The explicit goals of this petition are to 1. secure Professor Robert Snellman a full-time lecturing position in the Department of Mathematics at UCSD, and 2. improve the current quality of instruction for mathematics courses at UCSD.

The current Department of Mathematics at UCSD claims that they focus on and care about the education of the undergraduates who take classes within their program. They claim that they prioritize an excellent level of education that ensures that students learn and are able to further their education is, however, false. The reality is that the Department of Mathematics does not have enough instructors that place the student first in terms of learning, such as course topics, material retention, or life application and practicality, of the subjects they teach. The sheer number of professors with worrying student evaluations goes to show that the Department does not actually prioritize students when they hire instructors, and instead focus on other aspects. 

Throughout his employment this 2017-2018 school year, Professor Snellman has maintained over a 90% rating over the various classes he has taught at UCSD, many of which are even over 95%. Professor Snellman has practiced a level of instruction far above the average instructor at UCSD. Professor Snellman indiscriminately demonstrates passion and care for his students, which translates into students both enjoying and learning mathematics more than students in other classes. Students that enroll in Snellman’s classes feel uninhibited in their ability to ask questions during class. Furthermore, students learn, and more importantly understand, both the content and the real-life applications of the curriculum that Professor Snellman covers. In addition, Professor Snellman upholds a level of integrity that supersedes that of other instructors in the Department of Mathematics, as well as University requirements. 

Yet, with all of his credentials and commitment to his students, Professor Snellman will not be teaching at UCSD next year. Without your votes, Professor Snellman will not have the opportunity to change the lives of future students, just as he changed mine. If you share my concern about the future of mathematics instruction at UCSD, please express yourself and sign!