Opinion: Email to Baruch College defending myself. October 25, 2021.

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Greetings Baruch College,

The following is the answers to the questions I received from you a few hours ago. Please let me know if you require any additional information. 

Dear Mr. Pine – it appears each week I get a complaint or concern reported to me about you.  

Can you please share one complaint you have received about me?  I keep to myself in regards to students. I treat all my professors with the utmost respect at all times. If you look at any email I’ve ever sent to any professor, they are all respectful.  

This time, it appears you did not complete a group assignment where you were to be interviewed or to interview one of your peers for a class assignment. Why did you not complete the assignment as required? 

I was assigned an in class project to interview a student. I respectfully and professionally interviewed a student. I didn’t record that interview but I just recorded a bunch of interviews outside of school for another class project. If you listen to any of them you will hear how polite I am with everyone.  

There was another assignment to go outside, take off our masks and take pictures of a student from class. I respectfully and politely said that I don’t feel comfortable going outside of school and talking pictures of another student.  

Please note that as you advance in your coursework, it will become extremely challenging for you to maintain a good standing in your classes if you continue to object/refuse to participate in group or teamwork in the class. Group work is part of the application process of learning in today’s higher education, particularly in communications classes, and especially if you pursue internship opportunities.   

I didn’t refuse. I just did a project where I interviewed a student. I was professional and respectful. I’ll interact with students.  I just don’t feel comfortable going off campus, taking off my mask, and taking photos of a student. I’ll gladly interact with students inside of Baruch College classrooms.  

Also, I discussed with you several times not to share your personal life with classmates, unless it is pertinent to the classwork. I am told you continue to do so. It is the case?

After all the emails between you and I, I’m not sure where this question is coming from.  

I was interviewed by a student for a class assignment. That is the only time I ever spoke with a student in over a year.  In the interview I spoke about being homeless because it was an interview about me. The student I interviewed spoke about her life.  

Due to the alarming amount of complaints from students against students at  New York colleges I have requested to keep to myself in regards to students. You said no.  Now your asking me not to share my personal information with students? 

The only time I interact with students is when it’s mandatory and that has been one time this year.

Anytime I interact with students and professors I treat them with the utmost respect. I follow the instructions of the assignment and nothing more.  

The one time I respectfully refused to interact with a student is becasue I didn’t want to go outside, take my mask off and take pictures of another student outside of school with no teacher supervision.   

Additionally, we discussed your deleting the following statement from your Baruch e-mail signature, yet it remains: “I always treat everyone at Baruch College with the utmost respect at all times. That includes staff, professors, security guards, and students. Treating people respectfully is more important than anything.” Again, what is the relevance of this statement? It only causes confusion. Do it, don’t write it. 

The reason that sentence is there is to let everyone I interact with at CUNY know that I respect the work everyone does at CUNY.  

I’m going to respectfully request for a new contact at school. In my humble opinion this email is borderline abusive. Especially due to my stellar track record at CUNY.  If I have to continue to receive these types of emails from you I will but I’m formally requesting another contact at Baruch College CUNY.  

Regardless of how you speak with me and or email me I will treat you with the utmost respect at all times. That doesn’t mean I enjoy these types of emails.  I’m not going to speculate why you are signling me out. I will gladly share that I don’t take it personal.  

I will continue to treat you and everyone else at CUNY with the utmost respect at all times.  I have a perfect record at Baruch College and LaGuardia Community College in regards to my behavior.  As far as I know my probation is under appeal.

The only student I have ever spoken with at Baruch College is one woman who is in my JRN 3060 class. The project was to interview each other. I spoke about being homeless. She spoke about the topics she was interested in. It was a professional interview. I acted like I was on an interview for the NYC Comptroller’s Office. 

I don’t drink. I don’t smoke.  I don’t have a criminal record. I do my schoolwork 7 days per week. I treat everyone with the utmost respect at all times. 

In regards to the request to take that one sentence off my email signature, I’m not sure why that’s an issue. It’s an issue to have this sentence at the end of my email signature? 

I always treat everyone at Baruch College with the utmost respect at all times. That includes staff, professors, security guards, and students. Treating people respectfully is more important than anything.

I have completed either 3 or 4 semesters at CUNY while living in the street homeless the whole time. I’m as clean as any homeless person can be. I just had the flu shot, I’m vaccinated, I’m about to get my booster shot. I have a place to shower. I have a place to keep clean clothes. I treat everyone respectfully and keep to myself.

You said I have to interact with students and I did for the one assignment. I don’t think it’s fair to ask me to go off campus with students unsupervised. I’ll gladly interact with students in the school. 

Right now I’m writing this email while sitting on the steps of the subway platform on 77 Street and Lexington Ave in Manhattan. There is another homeless person yelling at me to illegally let him in to the subway through the door. I’m ignoring him.

After I do more homework, I’ll take a nap on the steps of the subway. Usually the NYPD comes around at about 5 AM and wakes up most of the homeless people.

Sometimes the NYPD writes me a $75 ticket for sleeping on the steps. I just paid about $700 to the MTA TAB for those tickets.

Next I’ll change my cothes, take a shower and be at school around 7 or 8 AM. I’m doing the best I can with what I have. I might get a 2.5 this semester, I might get a 3.0. My main concern is that I pass.

Regardless what my GPA is, I’m going to pass all my classes. I’m going to continue to treat everyone respectfully. I’m going to continue to follow the rules. 

In addition to being successful at Baruch College, my goal is to get into an apartment. Baruch College is helping me get there. 

I worked on this email for 3 hours. I can spend another 10 hours on this email but I have schoolwork and I want to take a nap before school. 

Thank you for your consideration.  

Please advise,

Thank you and have a great day. 

Ever upward, 

Mark Pine 

I always treat everyone at Baruch College with the utmost respect at all times. That includes staff, professors, security guards, and students. Treating people respectfully is more important than anything. 

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Mark Pine

New York City startups, web marketing, and Baruch College journalism major. 917-815-5415 social@markpine.com