all going to the professors pocket and I really get no assurance of quality.

[Rondo2287]

Stuff like this happens all the time, I imagine.  In law school, I had multiple professors who were authors of the text books we were using.

The question is, does the software help you learn the subject material, and will it benefit you in the long run?

The other thing that bugs me is that its 95 bucks for a semester long license so its not even like i could use it again if it was good.

Though i really don't know if it will help since i have never used it.

[bdm860]

Things like this make me appreciate the professors I had so much more.

One professor just gave all the students free pdf copies of his book we were using for the class.

Other professors regularly distributed materials for free that we were supposed to be charged for.

And most of my professors told us we didn't even need the book, that the book was supplemental to the class teachings, but the class teachings was what were really important to pass the class.

[wdleehi]

Sort of.


The only difference between this and the text book racket is there in no buying used and no reselling.

[Rondo2287]

Sort of.


The only difference between this and the text book racket is there in no buying used and no reselling.

Well ya, thats the other thing, its in addition to a $200 book that we had to buy that its moving to a next edition for the spring so it will be worthless for reselling at the end of the term

[Rondo2287]

Maybe I'll try and return the software after the semester and say it was faulty.  Once I get my grade of course.

[mkogav]

Is my Professor taking advantage of his position?

Yes

Is this type of behavior condoned in the academic world?
Yes

Is it too bad that your course is Accounting and not Ethics, so you could bring up the subject in class?
Yes

Is there anything that you can do about it?
No

Is this professor so $$$ hungry that someone could buy a grade?
My bookie gave me 60/40 odds against

Mk

[Rondo2287]

Is my Professor taking advantage of his position?

Is it too bad that your course is Accounting and not Ethics, so you could bring up the subject in class?
Yes

TP

[kozlodoev]

My professor just sent out an e-mail from a company called JLG Research saying how delighted they are that his class chose to use their software and instructing students to purchase a copy of the software for $95 per license. 

The e-mail is signed by

"James L Grant
JLG Research"

My professors name is James L Grant. 

So basically he is forcing his students to buy his software for an additional $95 bucks.  I feel like this isnt right.


Unless its just an incredible coincidence.

I've always put the required and recommended texts in my syllabus, so that the students can make an informed decision while they can still drop the course. I typically also had one or two copies of the textbooks on library reserve, too. Of course, my philosophy has always been that everyone should have a reasonable tradeoff between convenience and spending money (yes, I did teach economics ).

This being said, I don't see buying software as much different from buying textbooks. I imagine there should be secondary market for both.

[Rondo2287]

My professor just sent out an e-mail from a company called how delighted they are that his class chose to use their software and instructing students to purchase a copy of the software for $95 per license. 

The e-mail is signed by

My professors name is 

So basically he is forcing his students to buy his software for an additional $95 bucks.  I feel like this isnt right.


Unless its just an incredible coincidence.

I've always put the required and recommended texts in my syllabus, so that the students can make an informed decision while they can still drop the course. I typically also had one or two copies of the textbooks on library reserve, too. Of course, my philosophy has always been that everyone should have a reasonable tradeoff between convenience and spending money (yes, I did teach economics ).

This being said, I don't see buying software as much different from buying textbooks. I imagine there should be secondary market for both.

Well like I said, its a temporary license that expires after the semester, so no reselling.

But ya, I think it should be installed on some of the computer lab computers for students who don't want to pay.

[AshyLarry]

I would just like to state (please, no one stalk me. I'm trusting you, celticsblog!!!) That my name is James Grant, and this weirded me out for a sec.

And that being said, this guy has DONE NOTHING WRONG. LEAVE HIM ALOONE, LEAVE JAMES GRANT ALOOONEEE.