Last night, CS students and faculty played softball against a team from the Medical School. While I wait eagerly to learn the outcome of the game, I thought it might be a good idea to provide incentives for the upcoming games, should it be the case that we continue to play.

So in professional sports, players are offered signing bonuses and perks to lure them to the roster and to encourage them to play well. I think we CS faculty should do the same. Here's a possible formula, with bonuses accumulating down the list.

• Base hit: We drop your lowest quiz score (we do this anyway usually, but you don't have to know that)
  
• Double: One question dropped from a midterm exam
  
• Triple: Midterm exam conveniently lost by professor, "A" given.
  
• Home run: Seat of your choice in lecture hall, appropriately decorated with team logos. Your choice of theme song as you enter the lecture hall.
  

• Strike out: Your homework graded by strictest TA on record.
  
• Drops an easy pop fly catch: Your grade for 241 inconveniently lost, must retake course.
  
• Bad throw to first base: Persian foreign language requirement imposed; study-abroad encouraged.
  

Posted by: James at March 28, 2003 10:52 AM