Isla Vista, California, March, 2078, Monday…

Maria knocked timidly on the professor's office door. As a first semester freshman at UC Santa Barbara, this was her first time to visit a professor during office hours in order to ask for help.

Father Bernardo Reyes opened the door slowly.

"Yes?"

"My name is Maria Gonzales. I'm in your Polisci 101 course and I have a few questions."

The Jesuit smiled kindly at her. He was at least three times her age. She was nervous. He opened the door wide.

"Of course, Miss Gonzales. Please come in." He scooped a pile of books off an old chair that had clearly seen better days. "Since I'm a visiting professor from Fordham, they didn't exactly give me the most luxurious office. Sit down, please."

She sat down, notebook and pen poised, as if she were about to interview the Pope.

"I first want to say I find your course interesting, but you don't seem to be following the syllabus."

"Ah, you don't understand professors, then. The syllabus is a department approved list of topics that must be covered. How the professor covers them widely varies. I tend to assign a lot of reading as background to the topics. Some of the topics in the syllabus I will then elaborate on."

"So … what will I be tested on, then?"

"Everything and nothing. The readings and my lectures are to stimulate thought about certain issues. My exam questions are more oriented to determining if you have really thought about them."