With the holidays right
around the corner I felt that the article by Lionel G. Standing titled “The Problem of Student Gift Giving” would
be very interesting to discuss. Standing argues that professors should never
accept gifts from students. He believes that students who give gifts have
ulterior motives such as expecting to receive a passing grade on a mid-term or a
high mark on a paper. According to Standing (2012, para. 4), “the social norm
of reciprocity then means that we are motivated to return the benefit somehow.”
With this statement, the author is implying that once a professor receives a
gift, they are expected to return the favor.
Standing
goes even further by comparing academia to politics. He claims that if a
politician or government official accepts a gift from a lobbyist it is
considered bribery, the same goes with higher education instructors. Standing
also shares a few personal experiences in which some of his friends or
colleagues were in situations where they accepted a gift from a student and later
discovered that this student had failed the course or plagiarized their
dissertation. This created a very uncomfortable dilemma for these instructors.
In
the article, Standing does take culture into account. International students
who attend colleges and universities in the United States or Canada may give
their professors a gift as a gesture of gratitude and appreciation. Standing
claims that these gifts are more appropriate to accept, as are gifts from
graduate students. But in general, no
matter how tempting it may be, Standing believes that professors should say
“no, thank you” to gifts from their undergraduate students.
As
student affairs professionals we might also receive gifts from the students we
work with. Colleagues and classmates, do you think it is inappropriate or
unethical for us to accept them?
Standing, L.G. (2012). The
problem of student gift giving. Inside Higher Ed. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/advice/2012/10/29/essay-why-professors-should-reject-student-gifts
I think this can be a very delicate dilemma. We definitely don't want to insult the culture of our students, if that culture encourages gift-giving as a sign of appreciation. I would say that in this situation, it will b important to take the price of the gift into consideration. Clearly, it would be unethical to accept a $200 bottle of scotch or another expensive item from a student, regardless of the student's cultural affiliation, but if a student were to give you a card, or buy you a cup of coffee, I would say that would be more of a non-issue. I think it's more important to take all of the factors into consideration. If the gift feels like a bribe, no matter how small, it may be best to decline regardless.
ReplyDeleteArina, you raise an important issue in regards to ethics and gift giving in higher education. While I understand Standing's argument,I believe that it is acceptable for educators and administrators to accept gifts from students. It is important to trust your instincts, and as Christa mentioned, decline a gift that feels like it may be a bribe. Giving small gifts to professors or administrators can be an opportunity to thank them for their support and guidance throughout the semester. Should an administrator have an isolated incident with a particular student in which gift giving would be inappropriate, then it would be alright for them to tell them so. Ultimately, context should be taken into account when giving and receiving gifts among students, faculty, and administrators. Accepting a gift from a student is acceptable, so long as the gift is of an appropriate nature and reasonable monetary value.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Katie. It is acceptable to accept gifts as a token of appreciation or thank you. It is in cases when one has not developed a relationship with a student and a gift is given that issues of reciprocity emerge. If a student simply gives a gift that is "unwarranted", it may be best to not accept the gift. However, if you have developed a relationship with the student and feel it is appropriate (both in nature and in value), I think it might be seen as rude to not accept.
ReplyDeleteArina, thanks for bringing up this article. If we all think back to our K-12 education, giving a small gift to your teaching during the holidays and at the end of the school year was and is still a cultural norm. Parents raise money from the beginning of the year so that they can provide their child's teacher with personal gifts as well as classroom supplies. No one ever thought twice about it, you gave what you could. Thinking about this cultural tradition extending to a professor or staff member on a college campus is an interesting thought. I can see from the author's perspective that a student very well could have ulterior motives, seeking more favor from their professor. However, it is the professor or staff members job to remain unbias and not treat a student differently for that reason. I agree with Katie as well, as long as the gift is appropriate and modest, it should not be an issue.
ReplyDelete-Erica Wasserman
Interesting topic, and honestly one I haven't considered much in my role. I agree with Christa, that we need to take the gift as a whole into account. If it is large or inappropriate, then accepting it can be unethical. At the same time, I would imagine that in our roles, most students would be offering small, modest gifts as tokens of appreciation. A select few may have ulterior motives, but I think that will happen in rare circumstances. Still, it is important to know how to act when we receive gifts, both large and small, and have a way to deal with these situations when they arise.
ReplyDeleteIrene,
ReplyDeleteYou raise some interesting points about the ethical issues of gift receiving in higher education. I can see how this can be a relevant issue in our field, but quite honestly, it is not an issue I have given much prior thought! I would hope that when students give gifts, that it is out of appreciation and gratitude, instead of with an ulterior motive. And that gift giving in this way would speak more on their character and level of integrity than they might realize. A good reminder to stay aware of why a student might be giving, but hopefully it is a reflection of your hard work's appreciation!
Irene,
ReplyDeleteDuring my first semester I baked and decorated holiday cookies for my professors and supervisors as a way of showing gratitude. While I certainly didn't have an ulterior motive, I can understand a professor being wary of a student's possible intentions. When I was an RD, I was given gifts by residents and parents and never questioned why I was receiving small tokens of appreciation. Standing seems like a cynic to me!
--
Amanda Dickinson Beirne
I understand the point the author is trying to make. Honestly, I think there are much bigger issues out there and rejecting a gift would probably make the situation even more difficult/awkward. I always sent a brief email to a professor or TA after the class ended thanking them for a valuable learning experience (only if they actually gave me one). The same argument can be said in the work place. Is it appropriate to "gift up" - give a gift to your boss. If so, what kind of gift is appropriate. Depending on your connections this is a common practice in the corporate world to get an "in" with someone of power (access to a golf club, invitation to a family vacation home, etc.).
ReplyDelete- Scott Simon
I think this is a very interesting topic and one I haven't really thought about before. Although I believe gift giving is generally acceptable, this has to be a case by case basis. If a student is giving expensive gifts, I don't think we can take them. Also, if they are frequently giving gifts, that is an issue as well. -Gerry
ReplyDeleteThis article brings up a good point. I never thought about students giving gifts to their professors, but I have seen it before. I think it really depends and varies on context and circumstance. I think someone mentioned earlier tthat gifts that are given to SA professionals or professors out of gratitude and appreciation are appropriate. But I think that when students do so for other motivates than thats when it is not appropriate and unethical. I think at the end of the day it is up to our judgement on whether the students gifts are genuine and are really thanking and appreciating the impact we had in their lives or if it was for some other reasons. This topic is really interesting point to consider.
ReplyDeleteWhat we’re talking about here is business ethics, which is usually one’s private affair. To my mind, not all students are trying to get anything back when they give a gift; many of them are really just grateful to their professors. I suppose that each professor should decide for themselves whether they would like to be obliged to reciprocate, or just say ‘thank you’ and accept it as a sign of appreciation and gratitude.
ReplyDelete-Raquel Anderson
For those of us that work in admissions, we do not work as closely with current students as those in student services. Some of my colleagues have refused gifts like cupcakes and beauty products because it felt more like a bribe than a token of gratitude. Sure, some students are very grateful that we take 30 minutes out of our day to chat with them about the admissions process, but it seems weird to receive a gift after one meeting. I have received several gifts from international students but I don't treat them as bribes but more like a cultural tradition. I also don't see "thank you" cards as bribes but as sincere ways of expressing gratitude.
ReplyDeleteI agree... Gifts are not uncommon in our line of work. I have a policy of holding onto gifts until decisions are made. If a family balks at my decision-and even hint at their gifts as a reason why I should admit their kid-I tell them I have all of their gifts in my office wrapped and untouched. I am very upfront upon receiving gifts that 1) thank you for this gesture, and 2) this guarantees nothing.
DeleteGreat blog Irene! You raise some great points that might interfere with a professional relationship. How ethical would it be to receive a gift from a student? It is hard to say whether or not to accept a gift from a student. Part of me says I should never accept a gift because they might expect something in return. However, another part of me takes culture into consideration and how it might be disrespectful not to accept a gift. I do not necessarily believe that they are bribes, it just a way for a student to express their appreciation.
ReplyDeleteI feel like I could easily just regurgitate the many previous comments. Using good judgement should be able to avoid these dilemas. There is a big difference between a gift of gratitude and a bribe. As a student I have given gifts to the administrators who helped me, it was no more than a card of some baked goods, but it was a thank you. I feel like bribes are more expensive, and usually attached to a conversation about "helping each other out."
ReplyDeleteI can't help but think about students who have perfomed in the average range but are gift givers out of cultural custom or because they still feel they took something valuable from a course away. It is a little bit different for advisors who provide support in areas outside just academics, perhaps they have advocated on a student's behalf or provided helpful thoughts. This is still conflicting to me as a new professional because I have not yet encountered gift giving in the office. However, my mentors and other professionals I have asked about the matter typically accept small gifts as a token of appreciation with a range in limits they set for themselves. If a gift is extravagant, that typically has made them uncomfortable and they kindly decline and explain to the student that while it is thoughtful, they feel it is excessive. The topic definately brings me discomfort because I don't expect much beyond a simple thank you from students but great article and topic to think about!
ReplyDelete-Juana Escobar
This is a really great topic! I think those who do work in either Admissions or Financial Aid would more than likely have more to say on this issue (as I'm sure they receive gifts, etc. on a more frequent basis)- which begs the question, what is really the context of the gifts? If i received a gift from a student having worked in residential Education, I would more than likely assume that it was because I was a resource/support for that student, whereas in admissions, there is an underlying assumption that gift giving could/may/will mean something for the student- as evidenced by the fact that I'm sure admissions representatives are not receiving gifts from students whom have not been admitted. Interesting discussion!- and I'm not quite sure where I stand on the issue.- DREA ELZY
ReplyDeleteI think that in most cases, small, inexpensive or homemade gifts are usually fine to accept. However, I agree with the above comments that there are many factors to consider when making the decision: familiarity, context, price, culture, motivation, etc. Besides using our own best judgment, I think it's also important to communicate with the student our thoughts about the gift (for example: appropriateness) and any applicable office rules in regards to it (for example: whether it's generally permitted for employees to accept gifts from students or not).--Adriana Garcia
ReplyDelete