There are different university cultures around the world. Because Americans don't do PhDs as often as people in other developed countries, US universities impor

There are different university cultures around the world. Because Americans don't do PhDs as often as people in other developed countries, US universities import a lot of faculty from other cultures. And when cultures meet, locals often also adopt ideas from the foreign cultures. When I was a student, the old "the university is not a school" culture was still strong in my university. The idea was that universities were places of learning, not teaching. Formal teaching was a supporting activity rather than a core part of education. The university made a honest effort to support you to the extent its resources allowed, but the responsibility to learn was 100% yours. If you failed a mandatory exam because the university could not offer the corresponding class that year, it was your fault.