THE January 26, 1989 Vol. 87, No. 28
VISTA
Thursday Edition
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
Campaign ethics questioned
Senate elects Terrill Central State University's Student Association Senate swore in two senators and elected a new speaker of the senate Monday amid charges of unethical behavior. Randal Terrill edged Daniel Moore by a 14-13 vote for senate speaker, replacing former senator Timothy Kalman. The controversy surrounds alleged promises made by Terrill of appointments for votes and alleged use by Terrill of bulk mailing of a letter on CSU letterhead for support. "He used senate letterhead and the senate computer to send this stuff out," said Student Senator
Howard Pelphrey. "That's your money, my money and every student's money." Pelphrey, who was one of three nominees for senate speaker, said Terrill offered him a position in exchange for his vote. "I was offered a position myself. It said, 'Call me, let me know what you want.' And this one was handwritten," said Pelphrey, who claimed several other senators received similar handwritten letters. Terrill could not be reached for comment Tuesday afternoon. New appointments were: Jeff Blansett, deputy speaker; Laurie Dobbs, senate historian; Darrel
Ferguson, parlimentarian; Laurie Dobbs, continuum committee chairman; Bret Purser, faculty relations chairman; Jeff Blansett, budget committee chairman; and Allan Polhill, housing committee chairman. In other business, senior political science major Jeff Collins and junior political science major David Harpster were sworn in as senators and resignations were accepted from Senators Joe Stehr, Hazel Lynch, Kirk Killion, Marion Barton, Jeff Aynes and Archere Julius. Resolution 88-117, which concerns the auxiliary services budget, was held until next week.
Prof to study effects of bill
Gordon Carlin roller skates for exercise. (Photo by Andrew
Smith)
Asst. prof 'rollercises' Exercise normally brings running or aerobics to mind, but Gordon Carlin, assistant professor of management, has found an alternative. On Tuesday afternoons, Carlin can be found roller-skating on the tennis courts near the Business Administration building.
Tuesday marked his second day of "rollercise". "It's better than jogging," Carlin said. Skating allows smooth rolling as opposed to the sudden impacts of jogging, he said. Carlin hopes his exercise will catch on and plans to do a little repair work on the courts for smoother rolling.
Adjunct prof's play to open on campus "Faking It," a new two-act Chris Witten, Kathleen Hope and play by Central State University Terry Veal. graduate and faculty member Gold has a master's degree in Pamela Gold, will premiere at 8 creative studies from CSU, where p.m. Friday at the Pegasus she studied under New York Theatre in the Liberal Arts playwrights John Bishop ("The Building. Musical Comedy Murders of The comedy centers on the life 1940") and Milan Stitt ("The of successful psychologist Dr. Bill Runner Stumbles"). Rogers, a partner who uses ques"Indecent Exposure," an tionable techniques, an en- earlier one-act play by Gold, has trepreneural wife too busy for won several awards and was seen "wifely duties," and a couple's on Channel 2 in Edmond. She is home computer purchase that an adjunct faculty member results in sex therapy. teaching freshman composition. FirstLight Theatre Company is She is also a member of the producing the play which is being Dramatist Guild. directed by Rhonda Clark. Performances will be at 8 p.m. Featured community actors in- Jan. 27-28 and Feb. 4, and at 2 clude Steve Vann, Robert Knott, p.m. Feb. 5.
By Mei Pong Staff Writer Dr. Dorothy Frosch, biology professor at Central State University, said she will conduct a statewide study to determine the adequacy of science teachers' preparation in college and the effectiveness of House Bill 1706 in improving teachers' education. "House Bill 1706 was enacted by the state legislature seven years back with the intent to improve teachers' education," Frosch said. In spite of the stringent requirements, "No one knows how effective the bill is," Frosch said. Frosch said that many science teachers who are currently teaching in public schools are conversion endorsement teachers.
These are non-science teachers who convert their teaching certificate to teach science, provided they have 24 credit hours of sciences. "Most biology teachers, for instance, take only the minimum eight hours of requirement in physics, but they are often asked to teach physics even though they are unprepared," Frosch said. The situation is becoming even more critical because Oklahoma is currently facing a shortage in science teachers. "This is because the state is losing its teachers to the industries and to other states," Frosch said. The study should indicate how prevalent this problem is. Frosch said that the research will incorporate a science educa-
tion questionnaire with 29 questions. This questionnaire will be sent to middle school and high school teachers statewide. According to Frosch, the questions are brief, and few need written responses. "The questionnaire will not only tell us how effective the house bill and the current teachers' education is, but will also answer many other important questions, like 'Should computer science be a requirement in teachers' education?"' Frosch said. Frosch said that the questionnaires will be sent out soon, and the results should return by March. The results will be published so that the legislature can make required changes.
AG office to review CSU audit
This is the second of a threepart series in regard to an investigative audit of Central State University by the state auditor and inspector's office. The audit indicated mishandling of funds by the athletic department and the CSU Foundation. By Valli Covert Editor-in-chief The state auditor and inspector's office has forwarded a copy of Central State University's investigative audit to the Oklahoma attorney general's office as required by state law, said Charles McLoughlin, senior assistant attorney general. The audit, which covered fiscal year ending June 30, 1987, was released in December. "There was no subterfuge in any of our financial activities," CSU President Bill Lillard said. "We don't think we are in violation, of state law." McLoughlin said people should be made aware the attorney general's office looks at all investigative audits. It does not
necessarily mean CSU is in legal trouble. The attorney general's office received the audit report about two weeks ago, McLoughlin said Monday. The attorney general's office will review the audit, then meet with the audit team to discuss it. The attorney general's office could contact CSU officials to discuss the audit to see if any new documentation is available, McLoughlin said. Approximately 15 audits of Oklahoma colleges and universities have been conducted over the last several years and the attorney general's office has looked at four other audits in addition to CSU's, he said. Southeastern State University's former president recently pleaded innocent to a 42-count grand jury indictment alleging he used university funds for the benefit of family and friends. "It took us two years to get an indictment at Southeastern," McLoughlin said.
He declined to discuss CSU's
aura, Odie Nance, director of investigative audits, said 11 audits could be classified as "well run," but CSU's is not in that category. "There are more problems than inadvertant oversights," he said. Nance said a point of concern was that the CSU Foundation deposited university athletic game guarantees into the foundation's spendable accounts and used the funds for support of the university. The audit also states the athletic director indicated to the audit committee that university administrative personnel were aware of the diversion of funds. Lillard said, "The money has been placed in the right place. We need to look at his (Nance) comments." The university now has a different procedure for the handling of game receipts, Lillard said. The university and the foundation are now divorced from each other.