WEDNESDAY December 7, 2011 volume 97, issue 55 W W W.T H E D A I LYA Z T E C . C O M
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SDSU’S INDEPENDENT STUDENT N E W S PA P E R SINCE 1913
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Students can check syllabi online ANTONIO ZARAGOZA, PHOTO EDITOR
Students will be able to preview class syllabi before registration. Elizabeth Palacz contributor San Diego State’s Associated Students has implemented a pilot trial of creating an online database for professors to have their syllabi accessible to students when they begin registering for classes. As a student, one of the most important pieces of paper received from a professor is his or her class syllabus. This piece of paper speci-
fies class meeting days, office hours, grade requirements and, most importantly, exam dates. Thanks to A.S., students are now able to examine the syllabi for potential classes through the online database. Candice Luistro, last year’s Vice President of University Affairs, was first presented with the idea at an “introduction meeting with the staff from Instructional Technology Services in summer of 2010,” Mina Azim, the current Vice President of University Affairs, said. This idea was then introduced to the University Affairs Board, which decided to implement the trial. Students would be available to have a “better understanding of the strict prerequisites for upper division
courses, the preparation required for classes in their majors and to search for classes with specific characteristics,” as written in the proposal by Alex Huddleston and Luistro. “The pilot system is to ensure the system works, is feasible and is accessible,” Azim said. With this in mind, students can take advantage of understanding the course in a detailed manner, versus a small course description in the catalog. “I think the more information students have regarding what to expect in a class, the better. Current regulations require that all syllabi be available, so this is just making that more readily available,” Professor William Snavely, Director of the School of
Smoke from the brush fire drifted onto Interstate-8. | PETER KLUCH, SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Blaze near SDSU closes trolley line Hutton Marshall assistant news editor The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department, with the help of the Heartland Fire & Rescue Department, extinguished a brush fire in a ravine near the intersection of Alvarado Road and College Avenue at around 4:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon. The SDF-RD reported structures vehicles were not in danger because of the fire. Several San Diego State students
witnessed the fire from outside their apartments. “My roommate and I walked outside and the first thing we saw was ash falling all around us. There was a huge boom of smoke coming toward us too,” Mikayla Sivner, a French junior, said. The fire, which was contained less than 30 minutes after it started, caused the Metropolitan Transit System trolley Green Line running through SDSU to temporarily shut down. The trolley restarted its route at approximately 5 p.m. after a helicopter unit extinguished the flames.
C R I M E B E AT During the past few days, there has been an increase in the number of transportation-related thefts on and around campus. Around midnight on Monday night, a red Micargi single-speed bicycle was taken from outside Love Library. The bike was secured with a lock. Saturday afternoon, a reporting caller said his or her car had been broken into and several items were stolen. The items included a backpack with bank statements inside and the caller’s high school transcript. The car had reportedly been parked in the same location for several days. On Friday afternoon, another bike was taken from Zura Residence Hall on
Communication and University Senate Chair, said. The Departments of Economics and Psychology, plus the liberal studies major in the Division of Undergraduate Studies are currently implementing their syllabi through the trial. “If the pilot is successful, students should expect to see all syllabi for undergraduate classes for future semesters made … available in spring 2012 when class schedules are made available for summer and fall 2012,” Azim said. To see the current database and test out the system visit library.sdsu.edu/syllabi/. Students are encouraged to email Azim at as.vp.univ@sdsu.edu with feedback.
Montezuma Road. The bicycle reported stolen was a red Fuji, valued at $130. Last Thursday, two bicycles were stolen from the Geology, Mathematics, Computer Science building, several hours apart. The first was a white and red Schwinn. The second was a black Specialized Hardrock Sport mountain bike with front and rear lights. Another bike, a black Schwinn, was stolen from the bike rack at the College of Extended Studies Thursday afternoon. Also on Thursday, a motorcycle was stolen from PS4 on Aztec Circle Drive. A report was taken and the vehicle was entered into Stolen Vehicle Services. Several other incidents occurred this past week as well. Around 1 a.m. Monday morning, a large, intoxicated male was reported attempting to hug a female in Love Library. The subject was reportedly very cooperative as he was escorted out of the library. Monday evening, a middle-aged Hispanic woman was seen on Montezuma Road and Campanile Drive. The subject was reportedly asking for help, claiming she was insane. The subject had dark, shoulder-length hair, a white beanie and a dark blue coat. She was taken to Alvarado Hospital Medical Center for an evaluation. Anyone with information regarding these and other incidents are encouraged to contact the SDSU Police Department at 619-594-1991, or at police@mail.sdsu.edu.
— Compiled by Senior Staff Writer Kevin Smead
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