I think some of the responses to the "security issue" are somewhat troubling in
general. If we are writing letters of recommendation there is a certain element of
trust involved. There are reasons why that insititutions ask for the waiver of rights
to view these letters in the first place. I do not choose to let students view the
letter of recommendation simply because that is at least implied in the students
signing the waiver (which, btw, legally only waives the right of a student to view the
letter and if they aren't admitted to the school it is my understanding they couldn't
see them anyway). Frankly, I am a bit concerned that we don't trust our students to
follow such a small degree of honesty but we are willing to recommend them to graduate
or professional school where they could ultimtely have large amounts of power over the
lives of trusting patients and/or students. If I don't trust a student enough to do
that then I would not write the letter. If I found out someone broke the rules by
opening one that would be the last letter written for them. I have caught students in
various forms of cheating over the years but it has never been a student I was tempted
to write a letter of recommendation for. I did have a peer as an undergraduate who was
on their way to a clinical program who cheated but on the whole I still trust students
(though it isn't unwise to set up environments that don't encourage cheating- good use
of behaviorist principles). :) Just my 2 cents. Tim Shearon
-----Original Message-----
From: McKinley, Marcia [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Thu 2/13/2003 9:15 AM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences
Cc:
Subject: RE: Secure Letters of Reference
I don't think you can trust that they won't do that. And, while I am
certainly not defending this behavior, I can see students' reasons for wanting to.
There are certainly professors who will write poor recommendations without warning
students that this is what they will do. I think it is reasonable for students to
have this information. Additionally, I think that many students would like to know
what we really think of them, what their strengths and weaknesses are, etc.
I choose not to put students in this situation, where they may be tempted to
want information (for legitimate reasons) but do not go about getting it in an
appropriate way:
- If my recommendation would not be positive, I let the student know
beforehand. If I feel very strongly about it, I just say no. If the student has both
strengths and weaknesses, I offer to write one and then they can decide whether or not
to send it.
- I give the student a copy of the recommendation (for their own folders) at
the same time. That way they have my feedback -- and, in case they ever ask for a
reference in the future, they can loan me their original.
If I don't want the student to have a copy, I just don't agree to do it.
Marcia
Marcia J. McKinley
Mt St Mary's College
-----Original Message-----
From: Kathy Dillon [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2003 10:46 AM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences
Subject: Secure Letters of Reference
As you undoubtedly know, a number of graduate institutions require their
applicants to submit all their application materials together, including letters of
reference, which are to be placed in envelopes, sealed, and signed by the author. What
I would like to know is, how can I be sure the reference remains confidential? What
is to stop a student from requesting along with a legitimate reference, a reference
letter to another institution they do not plan on applying to and opening that
reference letter? I had a reference form to fill out recently which asked me if I
would hesitate to send a relative or a friend for counseling to this applicant (once
they had received the proper credentials). I would, but I didn't trust giving that
information in a letter of reference I did not personally mail to the Admissions
Office. Does anyone else see any problems with this method? Kathy Dillon, Western New
England College
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