From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.

edu]
Sent: Friday, February 10,2006 12:48 PM
To: bob hicok
Subject: Re: ENGL 3704 - Performance in class

I can try to talk. I don't know.

----- Original Message -----

From: "bob hicok"
To:
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2006 7:57 PM
Subject: RE: ENGL 3704 - Performance in class

> Seung,
>
> I'm sorry, but I need to know more than that. If you cannot talk to me and
> the
> class, or at least me, I don't see how you can pass this course. Can you,
> will
> you, tell me more about what's going on for you? bob
>
>
>>===== Original Message From sc2@vt.edu =====
>>I don't know. I'm not all that good at talking. I don't know.
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From:
>>To:
>>Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2006 7:13 AM
>>Subject: ENGL 3704 - Performance in class
>>
>>
>>> Seung,
>>>
>>> I have not received a message from you regarding what I asked of you in
>>> the hall: can you tell me what keeps you from talking in class or to me?
>>> You and I need to be able to talk about your writing, and you need to be
>>> able to talk with others about their writing. This kind of discourse is
>>> at
>>> the core of a workshop class. If you don't let me know what's going on
>>> for
>>> you, there's nothing I can do to help. I hope you'll respond to this
>>> e-mail. It's important that you do, Bob Hicok
>
>

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Monday, December 19,2005 6:49 PM
To: Roy, Lucinda
Subject: novel

I was wondering if you had the chance to look at the part of my novel I sent
you and what you thought about it.

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Friday, December 02,2005 1:53 PM
To: Roy, Lucinda
Subject: RE:
Attachments: novel.doc;

Here is the beginning of my novel.

At 09:36 AM 11/29/2005, you wrote:

>Seung, I don't have any other free slots, so let's just meet up online.
>If you send me the material, I can send you back a critique.
>
>You have done well working with me, and I will be awarding you an "A"
>for the course. Congratulations.
>
>Just send me up to 50 pages of your novel anytime before December 5th.
>Then I can send you back a response. We don't need to reschedule.
>
>Take care--
>
>Professor Roy
>
>Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor
>Chair, Department of English
>Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
>Phone: (540) 231-8466
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sc2@vt.edu [mailto:sc2@vt.edu]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 8:34 AM
>To: Roy, Lucinda
>Subject: RE:
>
>I don't think I can make it this morning. There are some things in
>the novel that I need to fix up. Can we meet sometime later?
>
>At 03:05 PM 11/28/2005, you wrote:
> >That sounds great, Seung. I'll probably need to begin reading it
> >tomorrow unless you can send it along immediately. If you can, just
>zap
> >me about 10-20 pages so that I can get a head start.
>>
> >I'm looking forward to our meeting tomorrow.
>>
> >Take care.
>>

Virginia Tech
> >Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor
> >Chair, Department of English
> >Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
> >Phone: (540) 231-8466
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: sc2@vt.edu [mailto:sc2@vt.edu]
> >Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 1:39 PM
> >To: Roy, Lucinda
> >Subject:
>>
> >I would like to show you some of parts of my novel for tomorrow's
> >meeting.
>>
> >Seung Cho

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Monday, November 28,2005 1:39 PM
To: Roy, Lucinda

I would like to show you some of parts of my novel for tomorrow's meeting.

Seung Cho

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, March 24,2004 4:05 PM
To: Roy, Lucinda
Subject: Re: grade

What I meant was how many points I got on those two assignments. I know F is under 59% but I don't know
if I got 0 or 59 because there was no number on them, it just said F. There's a huge difference between 0
and 59 and I wanted to know where I stand now.

----- Original Message -----

From: Roy, Lucinda
To: sc2@vt.edu
Cc: jeff dean
Sent: Tuesday, March 23, 2004 8:16 PM
Subject: RE: grade

Seung,

The percentage is listed on the syllabus. I hope that’s helpful. If not, just let me know. (If you’ve
lost your syllabus, you can find it on Blackboard under COURSE INFORMATION.)

Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor

Chair, Department of English

Shanks Hall, Virginia Tech

Blacksburg, VA 24061

Phone: (540) 231-8466

-----Original Message-----
From: sc2@vt.edu [mailto:sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Wednesday, March 17, 2004 1:04 PM
To: lucinda.roy@vt.edu
Subject: grade

I received F on the midterm and the initial commentary but it doesn't say the exact percentage. I
wanted to know the percentage I got.

Virginia Tech
Seung Cho

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Thursday, February 09,2006 5:59 PM
To: hicok@vt.edu
Subject: Re: ENGL 3704 - Performance in class

I don't know. I'm not all that good at talking. I don't know.

----- Original Message -----

From:
To:
Sent: Thursday, February 09, 2006 7:13 AM
Subject: ENGL 3704 - Performance in class

> Seung,
>
> I have not received a message from you regarding what I asked of you in
> the hall: can you tell me what keeps you from talking in class or to me?
> You and I need to be able to talk about your writing, and you need to be
> able to talk with others about their writing. This kind of discourse is at
> the core of a workshop class. If you don't let me know what's going on for
> you, there's nothing I can do to help. I hope you'll respond to this
> e-mail. It's important that you do, Bob Hicok

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, October 18,2005 11:38 PM
To: Roy, Lucinda
Subject: Re: Please See Me

it's obvious that i'm in a lot of trouble...yes, i'll come wed and get yelled at or whatever you want to do to me...

----- Original Message -----

From: Roy, Lucinda
To: sc2@vt.edu
Cc: Shepherd, Tamera ; Ruggiero, Cheryl
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 5:51 PM
Subject: Please See Me

Dear Seung-Hui Cho:

As you know, you were a student in my large Introduction to Poetry course. During that time, we
interchanged a number of notes, including one in which you said you were working on a novel, and
another in which you queried a grade. I�d like to meet with you.

Please come to my office (Shanks 303) either tomorrow�Wednesday at 1:30 PM or the next
day�Thursday at 9:30 AM. You will not be having class at that time, I believe, so you should be
available to see me. Please respond to this e-mail note confirming that you plan to stop by.

Thank you.

Professor Roy

Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor

Chair, Department of English

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061

Phone: (540) 231-8466

Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, October 18,2005 11:38 PM
To: Roy, Lucinda
Subject: Re: Please See Me

it's obvious that i'm in a lot of trouble...yes, i'll come wed and get yelled at or whatever you want to do to me...

----- Original Message -----

From: Roy, Lucinda
To: sc2@vt.edu
Cc: Shepherd, Tamera ; Ruggiero, Cheryl
Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 5:51 PM
Subject: Please See Me

Dear Seung-Hui Cho:

As you know, you were a student in my large Introduction to Poetry course. During that time, we interchanged
a number of notes, including one in which you said you were working on a novel, and another in which you
queried a grade. I’d like to meet with you.

Please come to my office (Shanks 303) either tomorrow—Wednesday at 1:30 PM or the next day—Thursday
at 9:30 AM. You will not be having class at that time, I believe, so you should be available to see me. Please
respond to this e-mail note confirming that you plan to stop by.

Thank you.

Professor Roy

Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor

Chair, Department of English

Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061

Phone: (540) 231-8466

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Friday, October 21,2005 3:26 AM
To: Roy, Lucinda
Subject: Re: Our Meeting

I think I'll go with the independent study.

I understand that some people were offended by what I wrote (although it may be because they
may feel guilty about what they did--eating those poor animals--and not about what I wrote and
trying to transfer the blame on me), but it was supposed to be like ha-ha and a response to what
people were talking about in class. I had no anger when I wrote it--it was merely a satirical
response, just like Swift's suggestion of eating babies as the solution to the famine in A Modest
Proposal. I purposely made it grossly over-the-top (mostly because satires usually are) to make a
point, like Water's characterization of school teachers in Another Brick in the Wall part 2 video.

I don't mean to be criticizing Professor Giovanni, and I really don't want to say this but since the
situation has gotten out of hand (and I know it's mostly my fault), she doesn't seem, to me at
least, to be taking enough time reading students' work. She says that she wants to help me with
my writing yet that seems to be mere words: I get virtually no helpful feedback on my poems
that I write for the class. On some of them I don't even get a grade. For example, on one it said
"please rethink this I do it again" with no grade (I can show you if you want), which I assume is
zero, but she didn't specify what she didn't like about it or why I should rewrite or what's wrong
with it. I understand if it's an A, there isn't much to say, but if I get a zero, I expect some kind of
explanation why I got a zero so I can try to improve. Giving written feedbacks on turned in
papers is the most common form of communication in a writing class, but she gives almost none
that are of help yet she says she wants to help. That's like turning in a four page essay in a
literature class and getting back the paper with an F without any explainations other than "I don't
like it" at the end. I just don't understand. I don't mean to be overly critical, but even in the letter
she gave me and you, there are flaws: there is a small typo that should be "at" and not "al" as she
wrote. It may be something she overlooked (but then again that's why there is spell check), but it
may (or probably or even most likely) be a result of not having invested enough time in it. There
is also a period after a comma which shouldn't be there in the first paragraph. In a serious letter
as this, one would expect no flaws because it's a serious matter. Personally, I think she should
spend more time with work related to the class. And I think that if she spent the time required to
understand the piece that I wrote (or have an opened-mind about it), she would have understood
what I was saying, because I do not believe it's something that requires that much thinking. Sure,
if people out the class read it, like you or Cheryl, they would probably think I'm serious, but if
they were in class the day of that particular discussion, it's clearly obvious that I, without doubt,
exaggerated many things. I thought that a professor of english, not just any professor but a
distinguished professor would be able to pick that up and understand what the poem is really
about and not just glance through the words. It's not just this poem but previous poems as well.
The second and third poems that I wrote were about girls, and when I read the third one, she
yelled at me. She said something along the lines of "this is immature; i thought we would be
past that by this age; and it's 'young women' not 'girls!'. No more poems about girls!" (Who uses
that term, young women, in real life anyway? Even if they do, Professor Giovanni herself used
"girls" right after saying that "young women" is the correct term. That's hippocracy!) She made a
total ass out of me in front of everyone in class. She doesn't seem to appreciate anything I write.

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The whole class is so vague--there are no set standards, and Professor Giovanni seems to do
whatever she feels like doing. For example, she sometimes gives letter grades and sometimes
writes "good", "I love it", or "please rethink this I do it again". It's relatively hard to "good" into
a letter grade. Even in the syllabus there are close to zero information that is of value or help. All
there is are a poetic piece of writing about what poetry is, how to lose points, the midterm and
the final (She never collected the midterm). Usually a student would expect information on how
grades will be determined--points, percentages, what each poems are out of, how many poems
there will be, how to get A, B, etc.--but there none about that. Even in class half the time (I may
be exaggerating but that's what it seems like to me) we talk about things that have nothing to do
with anything with the class or anything that anyone was talking about. For example, after she
showed us the book about the dog that get tossed out, she started talking about eating (and there
was nothing about eating in the book). We probably spent 20 minutes on the book and for the
rest of the class we talked about eating different sorts of animals. Nobody complains about it (as
far as I can tell) because most people like to talk, and talking in class instead of doing work, most
students would cheer. That's the way the class runs more than half the time--about 20 minutes of
poetry and the rest, talking about things that have absolutely nothing to do with anything, just
whatever she or someone brings up, although if you ask her I'm sure she'll somehow make some
elusive connection, but nevertheless no direct connection. And that's what I was trying to get
across. I was simply making a point that we seem to spend more time talking about random
things than on anybody's poems in a poetry class, and it was certainly not an attempt in any way
to offend anyone. That would be like a math teacher spending half the class teaching math and
half the time talking about cricket and badminton players or something, or a history teacher
spending more time talking about her favorite musicians. Now I'm not saying that she should
change the way she runs the class because it's her class and she can do whatever she wants to do,
and I don't care that much about it because the class is only a semester long, and I don't want to
be hated by the teacher for being overly critical; and I certainly don't mean to be disrespecting
Professor Giovanni, but since she evidently talked trash about me to you or to whomever else, I
think I deserve some trash talking of my own (although it probably wouldn't be fair to call it
trash talking).

In the letter Professor Giovanni wrote, she wrote, "You usually have a ball cap pulled over your
eyes as if you are asleep and when I have asked, as I did several times,. [sic] for you to al [sic]
least push it back a bit, you did not comply." First of all I never fell asleep in the class. I listen, I
pay attention, and do what is required. I can easily not come to class like half the class (literally)
but I choose to come to class (I've missed only two classes which is significantly less than most
people in that class). There are so many people in the class who don't participate because either
they're not present or they refuse to, but I do. Okay, I might not say much after I read, but neither
do many people. After a student reads, Professor Giovanni usually offer small amounts
comments (and critiques if you can call it that although I remember she did do that in one or two
meetings) about the poem and usually veers off into another subject for who knows how long. I
can think of three people at least who have read their poems only once or twice, but Professor
Giovanni doesn't seem to have much problems with them--She just says something like, "you
guys need to start reading" and they laugh it off (and they still don't read). I don't feel
comfortable reading in front of people (or anything for that matter) and it feels like hell when I
do, but do it. I do what is required of me to the best of my abilities but Professor Giovanni has
problems with me, but people who don't or refuse to participate she don't have much problems
with. I don't understand why that is. It seems to me as a personality issue. Because I'm the most
quiet and unobtrusive guy in class and have a bad personality, she doesn't like me or my poems
(my poems stem up from my personality) and get punished (I didn't get any grades for a few
poems even though I did them and even read them), and the people who have good personality

Virginia Tech
but don't do their work obviously don't get credits because they don't do the assigned work, but
Professor Giovanni likes them and doesn't yell at them. I think that's wrong. Second of all, in the
beginning of the semester, she said that it would be nice if everybody took off their hats or turn it
around or push it back so people could the face, but she also said (I remember this crystal-
clearly) "but I can't make you do it." I don't know how people would interpret that, but I
interpreted meaning I don't have to push my hat back! She asked me only once to push my hat
back, okay twice (I can't remember this one clearly so I'll give her the benefit of the doubt
although I'm almost sure she only asked me once beginning of the semester). And when she
asked me I did push it back and left it there for the remainder of the period. I just went back to
wearing it at the normal position classes after that. If she asked me again I would have done it. If
she asks me now, I would push my hat back immediately and keep it there, i just won't wear it
like that next time and time after that. So when she wrote that "you did not comply", that simply
isn't true. Third of all, she wrote, "From the beginning of this semester I have had the impression
that you did not wish to be part of this class." I know it's all my fault because of my personality,
but during the discussions in class, it's not like many people are involved in it. Only five people
talk for the majority of the time, although most people say something at one point or another and
I never say anything. Being quiet, one would think, would repel attention but I seem to get more
attention than I want (I can just tell by the way people stare at me).

Also, as far as me taking pictures goes, I did it twice. It's not like I was going to keep on doing it.
I didn't think a few harmless pictures would offend so many people, and I only took pictures of
eight students maybe and a professor. Do you know where I can find the university's policies and
regulation because I don't want to get in trouble for doing something again.

I know all this mess that I've made with the class is all my fault. I don't know what to say...sorry,
sorry.

I'm not sure if I fully or appropriately responded to your concern with me...sorry if I said
something wrong.

At 02:54 PM 10/19/2005, you wrote:

Dear Seung:

Thank you for taking the time to meet with me today. Your characterization of the piece you wrote
as a satire was helpful in my understanding of the work, and I am glad that you have agreed not to
take any more unauthorized photos of classmates or professors. I’m glad that you can understand
why the professor and your classmates were surprised by the tone of the work. It did seem as though
the anger in the piece was directed at them. I understand what you’re saying about the use of a
persona, but both Cheryl Ruggiero and I think that a note to them would be really helpful in easing
their discomfort about the piece.

Please let me know by Friday if you would like to take me up on the offer I made to work with you.
I’d be happy to do so, and I think we could devote time to both poetry and fiction. I may be able
to help you with your novel. The independent study with me and Professor Fred D’Aguiar would
substitute for the course you are currently taking with Professor Giovanni, so you’d still have the
same number of credits, and we’d make sure it counted towards your Creative Writing option.

I hope you enjoy reading the novel of mine that I gave you. Please don’t feel obliged to read it if
you’re too busy. There’s no hurry.

If you would like to return to Professor Giovanni’s class, let’s work on a note together that
would explain the piece you read aloud to them, and would respond to their concerns about the
unauthorized photos.

Virginia Tech
Most importantly, please consider seeing a counselor at the Counseling Center on campus. The one
I’d recommend is Dr. Cathye Betzel. You can let her know that Professor Roy suggested you
contact her. It really does seem to me that you are struggling with some issues, and I am genuinely
concerned about you. It’s always good to seek assistance when you’re facing really tough
situations, and counselors can be wonderfully helpful. Almost all of us have benefited from speaking
with them at some time or other.

I look forward to hearing from you, SeungÂ

Professor Roy

Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor

Chair, Department of English
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
Phone: (540) 231-8466

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, November 29,2005 8:33 AM
To: Roy, Lucinda
Subject: RE:

I don't think I can make it this morning. There are some things in
the novel that I need to fix up. Can we meet sometime later?

At 03:05 PM 11/28/2005, you wrote:

>That sounds great, Seung. I'll probably need to begin reading it
>tomorrow unless you can send it along immediately. If you can, just zap
>me about 10-20 pages so that I can get a head start.
>
>I'm looking forward to our meeting tomorrow.
>
>Take care.
>
>Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor
>Chair, Department of English
>Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
>Phone: (540) 231-8466
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sc2@vt.edu [mailto:sc2@vt.edu]
>Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 1:39 PM
>To: Roy, Lucinda
>Subject:
>
>I would like to show you some of parts of my novel for tomorrow's
>meeting.
>
>Seung Cho

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Friday, November 18,2005 9:46 AM
To: karens@vt.edu
Subject: british lit 2515

For the paper, I'm going to write a sonnet. Is it okay if there are
minor imperfections like 9 or 11 beats per line or something. Will
you be taking off lots of points for things like that? Also when
explaining the sonnet form, do you want us to say how the rhyme
scheme or the iambic pentameter help the poem or how it's indented or what?

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, February 28,2006 7:00 AM
To: bob hicok
Subject: Re: please confirm

For when can I reschedule?

----- Original Message -----

From: "bob hicok"
To:
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2006 6:24 PM
Subject: please confirm

> Seung,
>
> Please cofirm that you've received and understood this message, which is a
> copy of the message I sent on 2/25:
>
> I told everyone who came by what grade I would give them if I had to grade
> them now. At this point, you are failing the class. There is still time to
> bring your grade up, but if you won't talk to me about how to do that, I
> don't
> know how this situation can change. I expect you to reschedule your
> appointment. Bob Hicok
>
>

Virginia Tech
From: sc2@vt.edu [sc2@vt.edu]
Sent: Friday, December 02,2005 1:53 PM
To: Roy, Lucinda
Subject: RE:
Attachments: novel.doc;

Here is the beginning of my novel.

At 09:36 AM 11/29/2005, you wrote:

>Seung, I don't have any other free slots, so let's just meet up online.
>If you send me the material, I can send you back a critique.
>
>You have done well working with me, and I will be awarding you an "A"
>for the course. Congratulations.
>
>Just send me up to 50 pages of your novel anytime before December 5th.
>Then I can send you back a response. We don't need to reschedule.
>
>Take care--
>
>Professor Roy
>
>Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor
>Chair, Department of English
>Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061
>Phone: (540) 231-8466
>-----Original Message-----
>From: sc2@vt.edu [mailto:sc2@vt.edu]
>Sent: Tuesday, November 29, 2005 8:34 AM
>To: Roy, Lucinda
>Subject: RE:
>
>I don't think I can make it this morning. There are some things in
>the novel that I need to fix up. Can we meet sometime later?
>
>At 03:05 PM 11/28/2005, you wrote:
> >That sounds great, Seung. I'll probably need to begin reading it
> >tomorrow unless you can send it along immediately. If you can, just
>zap
> >me about 10-20 pages so that I can get a head start.
>>
> >I'm looking forward to our meeting tomorrow.
>>
> >Take care.
>>
> >Lucinda Roy, Alumni Distinguished Professor
> >Chair, Department of English
> >Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061

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> >Phone: (540) 231-8466
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: sc2@vt.edu [mailto:sc2@vt.edu]
> >Sent: Monday, November 28, 2005 1:39 PM
> >To: Roy, Lucinda
> >Subject:
>>
> >I would like to show you some of parts of my novel for tomorrow's
> >meeting.
>>
> >Seung Cho

Virginia Tech