Organic chemistry prof hosts talent show as chance to point and laugh
It’s uncommon, but not rare, for students to create elaborate stories to get out of pressing assignments. These tales can range from claiming you have an extremely rare disease to claiming your third cousin, five times-removed has suddenly passed away.
But one class has taken theatrics to the next level. A majority of students in CHM 2120 (Organic Chemistry II) have decided to participate in a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save their grades — put on the best talent show ever.
Professor Mo Lequele has decided to host a talent show, to allow certain students to showcase their greatest skills to provide an exemption for the course’s second scheduled midterm. “The students themselves are quite bright, but the class average is abysmal,” explained Lequele. “So I wanted to give them an opportunity to embarrass themselves and entertain me.”
The talent show, scheduled a week ahead of the course’s second midterm, will feature the talents of nearly all the students in CHM 2120. On March 21, 208 out of the 342 registered students are set to perform their skills in front of the class.
One such student is Beck Tiria, a second-year chemistry student and vice-president of philanthropy for the U of O Magic Club. “Prof. Lequele isn’t great at giving marks back, so I have no idea how I’m doing in the course,” Tiria confessed.
“I spend like 15 hours a week studying for this damn class, and I’m reaching the end of my rope.” Tiria is planning to conduct a routine focused on alchemy, where he’ll turn lead into gold (while following the proper WHMIS guidelines).
Other students just haven’t attended the classes, and want to capitalize on the opportunity for a freebie. Glaz B. Kerr, a fourth-year biochemistry and chemical engineering student, is currently retaking CHM 2120 for a third time. “I’ve been a finalist for the talent show each time,” Kerr told the Tomato. “This year, I’ll be the winner. I can’t take this course again.”
The Tomato spoke with the spokesperson for the department of chemistry, Ally Kaline, who confirmed that different programs and faculties maintain different guidelines for assessments. “A talent show isn’t even the most absurd assessment alternative we’ve approved,” said Kaline. “A couple years ago, a professor held a Big Brother competition for a week for students who were failing. Some of us still rewatch the tapes.”
Lequele will post the winner of the talent show on Brightspace on March 22, giving the losing participants a week to pass their second midterm.
