Cheney, Charise  

Ethnic Studies

2.68/4.00

77 evaluations


ES 101


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Dec 2006
Not even teaching here anymore, why the fuck is she still listed?

ES 110


Freshman
A
General Ed
Feb 2000
This is one of the best classes that I have ever taken. The teacher is young and very fun. She gives you a chance to speak your opinions. You do have to write an essay but it is easy and you get ample time to do it. You should seriously take her. I comletely recomend her.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Mar 2000
Dr. Cheney seems to be a professor set in her beliefs, if you disagree with her she will let you talk in class but will try to make you look wrong. Her tests can be hard unless your good at remembering details in readings. She seemed to take pride when only 3 people got A's on the midterm. It just depends on if your Personality conflicts with hers. I would recommend taking another teacher for the USCP requirement.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Mar 2000
I seriously loved this lady!!!!!!!!!! She was a really good teacher that gave you a great perspective in the subject area. Her lecture is easy to listen to and she is a fair grader. If you attend class daily, without missing one day, your grade will increase dramatically for 25% of your grade is attendance. Again, I can't tell you how much you should take her.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Mar 2000
Dr. Cheney is good at presenting the material for ethnic studies, but doesn't draw too much from exterior disciplines that actually effect the social, political, and economical perceptions of discrimination. I recommend her only if you plan on actually being some what interested in the subject. Otherwise, her teaching will be a pain in the ass. If you like ethnic studies, you'll like Cheney--I promise.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Apr 2000
I found the class painfull because she talks as if heterosexism is bad. Also she has a very strict attendance policy.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jun 2000
I actually enjoyed Dr. Cheney's class more that I thought I would. Ethnic Studies is not an area I'm interested in but having a young professor who is dedicated to the subject made the class more compelling. However, her tests are a bit difficult and her attendance policy is too strict. Also, if you take this class be prepared for a teacher knows a lot about her subject and is willing to debate anyone who challenges her in class.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jun 2000
Did you know that only white people can be racist? Did you know that heterosexism has been socially constructed by our male-dominated society to create a feeding ground for patriarchy? To learn more cool facts about the poor, underappreciated black community, come to Dr. Chaney's ES 110 class! Dr. Chaney is the most racist professor I have yet encountered at Poly. She will force her black supremecist, feminist view on you, and penilize you if you odn't accept them. If you attempt to question her viewes in class, she will summon her henchwomen to back her up and shut you up. Regarding her lectures: she apparently has everything typed up and constatly reads rrreeeeaaallll slow and repeats stuff over and over. Remember when your speech professor told you not to read from your notes? This is exactly why. Your grade is made up of 4 equal parts: a paper, a midterm, a final, and attendence. She also allows you to go to university functions that pertain to ES and she gives you a 1% raise is your final grade for each oyu attend.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jun 2000
This woman in absolutely AMAZING! The best teacher I've had at Cal Poly, in any subject. She's funny, interesting, and absolutely brilliant. Dr. Cheney is a highly educated woman who has the facts to back up her theories, so be prepared to have your ideas challenged. The only people that don't like her class are racists and homophobes. This course opened my mind so much, and changed my perspective on many issues. We are lucky to have her at Cal Poly.


Junior
B
Elective
Jun 2000
This lady was just so much fun! And the grading is very fair. 1/4 of your grade is attendance, 1/4 is the midterm, 1/4 is the final, and 1/4 is a three-page essay. The midterm and final are both very short (you can finish in about 15 minutes). I'd recommend her to anybody!


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jun 2000
Dr. Cheney knows that she's talking about, and her lectures demonstrate that. She's very organized, and she always leaves enough class time for discussion. Often, she will start class with a little story about her weekend or something to make everyone laugh. I really looked forward to attending her class.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Jul 2000
How to explain Dr. Cheney's class...let's see, off topic discussions are the norm, rather then the exception (a debate on whether Callista Flockhart is anorexic, anyone?), her lectures are drier then sin (*please* teach her how to lecture, reading off a paper is *not* a lecture and shows a lack of prep work on her part), and she gives you a ton of readings to do (and discuss) although only two or three will show up on the first midterm (8 weeks in) and on the final, even then the questions are generally very shallow. Like someone mentioned, she does seem to prefer kids doing just okay (she made a mistake grading one guys paper and marked him off when she was using it to go through the right answers!!) and she doesn't give any feedback on the essay (I'm sorry but "interesting topic" doesn't give me any clue as to what was weak about the essay!). Like previously mentioned her attendence policy is very strict (One free absence, then it starts affecting your attendance grade (1/4 total) unless it's excused (Yes, you need a note from your doctor!) and she doesn't believe in cancelling class if she has to be out of state--she sends in a sub. While Dr. Cheney is a very nice woman and to some extent I enjoyed myself, I found that very little of the class time was actually spent on ES topics (what relevance does being a "fashonista" have to do w/ anything?), her preaching does get to be a bit much and I really could have better spent the time elsewhere (Several of us spent time b4 class bitching about how pointless it felt--many days I didn't have anything to take notes *on*). My reccomendation: if you still need USCP, consider taking ES 210 or something else. ES 110 is a fairly amusing, but fairly pointless class.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Aug 2000
She is great! She is one of the best teachers I've had in a long time. She's very enrgetic and friendly. She's not only open to hear everyone's opinions but greatly encourages class discussion. It was a subject I had never really thought about and now it has opened up so many different perpectives for me. Take the class, you'll enjoy it no matter wether you're black or white or even just a average cal poly student trying to complete your GEs.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Nov 2000
This was a really benefical class. Attendance is key, but the material is presented very well. She totally goes over what is needed for the tests and they are not terribly hard.


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Jan 2001
Cheney is rad!! Attendance is key in this class, so make sure you plan on showing up. Her tests are definitely doable as long as you do some studying the night before. =) She offers extra credit opportunities to her students and i would definitely suggest taking them if you can make them since they are a great way to grab a few extra points. Overall I think if you consider yourself to be open minded and willing to listen and learn about issues that are important to our society, take her class. Believe me, i'm a slacker, but I really enjoyed doing the work for this class.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Jan 2001
Racist. It's her way or the highway. Proceed with caution. Try out the class for a week or two, but have a back-up secure because you'll either like her or you will think she is the biggest racist on campus.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Jan 2001
Dr. Cheney is tight ... She's very individualized, very informative, etc. She's makes a BORING class fun. ES 110 was fairly interesting -- this is something I never thought I would say. FOR SURE you have to take her!! HER TESTS SUCK!!!!!!!!!!!!! So concentrate on participation and the paper (and EC too).


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Jan 2001
Did you guys know that, and I quote, "Until you take a stand to stop racism, and until YOU HAVE ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE OPRESSION OF THE MINORITIES you are racist." In addition to that, ONLY WHITE PEOPLE CAN BE RACIST!! This is what you will learn from taking her class. Ironic, since Dr. Cheney herself is a complete racist.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Feb 2001
Its a fun class. She is interested in the subject which makes you intersted. She is a very hip teacher. Midterm and final both take home essays.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Feb 2001
Dr. Cheney is a very well educated professor. She knows what she's talking about. She comes to class prepared and everytime provides us with an imformative lecture, BUT she only sees things from her perspective. She won't take your ideas about race or racism anywhere. She believes that what she teaches is true and the only answer to the problem at hand. So if you want a teacher that will provide you with a lot of interesting information, go a head and take her class HONESTLY! But if you are a person with opinions and likes to be heard then I suggest you don't because if you do have an opinion that goes against anything that she believes is true then get ready for an "UMMMM, NO!" thrown at you. She expects you to learn what she has to teach and to agree with her, she aks for your opinion only to reject it. So have fun with her if you do decide to take her class and remember that "Diversity creates Racism!" 54


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Mar 2001
A TOTAL SEXIST BITCH!!!


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Apr 2001
Lets just say, Dr. Cheney is a very nice lady. I think she really does mean well. However, a lot of her views and definitions contrasted to my beliefs and the beliefs of many of my peers. First of all Doc, you really need to learn how to lecture. Many of your lectures were interesting when you go the class involved, but then there were other times where you read STRAIGHT OFF THE OVERHEAD...that is pretty boring for everyone. I really was bothered that Dr. Cheney would ask for opinions and then if she didnt agree with your opinion she'd give an..."Uh...No". Cheney is a real educated woman, I was real impressed by her knowledge of the topic...She really doesnt know how to test though, she gives True False questions on her exams that are very debatable...One other problem I had with her was her CLEAR bias towards females in the class...You'll learn about Ethnic Studies, but you'll either think she's hip and a great professor or you'll lean towards my feelings about her--she's a very closed minded.


5th Year Senior
B
Required (Support)
Apr 2001
Dr Cheney is a "hip and cool" professor. Young, cute, and funny. First impressions are that she's going to be real fun to have class with. She comes across as being well educated and intelligent, which i believe she is. I think one difficulty I had was that alot of her reasoning can be circular (using her own definitions to back up her conclusions), which makes things a little difficult if you consider the validity of alot of her claims from a logical perspective. It could be said that she can be a little down on the poor old white folk and especially men. I think from a freshmen's view though she's probably awesome, alot better than most of the high school professors they've had.


Junior
A
General Ed
Jun 2001
Take Cheney if you can. She is an energetic and spunky professor. She makes class so interesting that the hour and a half flies by. Class disscussions are interesting and eye-opening. Tests can be tricky. She has multiple choice, short answer, matching, true/false. But if you go to class, take good notes, study and participate in class you will do well. One of the best classes I've taken at Poly.


Junior
B
Elective
Nov 2001
Dr. Cheney is really not that bad. Nevermind yes she is. Her class should be titled "black studies with a heavy feminist bias." She holds the view that only white people can be racist since they are the majority. She also tries too hard to represent as a "sister" and looks down at the white kids because they can't possibly have had any experience dealing with black people. Her favorite TV show is Felicity and she went to Northwestern. I would guess that the majority of the class has had more interaction with minorities than she. Her arguments do not make much sense. Arguing with Cheney would be like arguing with Tony Robins. You dont quite know what the hell they are talking about, but you know they are full of shit.


Freshman
B
General Ed
Jan 2002
The most controversial and stirring class I have ever encountered. Not a great teacher by any means...quite racist...quite sexist...quite annoying as all hell...but all hell broke out in my class a couple of times and it was worth it being there. Take this class with friends and youll have a good time. Not a hard class. Tests are tough, but you can get a B with minimum effort and minimal reading. She doesn't teach a god damn thing, she preaches it. Frigin pop cultural professor...ask her about destiny;s child or britney spears and youll waste a whole class discussing crap.


Junior
A
Elective
Apr 2002
I guess that I would have to describe this class as a worthwhile experience. As a white woman, I needed to be educated. I learned that Blacks can never be racists. That Black women are superior to every other creature on God's green earth, etc.. I guess that political correctness dominates academics. But I seriously wonder why Cheney gets any reconition as a scholar or educator. I did well in the course because there are no standards for grading. She is the most bigotted person I have ever met. But if you kow tow to her, you will get your "A".I have to get nearly all A's for my support at Poly. I felt totalliy humiliated by all the kowtowing I did. Someday, when America grows up at gets past this necessity of paying people like Cheney to humiliate peoplew like me, I am going to suer her and the State of California for all the damage this has done to my self image. I am not joking. This course was like a friend of mine who told me about her experience being gang raped in Oakland.

ES 112


Freshman
N/A
General Ed
May 2003
I truly enjoyed Dr. Cheney's class. I would normally fall asleep in a class like ethnic studies, but I always wanted to hear what she had to say. She was very vibrant and funny. I'll admit she is strongly opinionated, but she backs it up. Just have an open mind. Our country isn't perfect, believe it or not. Also, definitely go to class, study for the midterm and final and you'll do fine, the paper is a cool and easy assignment. I feel like a learned a ton about myself and the class made me grow as a person. I strongly recommend her. She rocks!


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jun 2003
Cheney's class was interesting. She can be condesending sometimes, but for the most part she was really nice, funny, and helpful. There are two tests based on the readings and lecture, a group project, and an individual paper. She grades moderately easy and allows for 5 percent extra credit (DO IT!!! IT'S EASY- if you have an 85% in the class it will be bumped up to 90%). Go to class everyday and pay attention. I did less than half of the readings and got an A-. All you really need to do is pay attention in class. She only tests on what she goes over. Doing the readings makes the class more interesting and educational though. Good luck. It's an experience that's for sure.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Nov 2003
She is 100% racist and if your not one of her pets in class then you can forget any kind of good grade. Avoid having her as your professor at all costs, no matter what do not take her, i promise you will regret it.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Nov 2003
Professor Cheney is a smart lady and the class is worth taking. There are a lot of extra credit opportunities and she always tries to clarify things that are not understood by the students. She only gives 2 midterms and 2 papers. One of the papers is written in a small group. I learned a lot more than I thought I would, and when I left I had a better understanding of other races. She always has to be right, but that's ok because she knows what she's talking about. I would take the class over again.


Junior
N/A
General Ed
Dec 2003
-Typical day with Cheney- Ohh, so class wanna hear about my awesome trip to some foreign land? Well I don't care if you don't, I'm going to spend 30 minutes of classtime to tell you about how I would like to bang Mos Def and about my shopping spree in Paris. And then when I'm done with that tangent, I'll pop in a movie, walk out the door, and let you waste the 75 bucks that you are paying for this college course to be "Educated" about some dragon lady actor. And then, with the leftover minutes we will have a riveting discussion on the ways in which race, class, and gender oppress minorities in the United States. And most of the students in the class will sit back and doodle while she lectures about information that everyone is aware of (Hint: US History). Here's some advice for her. Instead talk about what we can do about the situation of prejudice and racism, instead of babbling on and on about the problems this society faces when we marginalize people. And of course, if you take this class you are almost guaranteed to have some ignorant pricks speaking about how it racism isn't really the problem. Please. Although, the females in the class will be thoroughly impressed with Dr. Charise Cheney's attire, I found it particularly disturbing that she came to class sporting camouflage pants and a form fitting shirt that forced out the rolls of her belly. ewww. In a very unprofessional and this is not verbatim, she referred to students who don't take advantage of the easy 5 points of extra credit as "@ssholes". She seems to also give off an very indirect aura of sexism, that although I did not feel hindered by, it clearly affected the mood of the classroom. Also, worth mentioning is her unfaltering references on how she has a PhD and is so special and elitist. This makes me want to puke. She also is never wrong. If an individual speaks out with a different opinion she haughtily shoots down their argument with ad hominems and the like. A downright atrocious teacher, who informs the willing through her own objectives and awful, uninspiring readings.


Senior
B
General Ed
Dec 2003
First off, this class is not even over yet, and I've already got to let you guys know what you are in for if you take any course with Cheney. ES 112 was an absolute joke. Professor Cheney is on some "I'm black, I've been persecuted," pansophical power trip! It amuses me how much of a waste this class was... Like the evaluation before this one, If you like spending 4+ hours a week watching films, discussing asinine "literature", and listening to her pathetic digressions on her personal life then you will love this class! The fact that Dr. Cheney was honored with Mustang Daily's Teacher of the Year Award ASTOUNDS me! I mean either someone screwed with the votes, or the majority of the students at this school are really using half their brain. I will also like to mention that she is one of most pathetic lecturers I have had the "pleasure" of dealing with in my four years here at Poly. There were numerous time in class where she couldn't elucidate on the material because she simply didn't know it. She relies on reading off the overhead to teach her students. Damn, one time she even said something to the effect of, "Preparing lectures are one of my lowest priorities". It really shows. Don't take this class unless you have to for your major (God Forbid). There are so many better Profs. here that can really teach you something.


Freshman
B
Elective
Dec 2003
Let's just say Dr. Cheney is AMAZING...her lectures are some of the most interesting that I've ever heard, and I truly looked forward to every class period. The readings she gives are a little dry, but her test are very fair, and she has an awesome extra credit policy. I learned a TON from this class, and I would recommend Dr. Cheney to anyone.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Dec 2003
Ok. Dr. Cheney was my favorite prof. this quarter and I always looked forward to going to her class. There are 2 tests and 2 essays. She graded pretty easily on the essays and the tests were also fair. You don't have to do all the readings, but pay attention and know which ones to read because the final was crazy cause I didn't read any of the post-midterm readings! And don't worry about all these people who are freaking out because they think Dr. Cheney is racist and sexist...i don't know about them. She may favor the girls a little, and she is proud to be a black woman, but she does listen to the students who are honest and want to learn and she responds in ways that are beneficial to the whole class in the context of the lecture. She makes offhanded remarks sometimes, but overall I think it made the class more fun! I went in thinking I would hate the class SO much, but Dr. Cheney made it so interesting and I think everyone should take a class from her. She is a captivating speaker and she presented new information that evoked new ideas and old information in ways that showed me another perspective. Don't listen to the people who can't get over a few minor points in the class. I think they just need to relax.


Freshman
C
General Ed
Jan 2004
Listen up, because I'll give you both sides of the story. It is simple to get a B in her class. 2 Essays and 2 midterms is literally all it is. You should do the extra credits if you don't have a life or you're really passionate about Ethnic Studies. She does talk a lot about herself... she's very narcissistic though I'll have to honestly say. I mean I think I involuntarily know more about her personal life than my sister's. She makes herself look like queen of the world and we're all her little slaves. For example, she really did brag about how she's going to Paris and Puerto Rico... one of those trips is the reason why she didn't make it to one of our midterms... what if we had questions before the test??? She doesn't care... she's with Ja Rule... (which by the way... she TOTALLY wanted to go over to the otherside of the pool and talk to him)... Cheney, I know you read this... don't play it cool like you didn't.... She acts like a teenager sometimes and she's obnoxious like a thirteen year old. She talks about shopping and whatever a lot too... and then talks about the cruel world of racism... there's something really fucked up about that. But on the brighter side... unless your're a republican you can't say you didn't learn a lot of concepts from her... most white people do need to be educated lets just admit it... but maybe she can get her points across being a little more subtle... the thing that really made me angry is her lack of concentration on all ethniticities... I learned almost nothing about native american, asians, jewish ppl.. whatever... I just learned a LOT about her ethniticiy, African American.... and a little about mexicans and chicanos.... She takes this class so personally.... and I know she has her phd in african american studies.. but hello this is ETHNIC studies... I don't think she is passionate at all in ethnic studies... she just knows a lot of concepts and stuff... she doesn't ask us mind-boggling questions she spoon feeds us answers.... so we really don't do any thinking... she's always right.... but her midterms aren't that hard.. go to class the day before the midterm and play the game... a lot of questions from the game is on the midterm... and yes be her little boy toy or her little pet... because she'll really like you then... oh yea, she makes fun of SLO a lot too... it puzzles me why she just doesn't move to a city...?


Freshman
B
General Ed
May 2004
She is very liberal, if you are conservative, shut up or she'll cut you off at the knees. Your opinion, if not synonomous to hers, will make your grade suffer. You must attend class. No need to buy a textbook (plus), but she gets about half of the info covered in class from journals. What I learned in the class is that any minority is and has forever been pursicuited to obsurdity, if you are white upper middle class, you are automatically stigmatized with a racist standpoint. But other than that, she is fine.


Senior
N/A
General Ed
Jun 2004
I find Prof. Cheney's lectures to be more about socializing and entertaining the class then getting the lecture material across. She will spend the first half hour discussing game scores, people's outfits and other nonsense. Each class lecture is 2 hours long and most days you will spend an hour fifteen minutes watching movies, listening to the class blabber about nothing, or going over the same definition a hundred times. The whole quarters material could be covered in two and a half weeks easy, especially since most if not all of it comes from the readings you do at home. THEN, after breifly discussing what the class got out of the readings in class you take a midterm where you are supposed to remember the smallest, weirdest, details out of the readings. Cheney is annoying, overdressed and one big power trip.


Junior
B
General Ed
Jun 2004
Wow! i don't understand how this professor could get such a bad rating...the rating below mine complains pretty much about all the things i loved about her...she would take the time to talk to her students and not just slap an overhead on the screen and let us copy the notes. I truly feel educated and more intelligent taking her class, a feeling i have not had after alot of Cal Poly classes. Her opinionated style of teaching was very refreshing and her tangents made the 2 hour lectures way easier to get through. Now i do have a couple negatives...the midterms were a little picky, and the movies were a struggle to watch. But the midterm reviews were the shit! Dr. Cheney is very proud of her inteligence, so as long as you aren't making an ignorant comment you should be fine (remember "PHD no BA") ...its a shame the upper class white students felt they weren't being treated as fair (aw boo hoo no knapsack in class), but that's what dr. cheney's class did...it brought a dose of much needed reality to a closed minded Cal Poly campus...So if you feel like taking a class where you are actually being educated take ES 112 w/ Dr. Cheney...Back corner was the shit! GO WARRIORS!


5th Year Senior
B
General Ed
Jun 2004
Wow there are more closed minded people at this school than I thought. Dr. Cheney is a great teacher. I always wanted to go to college so I could learn more about what was out there in the world, but instead I came to Poly and am surrounded by people like me and don't get to meet people from diverse backgrounds. Dr. Cheney's class was one of the few things that happened to me in college that actually opened my eyes and allowed me learn more about myself and the world around me. Everyone should be have to take this class with Dr. Cheney because people can start to learn what the world is really like(Not a white upper-middle class dreamworld). It's all about the back corner crew baby!


Freshman
C
General Ed
Aug 2004
Unless your hip and pop and fresh stay away from hot water. She is a terrible teacher with an accent on the u haul. the lectures divated into the relm of abusurd featuring hair syles and how to be black in public. Usless application in real life as especiall if you were not blessed an ethnic minoriy. do the extra crdit because the class average will be a D. dont worry they won't lose her do the the extream policcal nonsence that you will hear in her class and the school system. Please stay away or ingnore me and join in the stories.


Freshman
C
General Ed
Aug 2004
honestly, i could not stand going to this class. although cheney presents the material with clarity and interest, she has little to no compassion for the students. this is NOT good because only three things go onto your grade: the midterm, the final, and a paper. the tests are HARD. there is a lot of information to absorb, and she expects you to know even the smallest of details. she doenst curve either. this amazed me because in my class there was only one A on the midterm and the average was around a 70 percent. the paper is not so bad, but it is not enough to make up for the rest of your grade. so unless you like to do a LOT of reading and are pretty good at remembering all of it, this is not the professor for you. (TO HER CREDIT, i DID learn a LOT in this class, so if you dont care about grades, by all means take cheney. she is a very interesting professor and she will force you to see things in different ways)


Junior
N/A
General Ed
Nov 2004
The class is great, I recommend it for everyone, she helps you to open your mind to the life that other racial groups have had to deal with and causes you to think about more than just what you think you know. The only problem is that you only have three graded items and then some participation. You have the midterm, the final, and 1 paper, if you do bad on one then you have to watchout and hope that you can ace the other two. The review for the tests is fun, it's a competition in the class between two teams, whoever wins gets 5% added to their test.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jan 2005
Dr. Cheney is an incredible teacher...I learned more in the short time I was in her class than I ever thought possible for so brief a quarter. I felt that my eyes were literally opened to things I knew nothing about. TAKE DR. CHENEY!!! She keeps the class very interesting and fun by moving quickly (though not too fast)and you learn alot. There is reading, but not an overwhelming amount, and she mostly covers in her lecture what it is she wanted you to glean from the reading anyway. Her midterm and final are difficult and detailed, but the 5% extra credit she allows and the extra credit jeapordy-style review before both tests really helps. The final is not cumulative. She plays a few movies that are rather dull, but well worth the boring viewing to take this most excellent class... I LOVED the class and Dr. Cheney...and HIGHLY recommend it.


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jan 2005
Dr. Cheney was awesome! I went into the class not knowing what to expect and thinking I would dislike it. What I found, however, was that it was an incredible class and she was a great teacher. I learned more than I expected and loved going to the class. The discussions are interesting and she presents ideas that I never would have considered. Though she is liberal minded, I strongly recomend even conservatives to take the class because it allows you to see other ways of thinking. TAKE THIS CLASS!


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jan 2005
Being fairly conservative, i was expecting (from other polyratings stating that if you're not liberal she wont like you) that this class would be difficult. the fact is that these previous accusations are not true. if you are an open minded individual you will have no problem whatsoever with dr. cheney's teaching style. she is a funny lady, and she likes to joke around with her students. i found the class to be extrememly entertaining, and not too difficult. the first half of the quarter is a lot of notes, and the grade is based on two midterms and a paper (and participation in class). but for the most part, this class is fun and infromative and i would definitly recomend taking this class!!!!!


Freshman
B
General Ed
Jan 2005
She is a bomb teacher. Even though I did not get an A in her class, I should have. You just have to study a little for her tests. Be sure to study a little on the things you dont think you need to know. Because are the ones you will be tested on. The reason her class is so cool is because she doesnt make it boring. I thought the class would be a bore originally, but she made it out to be my favorite class all quarter. Everyone should take her. Oh yeah and be sure not to take anything personally. She is not trying to attack you in any way, she is just stating history.


Sophomore
C
General Ed
May 2005
Okay so i had to suck up and take a 7am class and i was expecting to fall asleep in it every day. Little did i know that dr. cheney would have enough energy and charisma to keep all of us not only awake, but interested in the lecture. She was by far one of the most entertaining teachers ive ever had at poly. She makes you laugh almost all class long. She is very strong in her opinions yet she is still open to hearing what you have to say even if she doesn't agree with it. The class isn't hard. Two tests and a paper. I did about half the readings for the first test, but i attended class almost everyday. I think if you do one or the other you will be alright. I think everyone should take her class because she makes you look at things from a different perspective. She is an awesome lady, i know you will enjoy her.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Jul 2005
Wow, nothing like watching students talk about what an EYE OPENING EXPERIENCE looking at a black teacher is. She is a "doctor" of her own culture, so koodos to her. If you grew up in a monolithic white suberb somewhere and wanted to attend college in order to see a brave new world you will love this course, as finally you get to experience the wild side of an ethnic divide. For anyone familier with states other than california look like, you will hate it. When a open eyed student raises there hand and asked about why all people were opressed and the evils of pulling indians over just for being indians. she does where hip hop cloths though, and has high engery so congrats to all of you who wanted to see ethnicity in action. ps- you won't learn real information about ethinic groups so please dont mistake "cindy" who got her eyes opened by listening to a story about nelly serioulsy


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jul 2005
Dr. Cheney is absolutely amazing! All students should take advantage of the opportunity to have this woman as a professor. The course is a real eye opener and everyone can learn something from it. She is a very educated, motivated, powerful instructor. Her lectures are very interesting, you won't have too much trouble paying attention for 2 hours. Her tests really aren't too bad if you pay attention in class, do your reading and study. Definitely take her Ethnic Studies course its a MUST!


Sophomore
A
General Ed
Sep 2005
WHAT A BOMB COOL ASS TEACH. I NEVER HAS SUCH A GOOD TIME IN MY lIFE. BEFORE I WAS LIEK MTV AND WHIT PEOPLE. AFTER THis clas THOUGH I WAS LIKE BLACK POEPLE O THE EXTREAAAMM. PEOPLE GET SOOO TAN juST SO THEY CAN ACT BLACK. WOSER PODDLE. I MEAN HECK YEA WHO EVER SAID NOT BECOME A REAL DOC bt being called one was fun. they said it not me. get relgious real fast and EXperince cultural diversity! EVerything is about teh lvoe thats why tidal waves and flood hit us. Thanks for opening my eyes to real cool toons and why everyone loves ducktales. HEY TEENS GROW UP idoits, and find truth in what happens around you when you take a dump. hohohohhoh


Sophomore
C
General Ed
Mar 2006
Dr. Cheney talks too much about irrelevant topics. I found that because she talks a lot about nothing, I lost my interest and focus for this class. If you want to take a professor that thinks she's so great and puts on a good show, then you should take her. But if you don't want to waste your time, avoid taking her class.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Aug 2006
i am a very open minded person. So opened minded in fact I will accept anything shovled into my head or told to me over the telephone. I have never seen other cultures before so I am unable to discern fact from fiction, and now know that wearing fubu after hours is always cool. I also did not know that becoming tan was a rebellion against my whiter skinned parents. Did you know that there Tipu Tip was actually white?


Freshman
B
Required (Support)
Sep 2006
I know this is a kinda late evaluation, but I was walking to work today and ran into a pole. Its a great class to test other people IQ. If people think critically than chances are they will dissagree with her opinion based teaching. If they don't or can't think at all they will generally describe themselves as "open minded." Take your first date to this class and if they being to laugh, get an immeddiate divorce. Charles Barkely would make a great teacher too because he speaks his mind and has strong feeling about his own culture. CONGRATS POLY. keep up the good work in bullhorsing students to death with representives from respective affermative action law suits.


Freshman
C
General Ed
Nov 2006
She scared the heck out of me. She would pick on random students to answer questions from the lecture or the book, if you don't know it...she'll just put you on the spot and you'll look like an idiot. But you know what...I totally enjoyed her ES class. She's very straightfoward with everything. Great teacher. Just don't try to go against her...other than that, she's cool. It's a shame she left to New York.


Senior
B
General Ed
Feb 2007
Dont listen to these liberals, most racist teacher of white people. If you are white dont take this class.

HNRS 112


Freshman
A
General Ed
Jan 2004
Dr. Cheney is a wonderful teacher that will teach you vast amounts of knowledge if you listen and take notes on whatever she says. The most difficult thing about her class is the reading - there is lots of it. But beyond the reading the class is great and be certain to participate, this helps you remember the information. And if you are at all uncertain about your grade, there are plenty of extra credit opportunities throughout the quarter to help you increase your grade.

ES 201


Sophomore
N/A
Elective
Mar 2005
dr. cheney is really nice..the only bad thing is i had her class at 7 in the morning..and apparently i'm no good at 7am classes. you don't have much to bring your grade up..you have 1 midterm, 1 paper, and the final. but you can do up to 5% ec. you HAVE to read the articles though..that will get you through the test. the only think i didn't like about her class was that she doesn't use blackboard or anything..you are simply just taking notes on what she says. so i didn't know what to expect from her tests, and how much she wanted me to write down. and, if you miss class you're basically screwed. she's a nice lady and tries to keep the class as upbeat as possible, but just make sure you go to class and READ!!!

ES 212


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Feb 2004
SHE IS THE BEST TEACHER AT CAL POLY. She not only teaches class in a way anyone can understand she also makes it fun. She is the reason I am now minoring in E.S. I took her my first quarter here, and was so excited to have a teachers as cool and down to earth as she is. On top of that she is probably one of the most intellegent people I have ever met. The only reason I did not recieve an A is because I did not do all the extra credit assignments. Go into this class with an open mind, and a willingness to participate. If no one talks the class can seem kind of boring. It really makes you look at life differently. I just love feeling like I am actually learning something in a class.

WGS 301


5th Year Senior
C
Required (Major)
Nov 2016
Missed the first day, went to the second day. Went to the midterm. Went to the Final. Three days of class total. I got a B, easy. This kind of shit gives our school a bad name.

ES 302


Junior
N/A
Elective
Aug 2006
Dr. Cheney was engaging with her class even if most of them remained unresponsive unless called on. This class should be required of everyone, especially those people who have been raised in places lacking diversity.

ES 320


Junior
B
General Ed
Mar 2001
Dr. Cheney is an outstanding professor. I can't understand why people think she is a racist. This class is clearly not the regular eurocentric ethnic study class you take in high school or other GE classes. Her lectures are never boring and she makes the subject very interesting. However, attendance is 25% of your grade.


Junior
B
General Ed
Dec 2002
Cheney is great! We had such a fun class! Almost very class we just talked about different issue associated with race. Everyone participated in class a lot and it helped out. She is definitely a cool person and is a great instructor. The only thing is she doesn't make much of an effort to help students when they have questions about essay's or things not in the classroom. She doesn't make herself very available. And she's kind of intimidating! We had 2 take home essay exams and 1 research paper (7-10 pages). A good amount of reading but it's interesting! Definitely recommended!


Junior
B
General Ed
Mar 2003
This was a weird class. I really didn't feel like I learned anything. I just got the other side of the picture, the way that some African Americans look at whites instead of the view that we get from the media. Cheney was somewhat friendly to all of her students, but it really seemed like she hates "whitey." She doesn't seem to care too much about her job and showed up late almost every day. The readings we had were hard to read and were complete crap. I didn't enjoy the class and I'm glad it's over with. Take somebody else if you get the chance.


Senior
N/A
Required (Support)
Mar 2004
I think that the only students that wouldn't like Dr. Cheney are the close-minded, hard-headed, Bush(pres)-loving republican types. She may be "set in her ways," but if a person doesn't understand the way she uses sarcasm and irony in her teaching style, then they have a serious problem, because Cheney isn't sexist or racist. She comes off that way to people who ARE intolerant of the views of others, and who don't like to feel they are being criticized for prescribing to the white, male-centered society we live in. She presents her students a reality that alludes them, and in a way that is clear, fair, and undeniably fascinating. Her side comments while teaching are generally pertinent to the topic because, hello, she is black, and has first hand experience in the problematic ways that black people are treated. So, if you are interested in learning about a great topic, and finding out more about yourself, take this class.


Junior
B
General Ed
Dec 2004
Dr. Cheney is awesome, by far best class i have taken at Poly. She is very knowledgable about this subject and is really passionate. THis class was cool because we watched several movies, and spent most of class time debating and talking about other things not related to the course. This class has zero work load except for a take home midterm, final, and term paper (which a rap can be done instead), there are readings she assigns, but honestly i never did one, only a few people did them and she really didnt care. Everyone should take DR. Cheney if they get a chance, she is a great teacher, and i learned a lot in this class and really enjoyed it.


Senior
N/A
Elective
Jan 2005
figures that poeple at calpoly would have narrowminded comments about a class that teachs ethnic diversity. this Lady, Women, Professor is one of the greatest ive had at this oh so fun nondiverse school. since i have actually been raised with a diverse attitude i can understand various points and discussions. yes those narrow minded folks who can't comprehend or understand their "non-racial" attitudes but still classify people with racial and ethnic overtones wont like this class. btu she teaches the material and you learn many things. even if the class is 98% white. You can get through life with out this class but it only helps expand you experiences and knowldge making you a better person and student. I would recommend taking Her for any class that she teaches if you have to take it. other wise have a white professor teach you of african american cultural images.....because that makes so much sense.


Senior
N/A
General Ed
Feb 2005
I don'y have much to say except that Dr. Cheney is most deffinetly one of the best teacher at Cal Poly. Cal Poly is VERY LUCKY to have her hear and anyone who says other wise is really trippn.


Senior
A
General Ed
Oct 2005
This was one of the most interesting classes I have taken at Cal Poly. Cheney is a great person and teacher. Very real with her students. Lots of discussion, some lecture, videos and some great raps at the end. There is some heavy reading and a couple papers in response to all the reading. The course material is worth reading which makes writing the papers easier. The final paper took a lot of thought and energy, but was worth it since now I have a real world understanding of the subject.


Junior
B
General Ed
Mar 2006
Dont take this teacher unless you are black or liberal. Cheney is the type of black teacher that gives all black educators a bad name. She blames white people for black peoples problems and treats black students a lot better than white students. She doesnt try to teach about black equality, she tries to teach black superiority. Avoid cheney unless you are black or are ashamed of being white.


Junior
B
Required (Support)
Mar 2006
obviously the person below didn't pay attention in class very much, because if they were they would have learned that it is white people fault for making african americans submit to slavery, and that is the reason behind why whites feel superior to blacks. whatever... that is just another case of someone who is close minded. I have had Dr. Cheney twice and she i will admit a firecracker, but she knows her stuff. I can see why some students get angry or upset in certian topics but that is the subject... ETHNIC STUDIES... people who are close minded are going to get offended. I am a very open-minded person and i cant stand people who aren't, it was nice to see Dr. Cheney put those people in their place. Plus she has a Dr. in african american cultures so she knows her shit. Her class is pretty fair... three papers and if you do the readings and pay attention is class you are guaranteed at LEAST a B. I didnt read all the readings and still got a B. She is super enthusiastic about the subject and is very entertaining. I had it as my last class of the day and most of the time i was tired but one she started talking she totally keeps your attention. She is by far the best teacher i have ever had and i would recommend everyone to take her... every one should have a little dose of cheney... she teaches ethnic studies they way it SHOULD be taught.


Sophomore
B
General Ed
Apr 2006
Dr Cheney's class was really interesting and like the last person said, if you are open minded then you will learn a lot. She is very respectful to the students but will definitely argue her point. I thought she was kind of full of herself at times which got kind of annoying but overall I really liked her. I didn't read very much of the stuff but then I would sit praying she wouldn't call on me so its probably a good idea to at least look at what the readings are. No tests, just 3 papers. I had no idea what to do with the midterm, it was so broad but I ended up getting an A on it so I was excited. Overall I enjoyed the class and would recommend it to people who want to expand their horizons.

ES 321


Senior
B
General Ed
Jan 2005
She likes to lecture fast. Just ask her to slow down and she will. Dr. Cheney is full of stories that are funny and entertaning. All you have to do is get her of topic. You can tease her about her big words and she does not mind. I enjoyed this class and it is all due to the great teacher. If you can get into any class with her do it. I would take her again in a heart beat.

ES 325


Senior
A
Elective
Mar 2004
Dr. Cheney is by far one of the most talented and energetic professors at Cal Poly. She is a top notch professor who is well read. I definitely recommend anyone to take African-American women's experiences or African-American experiences with Cheney because she is well rounded in her field. Throughout this class you do a lot of self-evaluation. She is very young and she is very smart. I can only imagine how she'll improve her craft as her years progress as a university professor. She makes you think about gender roles, sexual socialization, and race relations in this country.

ES 380


Junior
B
Elective
Jul 2003
Dr. Cheney is the best professor at Cal Poly. I love her attitude and her method of addressing on issues. People are annoyed that she doesnt take others opinions seriously in to consideration. She listens, but she is set in her ways, but again us students have opinions based on a limited experiences where she has a PHd and years of research. Like she says "PHD (points to self); no BA (points to students)" She has become a good friend and I hate to hear these students chew her up because she made them feel a little guilty because they realized their white privilege or about the injustices that still occur today on this campus. Or the facts of internalized racism or homophobia. I recommend her class to everyone. Gain knowledge. Knowledge is power. If you actually talk to her she is hella cool and one of the most down to earth people on campus.


Senior
N/A
Elective
Mar 2005
Dr.Cheney is a great professor. Her class was different from the others I have taken b/c we all gave eachother lectures on what happened during the time period. Although I wasn't too fond of giving class presentations, it was a good way to make sure all students particiapted in class.


Sophomore
A
Required (Support)
Jun 2005
Dr. Cheney is the most well rounded professor on this campus. She aims to educate and challenge ones beliefs. Her energy makes class entertainig as well as energetic. If one shares similar ideas with the professor, one will learn a lot more about ones own beliefs about race and if one has different beliefs, she will only make ones beliefs stronger by aiding in the individuals reasoning/questioning for their beliefs. No way is she in anyway racist nor sexist, if your a personalitless lemming and hate to think avoid her, because she will make you a better person. a top professor on campus.