May 11, 2026  • By Dennis Beaver

Under what circumstances should university students be allowed to take their final exams before the scheduled date or after? Could a professor who denies a request get into trouble if a student complains?

“Ada” teaches history at a major West Coast university. She phoned our office, worried that two of her students in an online course were going to file a grievance against her.

“Mr. Beaver, I have read you in Kiplinger for years and need your help. My syllabus lists all exam dates and times, along with my policy on rescheduling an exam, which is the same as the university’s.” She included the policy, which states:

With few exceptions, students are not permitted to take any test early or late. Those exceptions include:

Emergencies, including verifiably documented medical issues, deaths

Preapproved university events, including athletics and conferences

Religious observance. Accommodation will be allowed for alternate exam dates if a scheduled exam conflicts with a student’s religious creed. Students should tell me during the first three weeks of class beginning, or as soon as possible after an examination date is announced.

In those events, an alternate exam will be administered, different from the test that all the other students have taken to prevent test questions being leaked to others in the class.

Ada’s syllabus, which legally forms a contract with students, states in bold letters: “Students are required to show up or log in for all tests. Failing to do so without my approval will result in a failing grade.”

A chance to visit Italy

Ada told me, “Two students rushed into my office, without making an appointment, and didn’t ask — rather, they stated that I needed to let them take the final exam early or late, because the family of one had just invited both to accompany them on a trip to Italy.

“I pointed out that the test is online, multiple choice, true/false and, with a cell phone, they could take it, even in Italy. They rejected my explanation, so I encouraged them to sign up for the course next term, as not taking the final would result in a failing grade. They left the office in tears, and I heard them mumbling ‘grievance’ as they walked down the hall.”

Ada added, “As I am a new employee, the last thing I need is a black mark on my record, and I am afraid to tell my department chair, so my thinking is that I will send them a polite letter inviting them to sign up for the class next term if they plan to miss the final. What do you think I should do?”

Do not let yourself get blindsided

In my law practice, I’ve spoken with new and tenured instructors who’ve experienced virtually identical situations and worried about bringing a student’s entitlement issue to the attention of their department chair for fear of looking like a problem employee.

Yet, Ada’s silence could be dangerous, as the students could use the grievance process to extort what they want and embarrass her.

“Talking with your chair now is the correct approach,” I told her. Here’s why:

• This prevents the chair from being blindsided if the students file a grievance and the chair hears about it from the dean instead of from Ada. By just saying, “I want to be certain that I am handling this properly,” she would show herself as a responsible faculty member and that she is being fair to all the other students in the class.

• Sending a letter to the students before alerting the chair means she could inadvertently use language the department might not approve of.

• The chair may agree that she should write to the students, and if so, Ada should ask if there is preferred language she should use. She should also show a draft of the letter to her chair for editing and approval.

Heads, I win; tails, I win

I discussed these issues with grievance personnel at universities around the country, and it became painfully clear that higher education has become a world like Alice in Wonderland’s, where up is down, right is wrong, and entitled students have found a “heads, I win; tails, I win” strategy to coerce higher grades or avoid consequences for academic misconduct, such as plagiarism or failing to show up for a final exam.

All of the people I spoke with agreed that Ada must immediately alert her chair. By doing so, she would thwart any scheme the students might try to force her to cave in to their demands.

One longtime staff member at a Florida university’s grievance office described these students’ justification for rescheduling the exam as “capricious.”

His tone conveyed disgust. (He asked not to be identified so he could speak bluntly.)

“We see this all the time, and you really have to wonder what kind of education at home they get, as so many view threatening instructors with grievances (as a means) to make up for their failings. If they do not log in for the exam online when it is given, I would tell Ada to give them a zero!”

Dennis Beaver Practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers,
which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993,
or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1 – at – Gmail.com.

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June 1, 2026  • By Dennis Beaver

Several months ago, I reviewed Wealth Your Way: A Simple Path to Financial Freedom by Cosmo DeStefano, a financial strategist, retired CPA and fellow Kiplinger.com contributor.

The book’s central idea is that financial freedom is achievable through simple, consistent habits, not just a high income. Building wealth and staying out of financial trouble result when we maintain those habits and behaviors — instead of chasing get-rich schemes.

I’m pleased that sales of Wealth Your Way have been robust. After my article ran, I heard from readers who felt that, with today’s economy and political situation, most people are just not going to ever get ahead.

If you’re feeling that way, what book should be delivered to your door next? I would recommend this antidote to that pessimism: The recently published How to Get Rich in American History: 300 Years of Financial Advice That Worked (& Didn’t) by historian Joseph S. Moore, who teaches American History at Kennesaw State University in Georgia.

When I began reading this book, I just could not put it down. Moore makes America’s financial history jump off of the pages, bringing life to history, placing you right there — when great and terrible things were happening. The stories read like they could be fiction, but they are not.

We learn that speculators and con artists have been present from the beginning days of our country. While failed schemes are depressing, Moore consistently shows that the very essence of the American character is the persistent belief that tomorrow can be better than today.

He is passionate about finance and how it shaped our country and believes that by understanding its history, we will be better able to avoid the investment decisions that harmed so many across three centuries.

I interviewed Moore via Zoom and was left with the feeling that if I were a student at his university, I would take every course he teaches.

The deeper I got into How to Get Rich in American History, the more it became clear this book is the ideal companion to DeStefano’s Wealth Your Way.

Here’s why: Moore explains the origins of American concepts and goals regarding wealth from the earliest years of our country, while DeStephano serves as a GPS guide to achieving financial independence today.

History provides key insights into the present

If anyone thinks there was a time when people never went to bed haunted by debt, certain that the investment they’d made would pay off handsomely, well, Moore pours cold water on that myth.

We have always dreamed of prosperity while being stalked by speculative manias, economic uncertainty on a national level and panic over money — not having enough and seeking a quick fix.

You know the saying, “The more things change, the more they stay the same.”

Moore shows how Americans have dealt with identical temptations generation after generation: Overconfidence, greed, the belief that real estate values always go up (until they don’t) fear and despair during market crashes.

We had the Colonial land speculation, railroad booms, the roaring 1920s. Every era of American history had financial prophets with “you will make a killing” opportunities.

Before the Global Financial Crisis in 2008, Wall Street argued that bundling subprime mortgages into CDOs (collateralized debt obligations) diversified risk. Experts claimed modern financial engineering had ended the boom-and-bust cycle. The mantra was, “This time, it is different.”

We all know what happened after that.

Moore points out that when investors believe “this time, it is different,” logic and clear thinking fly out the window.

Yet, following each crisis, we have found a path to prosperity.

“There is something in our hearts, in our souls, something so positive and unique to America,” Moore told me. “No one has to make America great again — it is and has always been great!”

Especially valuable for younger readers

Many of today’s young adults are living a financial nightmare: A terrible job market, excessive student loan debt and significantly higher prices. Plus, the American dream of owning a home seems shelved for many of them, possibly permanently.

Moore reminds us all that virtually every generation dealt with the unexpected: Frightening economic challenges, depressions, bank runs, recessions, and wars. Yet, we’ve survived them all. We will survive AI, as well.

When it comes to juggling the financial tug-of-war each of us faces going to the supermarket — can we afford this? Do we need it? — DeStefano’s guidance shows us a path out of the darkness by focusing on sound, repeatable financial habits, emotional discipline and long-term planning.

Both authors make a strong case to not fall prey to self-anointed financial gurus making predictions that must be acted on now.

Common sense

Ask any bankruptcy lawyer, “What gets a lot of people in trouble?” They will say that, often, it is a desire to impress neighbors, romantic interests, anyone and everyone with how “successful” they are.

Meanwhile, the expensive cars might be leased, and luxury items might have been bought on credit cards that are maxed out — all is for show.

Both authors make a case that financially successful people understand that more is less. Some of the wealthiest people in the country live in modest homes that they own, drive cars that are paid for and have something that money can indeed buy: A good night’s sleep.

With How to Get Rich in American History and Wealth Your Way on your nightstand, you could be headed for some sweet financial dreams!

Dennis Beaver Practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers,
which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993,
or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1 – at – Gmail.com.

The post These 2 Books Prove That Common Sense Still Wins (and They Could Cure Your Financial Pessimism) appeared first on Dennis Beaver.

June 22, 2026  • By Dennis Beaver

My paralegal let me know I had a call waiting from a woman who teaches broadcast journalism. She wanted to discuss serious issues facing university students who find themselves caught in a trap because of the employment contract they signed when they were hired as a broadcast journalist.

I took the call, from “Rachel,” who first wanted assurance that our conversation would be confidential. After I assured her it would be, she told me that she was calling about employees on the news teams of local TV stations owned by giant corporations “being forced to continue working when they want to quit.

“Viewers have no idea of this abuse, and depending on where you live and which local television stations you watch, often the nice young people — typically in their first job in TV news right after graduation — realize it isn’t for them and don’t want to be there, but they are, practically speaking, forced to continue working or suffer thousands of dollars in penalties.

“One of my former students is going through a serious depression as we speak, mugged financially by management at a television station she wants to leave. “Mr. Beaver, your column is popular in university mass communication departments, and you can do so many young people a great service by writing about this abuse.”

So, how can this happen in today’s America? Two things: Supply-and-demand and a corporate management philosophy among some broadcasters that views their employees as disposable.

It’s not all glamor

If you live in almost any U.S. city with a population of less than 500,000 and watch local television, no doubt you’ve seen a revolving door of new “talent” delivering the news.

Every few months, new faces appear — some are absolute standouts — only to vanish, sometimes within months, for greener pastures. Often, viewers see people who just do not belong on the air. So, why have they been hired?

“There is a very good reason,” Rachel explained. “There is an absolute glut of students majoring in broadcast journalism. When we ask our students why they chose this field, the most common answer comes down to their perception of television news as ‘glamorous.’

“In reality, a broadcast newsroom is often one of the most toxic places in journalism, and sadly, it isn’t until the graduates land jobs that the truth hits some of them.

“There is, in addition, a perception that these people we see on our local news are extremely well paid. So many students see young people like themselves on the news wearing what appears to be expensive clothing and do not realize this is fantasy.”

TV reporters qualifying for food subsidies

How much would you figure is reasonable pay for a new graduate in a local television news department in cities with population of less than 500,000?

“First-job reporters in small markets are paid from $12 to $16 an hour, and many across the country (receive SNAP benefits). The low pay and exploitation in television news would shock viewers if they knew,” Rachel said.

“This is a shrinking industry,” she added, “with massive consolidation, layoffs and contractual traps. Sixty-five percent to 75% of broadcast graduates never enter TV news, and among the 25% to 35% who do, about 50% to 60% leave within two to three years.

“Only about 10% to 15% of broadcast journalism majors stay in TV news long term.”

Reimbursement is required

Rachel sent me several employment contracts that her students have signed with a number of broadcasters. Most of them had this type of a clause:

If you quit before the expiration of your contract, we have the right to recover from you up to one half of your last six months compensation to reimburse us for publicizing you as a team member, training, clothing allowance and much more.

It isn’t rocket science. From what I have seen, the repayment amounts are not tied to actual costs or a justifiable estimate of damages, and the intent appears to be to punish the employee for quitting, plain and simple.

Many of these provisions are unconscionable.

States have differing laws in the area

In California, it is illegal to require repayment of wages, and virtually none of this is legal, but that is not the case in several other states where employer rights dominate.

The effect of this language is clear: It restricts employee mobility and violates public policy in some jurisdictions.

As far back as 1911, in Bailey v. Alabama, the Supreme Court struck down a law that criminalized quitting after receiving an advance, holding that, “You cannot force someone to work or punish them for quitting in a way that effectively forces them to stay.”

The court said this created a system of involuntary servitude, which, as we all know, was outlawed with slavery in 1865 when the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified.

My recommendation

When offered a job and handed an employment contract, any broadcast journalism graduate — or anyone — needs to schedule a consultation with a labor and employment attorney who represents employees.

Don’t just sign the contract!

Often, employers will include language in employment contracts that they know is not enforceable, hoping that, out of an applicant’s desperation to get a job, they will sign anything.

For several years, I was an “action reporter” in local television and enjoyed the experience, but I know too many people who grew tired of being nomads, going from city to city every two to three years, station to station, discovering it wasn’t what they’d ever expected. They opted for a more normal life with family, kids, a promise of tomorrow and a real home. 

Dennis Beaver Practices law in Bakersfield and welcomes comments and questions from readers,
which may be faxed to (661) 323-7993,
or e-mailed to Lagombeaver1 – at – Gmail.com.

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