NYU Business School Professor Has Mastered The Art Of Email Flaming - NYU Business Student Email - Deadspin

NYU Business School Professor Has Mastered The Art Of Email Flaming

A student at NYU's Stern School of Business sent a complaint email to a hard-headed professor about his class's lateness policy. The professor emailed back, eviscerated the student David Mamet-style, and now it's gone viral. Welcome to internet immorality.

Professor Scott Galloway %u2014 founder of redenvelope.com %u2014 has a reputation for being a self-important "jackass" and appears to have adopted the phrase "get your shit together" as his personal carpe diem. He was also on the New York Times board of directors before resigning last week. He also has a little William Wallace in him.

Regardless, I'm quite impressed with his craftsmanship in taking this budding, entitled entrepreneur down a few notches. I emailed Galloway for comment, but he's a little confused about "what email you're referring to." So I get the sense that he's done this sort of thing before. According to one friend-of-a-friend of an NYU student who received the email, Galloway initiated the forwarding: "To give a little background, Scott Galloway is a professor at NYU Stern School of Business. He was also the founder of RedEnvelope.com. He teaches a Brand Management class at the school. Anyway, the student below sent him an e-mail to which Prof. Galloway responded. Galloway then proceeded to send it to his TA and instructed him to XXXX out the student's name and then forward it to the rest of the class. The e-mail now appears to be making the rounds."

Galloway has yet to confirm if he sent it to his TA who then forwarded it to his class. Either way, enjoy the BOOM BITCH-iness of this thing in its proper context. It has a very "Always Wear Sunscreen"-type appeal to it, if you choose to forget that Professor Galloway might be kind of a dick .

Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 7:15:11 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Brand Strategy Feedback

Prof. Galloway,

I would like to discuss a matter with you that bothered me. Yesterday evening I entered your 6pm Brand Strategy class approximately 1 hour late. As I entered the room, you quickly dismissed me, saying that I would need to leave and come back to the next class. After speaking with several students who are taking your class, they explained that you have a policy stating that students who arrive more than 15 minutes late will not be admitted to class.

As of yesterday evening, I was interested in three different Monday night classes that all occurred simultaneously. In order to decide which class to select, my plan for the evening was to sample all three and see which one I like most. Since I had never taken your class, I was unaware of your class policy. I was disappointed that you dismissed me from class considering (1) there is no way I could have been aware of your policy and (2) considering that it was the first day of evening classes and I arrived 1 hour late (not a few minutes), it was more probable that my tardiness was due to my desire to sample different classes rather than sheer complacency.

I have already registered for another class but I just wanted to be open and provide my opinion on the matter.

Regards,
xxxx

%u2014
xxxx
MBA 2010 Candidate
NYU Stern School of Business
xxxx.nyu.edu
xxx-xxx-xxxx

The Reply:

%u2014%u2014 Forwarded Message %u2014%u2014-
From: scott@stern.nyu.edu
To: "xxxx"
Sent: Tuesday, February 9, 2010 9:34:02 PM GMT -08:00 US/Canada Pacific
Subject: Re: Brand Strategy Feedback

xxxx:

Thanks for the feedback. I, too, would like to offer some feedback.

Just so I've got this straight...you started in one class, left 15-20 minutes into it (stood up, walked out mid-lecture), went to another class (walked in 20 minutes late), left that class (again, presumably, in the middle of the lecture), and then came to my class. At that point (walking in an hour late) I asked you to come to the next class which "bothered" you.

Correct?

You state that, having not taken my class, it would be impossible to know our policy of not allowing people to walk in an hour late. Most risk analysis offers that in the face of substantial uncertainty, you opt for the more conservative path or hedge your bet (e.g., do not show up an hour late until you know the professor has an explicit policy for tolerating disrespectful behavior, check with the TA before class, etc.). I hope the lottery winner that is your recently crowned Monday evening Professor is teaching Judgement and Decision Making or Critical Thinking.

In addition, your logic effectively means you cannot be held accountable for any code of conduct before taking a class. For the record, we also have no stated policy against bursting into show tunes in the middle of class, urinating on desks or taking that revolutionary hair removal system for a spin. However, xxxx, there is a baseline level of decorum (i.e., manners) that we expect of grown men and women who the admissions department have deemed tomorrow's business leaders.

xxxx, let me be more serious for a moment. I do not know you, will not know you and have no real affinity or animosity for you. You are an anonymous student who is now regretting the send button on his laptop. It's with this context I hope you register pause...REAL pause xxxx and take to heart what I am about to tell you:

xxxx, get your shit together.

Getting a good job, working long hours, keeping your skills relevant, navigating the politics of an organization, finding a live/work balance...these are all really hard, xxxx. In contrast, respecting institutions, having manners, demonstrating a level of humility...these are all (relatively) easy. Get the easy stuff right xxxx. In and of themselves they will not make you successful. However, not possessing them will hold you back and you will not achieve your potential which, by virtue of you being admitted to Stern, you must have in spades. It's not too late xxxx...

Again, thanks for the feedback.

Professor Galloway


Send an email to A.J. Daulerio, the author of this post, at ajd@deadspin.com.

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I had a teacher just like that at my community collidge. Reply
raincoaster promoted this comment

Sampling classes? In a graduate program? Without contacting a prof beforehand?
Galloway showed a lot of restraint. Reply


Imagining this as voiced by Scrubs' Dr. Perry Cox only makes it better. Reply


I propose this ruling to the court:

Prof. Galloway's sentiments and analysis of the problem are generally legitimate.

However, as with everything else in life, timing is a key issue.

During Weeks 3-18 of the semester, his confrontational approach would justified.

In Week 2, it's borderline and thus confrontations should probably be muted in tone.

In Week 1, it's just posturing and undermines the remainder of his good points. An exception may be made if the instructor has taken extra steps to notify everyone of specific ground rules in advance. But the fact is that some people's schedules may not be set in stone during the first week, for a variety of legitimate reasons.

Now, as for copying the entire class on the e-mail...that just seems gratuitous to me. Reply


Class sampling? How about just taking it next semester? Or in summer school? WTF? Am I missing something here?

I can see him booking several dates for one evening. "Hello! Sorry I'm late. I am checking out a bunch of fellow students to decide who might be my girlfriend, or, at least, have sex with me the soonest. I need to weigh the pros and cons on their personality, looks, sex appeal, easy factor and so forth to determine which one is really going to fly for me this school year. Oh, didn't I mention? This is a limited-time situation I am looking for. So anyways ... what? You have a "no shopping human beings as if I were price/feature comparison hunting on a new gadget"? Uh, first, I didn't know you *had* that policy, and second, well, let's face it, I am not even sure you were going to make it past the first ... hey! I didn't know drink throwing was part of your policy!" Reply

skahammer promoted this comment

Cheers, Prof. Galloway! I attend a college where students seem to have no problem walking in 10, 20, or 60 minutes late - on a regular basis. Not only does it disrupt the flow of the class, these students often send the discussion backward by asking redundant questions that would have been obvious had they been present from the beginning. I have yet to understand the feeling of entitlement that makes these students think this is acceptable behavior. This email should be required reading for all college students. Reply
Mama Penguino promoted this comment
Edited by so5minutesago at 02/22/10 4:51 PM

Damn. I was expecting to side with the student, but the professor is totally right.

Who earth would be like "Oh, this jackass interrupted my class an hour late, he must be sampling classes?"

Who fucking samples classes all in the same day? Reply

Mama Penguino promoted this comment

Urinating on desks WHILE singing show tunes is totally cool at the school I went to Reply


The undisputed master of Flaming Email continues to be Nick Denton, however. Reply


So the student ends up banging the professor's daughter, one of his classmates commits suicide, and ends up making a paper airplane out of his final exam grade without looking at it?

Oh, sorry, that's the law school version. Reply


Chung is King! Reply
The Dewd promoted this comment

Anyone who uses decorum when addressing a college student, is an AutoDick, and should be forced to wear a T-shirt everyday with the word decorum printed in neat block letters on the front. Reply
DennyCrane promoted this comment

I've gotta say, this guy's policies are pretty lax. Once I've started lecture, I don't let any students walk in late. If they can't make it on time, they certainly don't have the right to interrupt class. They need to suck it up and learn to take responsibility. Reply
Mama Penguino approved this comment

That email was significantly less d-baggy then I expected. Reply


Professor Galloway is an excellent professor. He is strict but in reality, marketing is war. You dont get 2nd chances for a 1st impression. As a professor, he is telling the students what other people are thinking, but perhaps too conservative to express. this student interrupted class by coming in very late. how do you justify interrupting the 80 students. In undergrad, some professors throw students out for ringing cell phones. All the other students paid their tuition as well and care enough about the class to get there on time. Get you shit together XXX. Reply
Mama Penguino approved this comment

Brand management? Redenvelope.com? Doesn't exactly sound like he's a "titan" of industry, though apparently he likes to dress like one Reply


I think the professor's response is awesome. It is grade-A douchebaggery for a student to assume he can just leave in the middle of one professor's lecture and walk into another class noticeably late. Now, some professors may not have a problem with that and that's fine. But a student should find out if that is acceptable with the professor in advance. If he had taken the time to contact the professor's in advance to explain his situation and get permission to leave mid-lecture and show-up late then great. But he shouldn't just assume he can ignore basic rules of decorum. That is just self-entitled nonsense. I can see how people may think the professor is overreacting but personally I love it when someone lays the smack down. Reply
Mama Penguino promoted this comment

If there's one thing I've learned from all this, it's that the Deadspin commentariat has improbably gotten even more whiny and entitled than they used to be. Reply


It was a harsh email, but there's no need to kill yourself over it NYU douchebag. Reply


This no talent hack needs to "adopt" another phrase. Magary has been rallying the mailbag(now fun bag) troops with "get your shit together" for years. Reply


I can't believe I'm the only one who absolutely *loves* the professor's response. research the courses ahead of time and then pick one, you little snot-nose. if you think you're going to know which is best based on a 15-minute snippet of the first class, ("homework should be double-spaced...") then you've taken instant gratification to all-new millenium-generation lows. Reply
Mama Penguino promoted this comment
Mr. Praline approved this comment

Who the hell goes from class to class "sampling" the merchandise like it's Baskin Fucking Robbins? Reply


Dear Entitled Business Student,

12(b)(6).

-Entitled Law Students Reply

skahammer promoted this comment

I'll say it. Reading this made me wet.
Prof Galloway is right. 100% right. As someone who gives lectures regularly, there is nothing more annoying than having a lecture disrupted by that one self-involved person who uses tardiness as a way to get attention or who is totally oblivious to the fact that the world doesn't revolve around them and thinks nothing of creating a distraction because they didn't fele like sticking around. Reply
skahammer promoted this comment

Hey Product,

Anonymous Consumer was applying some fairly critical thinking when he decided to sample lectures before he plopped down 1500 dollars on a roulette spin.

You're not there to gift the world with your presence. You're there to sell education. Consumer = paying. Seller = paid. Seller = you.

If your demand here is that the product be purchased blindly, then you're the one who needs some education on judgment and decision making.

After all, "...respecting institutions, having manners [and] demonstrating a level of humility" are easy skills to acquire when you're trying to compete in a marketplace. Apparently understanding the flow of this transaction in which you are ultimately engaged was your real challenge here.

Get your seller's shit together. Reply

DennyCrane promoted this comment

I'm so sad I didn't think to put my degree candidacy in my email sig line. Ugh, I've been less of a prick than I could have. Reply
katiebakes promoted this comment

I have an M.D. from Harvard, I am board certified in cardio-thoracic medicine and trauma surgery, I have been awarded citations from seven different medical boards in New England, and I am never, ever sick at sea. So I ask you; when someone goes into that chapel and they fall on their knees and they pray to God that their wife doesn't miscarry or that their daughter doesn't bleed to death or that their mother doesn't suffer acute neural trama from postoperative shock, who do you think they're praying to? Now, go ahead and read your Bible, "Dennis", and you go to your church, and, with any luck, you might win the annual raffle, but if you're looking for God, he was in operating room number two on November 17, and he doesn't like to be second guessed. You ask me if I have a God complex. Let me tell you something: I am God. Reply


This was posted at Deadspin because it's:

a) an example of unsportsmanlike conduct

b) life is a combat; Stern is gladiator school

c) Galloway is using steroids

d) If you've gotten this far on the quiz without cheating, you're not fit for this fucking class Reply


If you're paying to go to class, then this make it more of client relationship. I am paying you to teach me so shut up and teach. These kids are paying through the nose for these classes, so they should get the chance to make sure the class they sign up for is really what they think it is. In the real world, if you are paying for a service it is prudent to sample it before committing to pay for it.

Academia is rife with self importance that is so separate from how the real world works. As someone who has gone through both the professional and academic realms, I have never seen such ridiculously unprofessional and self important behavior than from that of college professors and adjuncts.

Bottom line: Scott Galloway just showed himself to be holding up the theory of little people, little power as being very true. Reply

TheHonJudgeSmails promoted this comment

As a student, I have to applaud this prof's actions and I wish that there were more profs like him.

In my school, I have had some serious problems with paying attention in class because none of the profs care enough about their students to throw people out of their class. Consequently, I end up having to spend the first 6 weeks of every semester trying to concentrate while the person behind me is talking on their cellphone (seriously!!!) and there's 8 visible computer screens between me and the prof and they all feature video games. All of these students drop the class after they get their test marks back anyway, and it appalls me that they are allowed to ruin the class for the students who actually want to be there.

The first week of class too, is completely horrible. People bring their friends and other people "sit-in" on the class so you can't even get a seat, and people are constantly coming in and out of the class. It makes it impossible to pay attention to the lecture because the class is being constantly disrupted.

Oh, and you aren't supposed to email profs directly, you are supposed to email your t.a. as the profs are far too busy to respond to everyone's email. Sending a "fuck you" letter to a prof is completely inappropriate and this jackass deserved to be told off.

Thank goodness that there's still a prof in the world that actually cares enough about his class to throw out the students who disrupt it. Reply

Mama Penguino promoted this comment

What a dipshit.

I'd be willing to bet this dude probably has an op-ed somewhere whining about how all of the millenials are "entitled."

Try this on for size: just because you are a professor at the Stern School of Business and the founder of redenvelope.com doesn't mean that you are entitled to blame the world when people don't live up to your standards.

What that kid was doing (sampling different classes) was completely normal and something more students should do when they take into account how much money they are paying to be there. Might as well get the best blowhard for your buck.

I'm sure he probably has a reputation of being tough but effective. But regardless of the value of the information taught, it wouldn't undo the psychic damage of having to spend an ent