AIBU or is this excessive?

[TheFalconInThePearTree]

I'm at college and as it's Christmas we were discussing gifts for our lecturers today. There are two in particular whom we see more of than the others and who are very helpful and highly regarded.

The other students have decided that we'll each put in £10 each(there are 16 of us) and divide it between the two.

Now that seems a little excessive to me, to spend £80 per lecturer. A few pounds each would suffice surely?

Plus such a lavish gift could be seen as a bribe and I know it'd make me uncomfortable to receive such an expensive gift from students.

I think a small token gift would be most appropriate.

AIBU?

YANBU, That is way to much.

My husband is a lecturer and more than a token would make him very uncomfortable.

In fact he is always surprised when he gets anything at all.

This week, for example, after joking asking where his was after his students did their secret santa just before his class, 3 of the girls came back and gave him a gift bag full of:

A fly swatter
a box of Cadbury Buttons
A heat magazine
a facial goop sample thing

Total cost? Probably less than £10 at Spar. It was hysterical!

Bottle of something each, or similar, should do it. £80 defo excessive.

I got a lovely card signed by all the first year students saying things like "Thank you for teaching me - it has inspired me to become a teacher myself" (had to cry actually, it was so lovely and moving) and a small box of Thornton's. I never expect anything so this was absolutely wonderful.

Optional, somthing like a toblerone, nearer to its sellby date from the pound shop with a gift tag saying thanks and happy christmas. I wouldn't even go so far as a christmas CARD

I agree, anymore is bumlicky.

you'd be better off nominating them for an 'extra mile award' if your uni does something like that. i got given chocs last year and shared them with the class! tbh i find gifts inappropriate and embarrassing - as jack bauer would say, 'i'm just doing my jaaaab' - i am not singling out particular students for extra attention / help and would be mortified if anyone thought i was.

this isn't to say you aren't lovely for wanting to show your appreciation - but one of the best ways of doing this imho is to contribute enthusiastically in lectures/ seminars, attack your uni work with gusto, give good feedback when you get asked for it, fill in the national student survey and say how great your uni experience is, volunteer to talk to prospective students on open days and pass on your enthusiasm, and so on.

I would be very surprized if your lecturers were ALLOWED to recieve anything more than small tokens from students

It is totally excessive. no-one in my FAMILY has spent close to £80 per person on gifts - If my mother (a lecturer) got an £80 gift from students it would be very odd and worth more than her gift from me or any of her friends or family

I wouldnt even say £5 from each of you is better cause a £40 gift is still too much, more like £5 in TOTAL per lecturer

We are allowed to accept gifts but it's a rare event!

Giving phenomenal student feedback and writing collective letters of praise to the Dean gets people promoted fast and/or paid a lot extra, so that's really the best reward of all. It can be worth £1000 in increment form, good feedback can, and costs the students nothing. Similarly giving good feedback on the National Student Survey counts for an insane amount in my institution.

What? It wouldn't have occurred to me to buy a lecturer a present when I was at university.

What is the world coming to?

People obviously appreciate us a bit more!! And we work a lot harder than before!!

no your not, i would have thought that 40 would suffice surely? what were they thinking of getting?

omg...are lecturers and tutors expecting presents....never even thought about that...are they????

asicsgirl, phew you reasuured me....I am a mature student after being a sahm for most of the last 12 years...and just doing what I have to do is all I can do...

Christmasfairy

we love mature students believe me

I wish all students were mature. I would probably ban under 21s if it was up to me.

lmao boffin

I agree with VBM - but then I work at a private college where the vast majority of the studes are mature, vocational types, so they are mostly a pleasure to teach. Although a few times I have had to do my best "schoolteacher" voice to stop them whispering in the corner - had a few who were inveterate whisperers! Never actually sent anyone out, but did suggest if they weren't that interested they could leave the class so that people who were interested could actually hear.

Higher Ed is wasted on 18year olds. My DH did his degree starting at 27 - MUCH better time to start - he put far more effort into it.

lol boffin. thumbelf, i had 2 colleagues who used to whisper to each other in meetings!! so it's not just the students. used to drive me loopy.

ime mature students who whisper are almost always talking about the work, whereas the silent supposedly-attentive 18yos are busy texting their mates under the table...

we never got our presents. some of us did cards, and when a head of year was leaving we chipped in for flowers but thats it.

Way too much-a card and a bottle of (good)wine, from everyone would be fine.