The Vista April 6, 1982

Page 1

niriFEJE April 6, 1982

Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma

Vol. 80, No. 49

Vista photo by Daniel Smith

Capt. Dwight Maker, left, Edmond Fire Department, surveys the minor damage on the first floor in Howell Hall after a motor for a return air duct overheated and caught fire, while members of the Edmond Electrical Depart-

ment, right, attempt to reattach wires blown down near West Hall. The damage was the result of the high winds that whipped across the campus Friday.

Fire indirect result

High winds damage campus

A small fire was one of the several instances of damage reported Friday after high winds whipped across campus, said Nimrod Chapel, campus maintenance coordinator. According to Chapel, an electrical motor in Howell Hall

"single-phased" or shortcircuited when outside lines were blown together in the wind. The result was a small fire that was confined to the motor. "The college dropped one leg onto a three-leg, low power wire and an engine overheated," said

Jim Hoskins, Edmond fire chief, whose men responded to the alarm. "It was a simple fire, but there was a lot of smoke." The motor powered a return air duct on the first floor of the science building. The fire was put

out by maintenance men and fire men with extinguishers. There was some initial concern by firefighters when they thought the fire was in the basement, said David Wist, spokesman for the fire department.

Campus responds to questionnaires By Mary Beth Berney Do instructors want to know what students think about the quality of teaching at CSU? What difference does it make? What about students? Is there resentment, pressure, or negative feeling when the class is requested to fill out the student evaluation of instructor questionnaire given in class during the last four weeks of each semester? A trial form evaluation was developed by the Faculty Senate, the Student Senate and the administration, and was used for the first time last semester. The form contains, but is not limited to, nine questions and specific instructions regarding completion of the questionnaire. Ann Shanks, chairman of the student relations committee of the

Faculty Senate, said a poll is currently being conducted to obtain faculty feedback. Shanks said this conforms to Faculty Senate Proposal No. 80-16, which states: "Suggestions for adding, deleting or omitting questions will be solicited and the form then altered until a satisfactory version is developed with the participation of the entire faculty." When the survey is completed, Shanks said the Faculty Senate will make recommendations to the administration. Dr. Elizabeth Berger, associate professor of sociology, said the evaluation that has been established is missing the point. "It evaluates the teacher as a teaching machine; but doesn't ask the question, 'did you learn anything?"' Burger said.

In this issue. . . SDX announces calendar winners...page 5 Funeral classes disciplined...page 6 UCAB spotlights Mr. Fingers...page 6 Bronchette trackers show strong...page 7 Bronchos beat East Central...page 8 Softballers top Emporia...page 8

Berger believes student evaluation is essential. An appraisal has been conducted in her classes for 14 years. The form asks 24 questions and includes assessment of the course as well as the instructor. Berger said she asks the students to complete two questionnaires, one given earlier in the semester. Study of both forms makes an interesting comparison for Berger. Tim Reese, Student Senate president, said the evaluation was initiated by the Senate and he likes the standard form. One question asks if the teacher has provided a syllabus, or course outline, According to Reese, not all teachers do this, and it is valuable to the students. The majority of students feel the evaluation is worthwhile, said Reese. However, not all faculty members agree. Joe McCourry, who has represented the Student Senate at several Faculty Senate meetings, said he has observed several teachers disregarding the questionnaire instructions while some did not administer the evaluation. Since the form is being used on a trial basis, and evaluations from a minimum of four semesters must be available before the student evaluations are used as part of a faculty member's evaluation, some teachers may be taking more

time to implement the appraisal. What benefit, or disadvantage, is there for the instructor as a result of this evaluation? Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Patrick Cassens' October 13, 1981 memo states that the applications of the results in the evaluation of faculty members shall be those established by each school. Cassens said those applications may be directed toward improvement of instruction, retention, promotion, tenure and merit or a salary stipend. The university's cost to administer the evaluation is minimal, Cassens said; the projected pay-off is big.

"We get lost down in the basement in the daylight. It's like a maze down there," Wist said. Other buildings on campus were damaged when the high winds struck, Chapel said. Two windows in Old North and one in Evans Hall were blown out and part of the roof on the Broncho Fieldhouse was damaged. An electrical motor in Evans Hall was also damaged. The electricity on campus was shut off at 5 p.m. and turned back on at 7 p.m. as a "safety measure," Chapel added. "We haven't had enough rime to check all the damage," he said. "I'm sure we haven't discovered it all yet. We'll have to do a building by building check." Mainentance efforts to check and repair damage was hampered somewhat by the high winds Monday. "It is extremely hard to work in the wind. We can't get close to the edges when we're working on the roof," Chapel said. The full extent of the campus damage should be determined by today, he added.

Saunders resigns position as department chairman Dr. Marie Saunders, chairman of the Department of English, resigned her position late last month to retprn to the classroom. "I'm going back into the classroom full-time," she said. "I'm resigning my position as chairperson of the English department, but I'm not going to stop teaching all together. I don't know what my classes will be. The new chairman will tell me," she added. Saunders' resignation will become effective in August, pending the completion of the sum-

trier semester. Frank Finney, dean of the School of Liberal Arts, will appoint an instructor to fill the vacancy. The resignation will not cause any shortages within the English department, according to Saunders. "The department is up to full capacity," she said. Saunders has been chairman of the department for three years and has been on the English staff for 16 years. She declined to comment on the reason for her resignation.


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The Vista April 6, 1982 by The Vista - Issuu