Students' Comments, December 2025

The following are some of the comments left by students who took my classes in the Fall of 2025. They knew that (1) their names would not be revealed, and that (2) I would not read them before I reported final grades. In other words, they did not post this to flatter me and receive a higher grade!

Dr. Olivas–Lujan is an excellent professor who seems to care about the material and the students.

I really enjoyed this course. While it was challenging at times, there profession [sic] provided clear instructions and feedback to ensure student success. This course was well put together and enjoyable for that reason.

Dr. O has provided excellent feedback regarding assignments and where we can improve our work. He is understanding and supportive of his students, and responded promptly to questions about coursework.

The feedback was beneficial, and I can tell Dr. Olivas–Lujan took the time to leave personalized feedback. The announcements also were helpful to keep us on track. 

During this course it has made me reflect on people and managing, Dr. Miguel Olivia's–Lujan has done an amazing job with this course.

Organizational Design and change management were very insightful courses especially when mixed with these practical virtual simulations within the Harvard University . The Learning materials were very challenging and high level . For the first time of my life , I have discovered a Doctor who really deserves the title of Doctor. He is a very savvy scholar and intellectual with a good sens of humility and empathy.

We are at the end of the semester and one thing I'm sure about , I will miss Dr O!

Dr. O truly cares and instructs content that is translatable to the professional environment,

He was always answered questions and emails in a timely manner and was willing to help when needed.  

He was very easy to get in contact with. He had good assignments...

He was always there to help

I think the team projects were good to work with people

He is very easy to get ahold of, and he is always willing to assist students with issues.

I think all aspects of this class will be utilized in my everyday happenings and I appreciate how well the Professor taught the class and was very helpful whenever we needed him.

Dr O provided a lot of instructions and was always available to assit.

Love this course 

Professor Lujan's course is very well structure to follow. It is very beneficial to help my learning. I've learned more regarding hazards that were located around a workplace.

He was always there to help.

I liked the group projects and I think they were fun

The most beneficial aspects for me were the discussions and presentations created by students. Many classes feel like there is an immense amount of information trying to be crammed into a week, and then the next week includes all new information, leading to last week's assignments to be forgotten quick. Using the discussions to reflect on information that we learned before helped the topics really set into my brain. The presentations included real world examples that helped me realize the necessity of each topic in workplaces.

I thought the course was very organized. The discussions with our groups was beneficial to me because I got to emphasize what I learned while also understanding what my group learned.

I think the DB [discussion boards] were beneficial. 

I felt that the class was well structured for learning. I don't think there's anything that I would change in the course to make more beneficial.  

I think as an online student, this class is very well designed the way it is  

Loved the course  

There is nothing to improve, I believe, everything is perfect.

Of course, there was a couple of students who left negative comments, but that's the nature of the job. The comments above really make my day (my year!) and motivate me to give my students even more attention and help their professional preparation and growth! 

Gemini-generated image of "a happy university professor in his 50s"

A Tough Conversation: On Final Grades and Moving Forward

The semester has officially ended, and final grades have been submitted. For many of you, this is a moment of satisfaction, reflecting a semester of hard work. For others, I know the final grade is a deep disappointment.

If you are reading this because you received a failing grade, I want to address you directly. I understand the frustration that can come with this outcome. It is natural to seek a different result, and I have received several emails asking if there is anything that can be done to change the grade.

This post is my attempt to answer that question transparently and to provide a path forward. I am not writing this out of a lack of care; I am writing it out of a commitment to fairness and the academic integrity of our program.

Why I Cannot Change Your Grade

The final grade in this course is not a judgment of your potential; it is a direct reflection of your performance on the assignments, exams, and other graded activities as outlined in our syllabus or learning management system. To retroactively alter a grade for one student would be unfair to every other student in the class—those who met the deadlines, those who juggled the same competing priorities and managed to pass, and even those who may have been just a few points shy of a higher grade.

The course policies and deadlines were the same for everyone. Offering a "do-over" to one student after the semester has ended would fundamentally undermine the structure of the course and devalue the efforts of all other students. The time for completing the work was during the semester, not after the final grades have been calculated and submitted. In most of my courses, I offer bonus points and extra credit, which I trust you have noticed.

A Moment for Honest Reflection

I do not enjoy reporting a failing grade. My goal is for every student to master the material and succeed in my class and in the future. However, when I look at the records of students who did not pass, most of the reasons tend to be very similar. They often include:

• A pattern of missed deadlines: In the world of business, meeting deadlines is a critical competency. Our course was structured to help you build this skill.

• Last-minute or incomplete submissions: Procrastination is a significant barrier to success in an advanced course. The material requires sustained engagement, not a last-ditch effort.

• Subpar teamwork: Most of my classes include teamwork assignments because this is the way businesses work. Teamwork evaluations help me identify performance levels in this aspect.

• A lack of communication: When challenges arose during the semester, the time to discuss them was then, not now.

If you find yourself in this position, I urge you to resist the temptation to place blame externally. Instead, take this as a serious opportunity for self-assessment. What were the real obstacles to your success in this course? What choices did you make regarding your priorities and time management? An honest answer to these questions is the first step toward ensuring this does not happen again.

Your Path Forward

A failing grade is just a stumble, not a permanent disqualifier. You are in a rigorous academic program, and challenges are a part of that journey. Your resilience in the face of this obstacle is what will define you, not the grade itself.

I strongly encourage you to connect with your academic advisor to discuss your options and create a plan for future success. The university offers a wealth of resources, from academic skills workshops to wellness and counseling services, that are designed to help you thrive. Please use them.

While I cannot change your grade, I am willing to have a constructive conversation about your performance to help you identify areas for improvement, once the new semester starts. However, please understand that the purpose of such a conversation would be for your future development, not to renegotiate the grade.

This is a difficult but important lesson in accountability and responsibility—two cornerstones of effective management. I trust you will learn and grow from it and move forward with renewed focus.

With best wishes,

~Dr. O