The Daily Reveille — April 27, 2010

Page 1

Check Online For: a database of attendance at LSU sporting events at lsureveille.com.

REVELRY

RENOVATIONS

Barber shop, optical shop, test prep center to open in Union this fall, page 3.

See events, clothing and new releases for this weekend, page 6.

THE DAILY REVEILLE Admin. Measuring Up salaries

Volume 114, Issue 133

Quality points possible for an individual credit hour at SEC schools with plus-minus grading:

A+ A AB+ B B-

C+ C CD+ D DF

4.33 - Alabama 4.0 - All SEC schools

3.67 - Florida, Alabama, Arkansas. 3.70 - Ga., Ken., Tenn., Vanderbilt, Alabama.

3.5 - South Carolina. 3.33 - Florida, Alabama, Arkansas. 3.30 - Ga., Ken., Tenn., Vanderbilt.

3.0 - All SEC schools 2.70 - Georgia, Ken., Tenn., Vanderbilt. 2.67 - Arkansas. 2.50 - South Carolina. 2.33 - Florida, Alabama, Arkansas. 2.30 - Georgia, Ken. Tenn., Vanderbilt.

2.00 - All SEC schools 1.70 - Ga., Ken. Tenn. Vanderbilt. 1.67 - Alabama, Arkansas. 1.33 - Florida, Alabama, Arkansas. 1.30 - Ken., Tenn. Vanderbilt

WWW.LSUREVEILLE.COM

FINANCES

Faculty Senate committee studying plus-minus grading

By Ryan Buxton Senior Staff Writer

searching options to possibly move the University to a plus-minus grading system. The Admissions, Standards and Honors committee is internally discussing policies at some universities, deciding whether the plus-minus grading system would be beneficial to the University by providing a more precise method of grading. The University currently awards 4 quality points for an A, 3 for a B, 2 for a C and 1 point for a D. For example, the plus-minus system could potentially change the grade earned by a student with a 77 percent average, said Paul LaRock, oceanography professor and ASH committee member. “Under the current system, he or she would get a C for two quality

1.00 - All SEC schools 0.70 - Ken., Tenn., Vanderbilt. 0.67 - Florida, Alabama, Arkansas.

0 - All SEC schools

photos by MELANIE SCOTT, infographic by STEPHANIE GIGLIO / The Daily Reveille

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Collins Meredith accounting senior

‘[Plus-minus grading] makes GPA more accurate of your performance.’

points. If we went to the plus-minus system, I would give the student a B-, which earns them 2.7 quality points, clearly benefitting them,” LaRock said in an e-mail to The Daily Reveille. Robert Perlis, ASH committee chairman, said changing the grading system wouldn’t make plus-minus grades mandatory. Rather, each instructor would have the option use plus-minus grades in his or her class. “Nobody can tell other people what an A means in their course,” Perlis said. “If we had plus-minus grading, but a faculty member said they don’t like that, they can just give all their students an A. Nobody says you have to assign an A-.” Under the current grading system two students might receive the same grade for work of different quality levels, Perlis said. GRADING, see page 19

Hunter Pontiff French senior

‘The downside is having that minus on your transcript.’

may be cut By Xerxes A. Wilson

Senior Staff Writer

As the budget crisis throws University finances into sharp focus, some legislators are seeking savings through administrator salaries. State Sen. Troy Hebert has introduced legislation to revert all administrative salaries in public higher education to their level at the beginning of the 2008 calendar year. “We are cutting into the meat now where programs and classes are going to be cut,” Hebert said. “The teaching staff are going to be cut also, but we have hundreds of administrative personnel [statewide] that make $100,000 per year.” Senate Bill 329 — authored by Hebert — would affect administrators who are not involved in teaching and are paid by state appropriations. The bill is scheduled to be debated in the Senate Education Committee. “Instead of us cutting the professors and teachers in the SALARIES, see page 15

STUDENT GOVERNMENT

New administration plans for early initiatives By Catherine Threlkeld Staff Writer

It’s been less than a week since SG President J Hudson and Vice President Dani Borel were inaugurated. They’ve been working to appoint executive staff members and meet with administrators this week. Hudson said the next few months will be a time for meetings and planning for next year. “We’ve gotten a lot of compliments,” Hudson said. “One thing I was worried about was I didn’t know how the administration would work with me. The administrators have been totally receptive.” EARLY INITIATIVES Hudson has been making early plans for more covered bus stops and a Tiger

Band commuter lot, both of which were on his campaign pushcard. He said many of his initiatives don’t require funding. As projected, the Tiger Band commuter lot will not cost the University any additional money. “That’s something we want implemented for the first football game,” Hudson said. Hudson said he wants to pay for the covered bus stops via corporate sponsorships. “Whether or not it’ll raise enough to pay for covered parking, I don’t know,” said former SG Vice President Martina Scheuermann. “The success will be determined by the people they select for that and how dedicated the individuals are.” Hudson and Borel are smart to be thinking outside the box, Scheuermann said. “Whatever economic times we’re in,

we can’t stop trying to plan things and move forward,” Scheuermann said. STATE LEGISLATURE Hudson said he plans to continue SG’s voice at the State Capitol this summer as legislators discuss several bills affecting higher education. He said he met with Chancellor Michael Martin and Executive Vice Chancellor on Legislative and External Affairs Jason Droddy about the bills appearing in the State Legislature. “We will be meeting with them much more to go over bills so we can go speak on their behalf,” Hudson said. “We need to ensure we have a strong presence there.” Hudson spoke last year at the INITIATIVES, see page 19

JAMES WEST / The Daily Reveille

[Left to right] UCFY President Lindsey Miller, Student Government Vice President Dani Borel and SG President J Hudson interview a student Sunday in the Union.


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