I can say firsthand how real & vicious local politics can be in academic institutions.
I made the mistake of openly questioning the research funding of a new professor I began working under in undergrad. It turned out he was the only one who taught the last 2 courses I needed for my CS degree. He took it all very personally. Nearly a 4.0 , success in math & programming competitions for the college, research, none of it mattered. I never finished my CS degree because of those 2 coursse. Years later I went to talk to him about it candidly, hoping I could just keep my head down and finish. But it didn't work.
Why not take the course, submit high quality assignments, and when bad marks come back, appeal to a higher faculty member?
Comp sci is fairly objective - it would be very hard for him to give you a failing mark for exceptionally high quality work in a way he wouldn't be reprimanded for.
Depending on where he lives or studies, that wouldn't even be a choice let alone a realistic option to pursue.
For one, if there is a shortage of good professors (which there is and if he is one), I can bet you some schools would trash the student without a thought if professor threatens them.
Playing legal battles afterwards isn't something available for most poor students.
Though, that's my experience here. Done a biting before and I won't again. I will just secretly record everything and make it look really bad, then viral it after leaving college. I have learnt to pretend to follow popular opinions, thinking etc because otherwise it ends up as a disadvantage position for you.
What I would do now is ask a few open ended generic questions which will lead to person expressing a lot of what they care about, make a profile and never step on those. Be contradictory on issues the other person is unsure of, helps stay authentic.
I noticed I can sow huge doubts in people when it comes to choosing clothing even if I am the only person in a group of 5, they will start rethinking their choices in the head but for something related to their work or moral dilemmas, it's not easy.
Student has right to ask for commisional exam and result is a grade - they don't decide on punishment to professor nor fairness. It is strictly test of knowledge once you go this way.
You don't need to play massive legal battles and shortage of professors is less of factor due to there not being a risk of professor being fired.
As for secretly recording everything, make sure it is legal where you live.
> Depending on where he lives or studies, that wouldn't even be a choice let alone a realistic option to pursue.
> For one, if there is a shortage of good professors (which there is and if he is one), I can bet you some schools would trash the student without a thought if professor threatens them.
This could be different for the university in question, but every school I've been at cares deeply about 4 year graduation rates. If a professor fails a student, that triggers a system of investigations and they need to file a bunch of paperwork backing up their decision.
I've done something like this (don't want to go in details), and although I deserved an A with 100% accuracy etc. I got B.
And she (the professor) said "hope that teaches you a lesson".
Also there were 4 different professors present. They all "took her side". It's just what they would do in all cases.
It doesn't matter if it's maths (something that is absolutely objective) or philosophy.
Anyway, some people are just small and with fragile egos, regardless of whether they are in academia or CEO's or anything.
I made the mistake of openly questioning the research funding of a new professor I began working under in undergrad. It turned out he was the only one who taught the last 2 courses I needed for my CS degree. He took it all very personally. Nearly a 4.0 , success in math & programming competitions for the college, research, none of it mattered. I never finished my CS degree because of those 2 coursse. Years later I went to talk to him about it candidly, hoping I could just keep my head down and finish. But it didn't work.