Fifteen minutes into the 10:30 a.m. section of CMST 4112 on Wednesday, students received an email from professor Loretta Pecchioni informing them that “basically everyone is getting an F in the class,” and the class would be canceled for the rest of the semester “due to poor attendance and preparation.” 

“If you needed this class to graduate, too bad,” Pecchioni, associate professor and graduate director of communication studies, wrote in the email.

On Wednesday evening, Pecchioni said the situation had passed.

“In my opinion, the incident is resolved,” she wrote in an email to The Daily Reveille. “I had a very productive conversation with the students who were in attendance in class today. I hope whoever approached [The Daily Reveille] read the second email that was sent shortly after the first, indicating that the problem as a class has been resolved.”

Pecchioni did not return phone calls.

One communication studies senior, whose name The Daily Reveille agreed to withhold, said she was on her way to class when another classmate called to inform her that their professor had an outburst, directing her frustration at students and allegedly cursing at them. Students said Pecchioni then left class and proceeded to send the students an email at 10:45 a.m., directly after the outburst.

About an hour after the initial email was sent, students received another email with the subject “be thankful,” in which Pecchinoi wrote, “For the 11 people who were in class this morning and were willing to talk me down. Our class will continue as planned.”

The student said Pecchioni was upset about poor attendance in her 28-person class. 

“We don’t sign a roll in this class. Attendance is not required on the syllabus, which is a contract, and unfortunately that affects the class size,” she added.

The student said she has contacted Student Government, who referred her to Debra Joseph, assistant to the dean, and was transferred to Jennie Stewart, the assistant dean of students and the associate director of C.A.R.E. for Student Advocacy and Accountability. She left a voicemail.

“You don’t know who to approach when your teacher does something like that,” the student said.

She said she reported the incident because she was concerned about her future in the class as well as the professor’s professional conduct in future classes.

“It ruined the professional idea I had of her when she cursed out the class,” she said. “What if the same thing happens again, but worse?”

Several other students in the class declined to comment because they were worried about their grades.