Re: studentadvising...what one shouldn't say

Mr. E (jackechs@EROLS.COM)
Sat, 2 Mar 1996 15:34:01 -0500

According to a response I read in Ms Manners on ettiquette it is up to the
senior party to advise the junior party as to the manner in which they
choose to be addressed. The junior party is under no expectation to know
what the senior party is to be referred to in advance beyond day-to-day good
manners. Thus Mr., Mrs., Miss., Ms., Professor, etc. are all exceptable
until the individual being addressed corrects the addressee ... hopefully
the individual addressed responds with the same good manners instead of
jumping down (the well meaning, but uninformed) individuals throat. Since
Ph.D. isn't tattoo'd into anyone's forehead (hmmm ... that's an idea though)
nor other title for that matter I feel this is a good method. I have
respect for the title regardless of the bearer ... it is up to the bearer to
prove they are worthy of my respect. I remember from both my tours in the
Army and Navy ... Sir/Ma'm has two definitions depending on whom I or my
fellow members were addressing. One is of respect, the other basically
means asshole ... I have served with both men and women who were the latter.
Interestingly enough, they were also the officers with the most concern that
they were addressed appropriately for their position. So much for a
classless, non-aristocratic society.

At 09:39 AM 03/01/96 -0600, Jana Fortier wrote:

>Maybe I inhabit a land (Madison, WI) of perfectly civil students w/ no
>gender biases (not!)... but no one ever ever called a female prof by "Mrs.
>x"! Students usually say, "Professor x?" in address. or they use the
>professor's first name,& this is done w/ male & female educators.



>>At our institution students tend to refer to anyone who stands in front
>>of a class as Professor, that includes teaching assistants. They simply
>>
>>Matthew Hill (mhhill@watarts.uwaterloo.ca)

thank you for your time and space ... respectfully submitted,

Anthony Dean Dauer

"We have met the enemy, and he is us." Walt Kelly (1913-1973), Pogo

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