00:00My name is Sarah Hartley. I was hoping to ask about enrolling as a student here.
00:05Enrolling?
00:05That's right.
00:06Here, at this university.
00:08That's correct, yes. I spent the last several decades raising my family,
00:13and I feel the time has finally come to finish the degree I never got the chance to complete when
00:19I was younger.
00:20I thought this would be the right place to start.
00:23Is something funny?
00:25No, I just, I mean, do you know this is a university, not like a community center or anything like
00:32that?
00:33Oh, I am aware of what it is, yes.
00:35Okay, it's just enrollment is really geared towards a younger crowd and students who are at that particular stage of
00:42life.
00:43I see, and what stage of life would that be exactly?
00:48I just mean your typical applicant is coming in right after high school, or maybe a graduate program in their
00:5420s.
00:55People who are still building their careers, just starting out.
00:58Not really what?
01:01I'm just trying to make sure that you have the full picture before you go through a whole process that
01:06might not lead anywhere.
01:07I'm trying to manage your expectations.
01:09I didn't come here to have my expectations managed.
01:13I came to ask about enrollment.
01:16Right, of course.
01:17But speaking practically, starting over at your stage of life is a significant commitment.
01:23Classes are designed for people in their late teens and 20s.
01:26The workload, the environment, the social dynamic, it can be all a bit, I don't want to say embarrassing,
01:33but it can put you in situations that you aren't always comfortable in.
01:37And for you or the other students, I'd be doing you a disservice not to mention it.
01:42You don't want to say embarrassing.
01:46I'm just being realistic with you.
01:48I'd rather you hear this from me than go through all this paperwork and find out later that it wasn't
01:53quite what you imagined.
01:55I didn't ask for your assessment of whether my goals are realistic.
01:59And I certainly didn't invite your speculation about what I might find embarrassing.
02:05Age is not and should not be a barrier to education.
02:09Universities exist to serve all members of the community, not just those within a particular age bracket.
02:16Lifelong learning is something institutions like this one are meant to champion.
02:21I'd have thought the person sitting at the enrollment desk would know that.
02:24I mean, sure, I understand that, in theory, but I'm just trying to have an honest conversation with you.
02:31I think you'd appreciate that more than a lot of false encouragement that doesn't do you any good in the
02:37end.
02:37What I would appreciate is to be treated as any other prospective student who walks through that door,
02:44which is not what is happening here.
02:46The attitude I am being met with is entirely inappropriate for a representative of this institution.
02:53I'd like to speak with whoever is in charge, your direct supervisor.
02:57My supervisor?
02:59That may be. I don't mind at all.
03:01I'm perfectly willing to have that conversation.
03:08Will, it's Jess.
03:10When you get a minute, could you come down to HR?
03:12I've got a woman here who'd like to speak with you.
03:15Yeah. No, nothing urgent. Just whenever.
03:19Okay, great. Thanks.
03:24How's it going, Jess?
03:26Mom?
03:28Hello, sweetheart.
03:30What are you doing? I didn't know you were coming in today. You should have called.
03:33Oh, I know. I wasn't entirely sure I'd go through with it until I was already in the car.
03:38I thought if I called ahead, I might talk myself out of it.
03:41Go through with what? What's going on?
03:43I came to ask about enrolling as a student here at the university.
03:47Here?
03:48I've been thinking about it for some time. You know I never finished my degree.
03:52I got through two years, and then life happened, and then more life happened after that.
03:57And I kept telling myself I'd come back to it eventually.
04:01I thought it was time I actually did.
04:04Mom, that is...
04:06That's great. That is wonderful.
04:07But why didn't you just call me? I could have set everything up for you.
04:11Because I didn't want you to set anything up.
04:13I wanted to walk through the front door like any other prospective student would.
04:17I wanted to know what that experience looked like without anyone smoothing it over on my behalf.
04:23All right, I get that, but tell me, what did it look like?
04:27I came in and introduced myself to your colleague.
04:30I explained my situation, the years I spent raising the family, my reasons for wanting to come back,
04:36what I was hoping to do.
04:39She laughed at me.
04:42She...
04:43Oh, not loudly. Just a short laugh.
04:45The kind that says she found the whole thing a little ridiculous.
04:49And then, she told me enrollment was geared toward a younger crowd that started over at my stage
04:54or could put me in uncomfortable situations.
04:57She said she didn't want to say anything embarrassing, but that was the word she used.
05:02She framed it all as if it was practical advice, said she was saving me some trouble.
05:08When I asked to speak with her supervisor, she told me with some confidence
05:13that you would see things exactly the same way she does.
05:16That the entire department was on the same page.
05:19She seemed quite sure of that.
05:24Jess?
05:25Well, I can explain.
05:27I was just trying to have an honest conversation with her.
05:30I wasn't trying to offend anyone.
05:32I was trying to be helpful.
05:33I'd like to speak, please.
05:36What you did today is a fundamental failure of your role in this office.
05:41This department exists to support the university community,
05:45to ensure equitable access,
05:47to uphold the values that this institution is built on.
05:51Not to screen people out the door based on how old they are.
05:54I wasn't screening anyone out.
05:56I was being realistic.
05:58She came in with an inquiry that seemed impractical,
06:01and I was just trying to have an honest...
06:02Jess, you laughed at her.
06:04You told her starting a degree at her age would be embarrassing.
06:08You told her this institution shares your view.
06:11That conduct was unprofessional.
06:14It was potentially discriminatory.
06:16And framing it as honesty or helpfulness does not change what it was.
06:21I think there may have been a misunderstanding.
06:24I never intended any harm.
06:26I was just having an honest conversation.
06:28And maybe the tone came across differently than I was meant to.
06:31I didn't say anything that was meant to be cruel.
06:33And if she took it that way, then I'm sorry for that.
06:36But I genuinely was trying to help.
06:38Intent and impact are not the same thing.
06:41The impact of your behavior on a prospective student
06:44walking through that door for the first time,
06:47that is what the university is responsible for.
06:50Not what you intended.
06:52What she experienced.
06:55I want to say something, if I may.
06:57I was aware that Will worked at this university.
07:01I knew perfectly well that he was the head of HR.
07:05I made a deliberate choice not to mention it when I came in this morning.
07:09I didn't want my enrollment inquiry smoothed over
07:12because of a personal connection.
07:13I didn't want a different experience than anyone else
07:17walking through that door would have.
07:19I wanted to be treated like a stranger
07:21because to the person at that desk, I was one.
07:24I wanted to know what that looked like.
07:27Now I know.
07:29Jess, your employment with the university is terminated.
07:33Effective immediately.
07:34Please gather your personal belongings and leave the building.
07:37I didn't do anything wrong.
07:44Mom, I am so sorry.
07:46On behalf of this institution, I am sorry.
07:50That should have never, ever happened.
07:53Not to anyone who walks through that door.
07:55No, it shouldn't have.
07:58Hey, it is my honor to welcome you to this university as a student.
08:03Thank you, Will.
08:04But just so you know, you still could have called me, you know.
08:07I could have.
08:08But then I wouldn't have found out what I needed to find out.
08:11And I wouldn't have got to watch that particular conversation unfold.
08:15Fair point.
08:17All right, what are we waiting for?
08:19Let's get you started.
08:21Yeah!
08:24All right, what are we waiting for?
08:28All right, what are we waiting for?
08:29All right, what are we waiting for?
08:29All right, what are we waiting for?
08:29All right, what are we waiting for?
08:29All right, what are we waiting for?
08:30All right, what are we waiting for?
08:30All right, what are we waiting for?
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