Matthew Vannette
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matthewvannette.bsky.social
Matthew Vannette
@matthewvannette.bsky.social
Physics Professor
Experimental Condensed Matter
Ask about the hippo.

svsu.edu/~mvannett
I wish I could say I'm surprised by the admin's actions. The far-right has a firm hold in OK, and bowing to the student was inevitable.

Syllabus expectation 1 - all members of the course are respectful of and to all members of the course.

This paper violated that core principle.
December 1, 2025 at 10:58 AM
The bit in the quoted post about creating enmities is maybe more disturbing. Either we're doing reviews honestly, which means no hard feelings, or people are hiding behind anonymity like some internet troll and should be outed. The double-blind-ish review works only if we trust each other.
November 28, 2025 at 10:48 PM
Always have chalk or markers in the bag. It works for math heavy lectures, but if you're trying to discuss art this won't always help.
November 28, 2025 at 10:39 PM
What annoys me about the journalism here is casting this as a battle with Democratic states "like California." Democrats did not plan to redistrict now. This was not the fight they chose. They were pushed into this space. Lead with "started by Trump and Texas."
November 27, 2025 at 2:41 PM
That _can_ be a legitimate question, but I find it rarely is answered "yes." Based on your general public approach to professoring, you know what you covered. You provided the appropriate homework and practice. You set up opportunities for them to learn.

Something about horses and water.
November 23, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Reposted by Matthew Vannette
He's not challenging "orthodoxy", he's ignoring data. Stop dancing around his disinformation campaign and call it what it is -- an all out attack on Science and America's place in the scientific world.
November 21, 2025 at 6:58 PM
When students are treated like children in this way, it makes it okay for them to offload other tasks. Like learning, thinking, and problem solving. Ownership of our actions helps build power over our ignorance.
November 19, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Being at a smaller school in a small department with a strong focus on mutual respect and support means no one gets vetoed. We discuss, find flaws, modify, and implement. My department is a unicorn.

I appreciate you and your posts. Thanks.
November 18, 2025 at 11:25 AM
I know that's what a lot of students think. What's lost is the idle flipping of pages that lands you in a place you didn't expect. I think that bit helps with making connections. Reading about oscillations and then seeing a moment of inertia tensor can link the matrix algebra better in one's mind.
November 18, 2025 at 9:59 AM
I'm glad it worked out well for the students who take it sincerely. That's the rub for all of the efforts faculty make. We can only go so far.

I may bring this up at the department meeting on Friday. At the least it's worth a conversation.
November 18, 2025 at 1:45 AM
One of the characteristics of the far right is an inability to see a problem that doesn't directly impact them. A day after Trump broke up with her she was threatened by MAGA supporters. Because it's *her* problem, it's now *a* problem. Rejecting this out-of-hand will only make her revert.
November 16, 2025 at 8:43 PM
How will these students build their personal libraries?
November 15, 2025 at 2:37 PM
This is the goal of the authoritarian GOP. They want to indoctrinate children, and that requires not questioning beliefs in early adulthood.

I encourage all US HE faculty to read and interpret in plain words the text of the First Amendment to all of our classes. This is why we can educate.
November 14, 2025 at 11:23 AM
He says at least 16 non-citizens voted in the 2024 election. That is out of 5,706,503 who voted.

That's 0.00028%.

More Michiganders were involved in the Jan 6 coup attempt.

R's here are worried about a drubbing in 12 months.
November 14, 2025 at 11:09 AM
Juxtapose this with another clip where he says Democrats want the immigrants as low wage "servants." How many low wage servants without documentation to work in the US does he think can secure a mortgage?
November 14, 2025 at 10:58 AM
I think it's also valuable to let students (as a class) know that we need time to ourselves. We have lives, just as they do. Both parties are adults, and we can respect each other's humanity.
November 10, 2025 at 11:13 AM
I think it depends on how easy it is for them to see where points have been earned in other assignments. If they know X always leads to Y, then this can be awesome. I'd be interested to see how it turns out.
November 8, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Not at all guilty. I tell them I'm always looking for free resources and I don't want the online HW systems. Rentals are designed to increase profit and not improve affordability. I offer them a cup of tea and have a chat, but I'll not be using their books.
November 6, 2025 at 11:16 AM
Need to correct that Sherrill is Gov. race not Lt. Gov.
November 5, 2025 at 1:30 AM
I have encountered quite a few who feel very strongly about not using it. Some to the point of saying they would drop a class and delay graduation if it was a requirement from the professor.
November 1, 2025 at 1:09 PM