Oak Ridge Boys Driver's ed KunclBachi at the 89er's..p.4 on campus..p.5 exhibit..p.7
THE July 10, 1986 Vol. 84, No. 59
VISTA
Thursday Edition
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
'Unfounded' allegations anger teachers By Kim Voynar Associate Editor The teachers at the English Language Center disapproved by the Board of Higher Regents are quite irate. It seems they feel the allegation in the committee report that "no member of the faculty has sufficient training in English as a Second Language (ESL), Linguistics, or Rhetoric and Cornposition" is unfounded. "Apparently that statement was based on an off-hand response I made rather than from the transcripts and profiles of the teachers," said Dr. James Stewart, owner of the center. According to the profiles of the
five full-time and two stand-by teachers at ELC, the faculty has a total of 788 college credit hours in English. "The teachers here have a particular interest in the allegation that no member of the faculty has sufficient training in ESL, liuistics, or rhetoric and composition," said Stewart. A breakdown of the total English hours shows the faculty, as a group, has 129 hours in cornposition, 97 hours in rhetoric, 60 hours in linguistics and 424 hours in literature. "The summaries represent considerable training and experience
in those areas in which the Regents' report indicates 'no member of the faculty has sufficient training'," said Stewart. In addition, a breakdown of the faculty's teaching experience reveals 15 years of secondary teaching, 52 years of college teaching and 44 years of teaching ESL. The committee report also stated the teachers at ELC are primarily literature majors. Stewart said there is no literature major. "There's no such thing," said Stewart. "You major in English, not literature."
Maintenance projects attended according to budget, others wait By Martha Giglio As one of the several maintenance projects attended to by the CSU maintenance crew, PCB cooled electrical transformers located in the CSU Library electrical system are being replaced with safer non-PCB cooled transformers, Dr. Larry Williams, vice-president of administration said. This explains the gaping excavated pit in the library's north side parking lot. Workers have had to dig down to retrieve and replace the transformers. Many people have been mystified by the digging, which is visible from the windows next to the library's circulation desk, he added. PCB's (Polychlorinated Biphenyl) are synthetic organic compounds that were widely used by the electrical equipment industry. They conduct heat without conducting electricity, which makes them suitable as insulators in electrical devices such as transformers. The chemicals become harmful pollutants when released into the environment. PCB has not been allowed as a transformer coolant since a 1980 EPA regulation banning its use went into effect. This regulation however, does allow those transformers already in use to be used for the life of the machinery in which they are installed. Williams said that Smith Elec-
tric Co. is doing the work. They were contracted for a bid of $226,043.00, and work was to be finished within 90 days. "The project is very close to being completed," Williams said. "This is just one of several major maintenance projects underway this summer at the campus." "Also being installed in the library is a new air conditioning unit. The old unit had problems of age," Williams said. "Air Engineering is putting in the new chiller for a bid of $226,800.00, and that was a 180 day project, which started on April 15," Williams said. In addition, the library is getting a new roof becuase of the aging roof which is leaking. Southwestern Roofing & Metal Co. has been working at the site for several weeks, and their bright green truck has been visible on the east side the library. The company has a 120 day contract for $88,450.00, which also began April 15. Reroofing will also be undertaken on the Liberal Arts Building. A $110,000.00 bid was signed Monday with Daily Enterprizes for the project, which should be for about 120 days, Williams said. "I expect work to start on it probably about the time school is out this summer," the vice president said.
The report also alleged ELC does not prepare its students for university-level work. "Materials chosen are suitable for survivallevel courses in ESL," reads the report. Stewart sent transcripts of all ESL students who hold ELC certificates and have completed their first year at CSU to Dr. Melvin Todd, vice chancellor of academic affairs. The students entered CSU based on their scores on the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), not the Regents' certificates. In ESL courses, all the students earned A's. Of 217 semester hours, the seven students earned a total of 760 grade points, for an average GPA of 3.5. Four of the students carried 18 to 20 credit hours. "I think this to be remarkable
for a school with an inadequte curriculum and an insufficiently trained staff," Stewart said in a letter to Todd. According to Stewart, Todd said he had informed the visitation team they were to react to the ELC response by July 11 or he would make a recommendation to Chancellor Joe Leone on his own. "I do not take this to mean he has made his decision," said Stewart. Todd said he had no comment except that "Dr. Stewart's written response is now under review." Stewart said he feels the staff at ELC has a "good balance" of training. "We feel that we have an excellent faculty to teach ESL, an excellent curriculum, and, despite the recent publicity, a group of students with high morale and serious purpose," said Stewart.
Another toxic material removal project, that of removing asbestos, continues on the art and music buildings. Work is being done in sections. Equipment from the music building is being temporarily moved to locked brown box-car like storage containers outside. Slated next for asbestos removal is the University Center ballroom. Another project is having the parking lots resealed, which theyare being done on a periodic basis. "That's an ongoing thing," Williams explained. "Every summer we reseal lots, just as regular maintenance. "This summer, the lot west of the Liberal Arts Building on the south side was resealed. The sealant itself is black, so we have to repaint stripes. "If you reseal with this compound, the asphalt lots will last longer. You can virtually double their lives," he said. There are other general repair and replacement projects being carried out by CSU maintenance people but recent budget cuts have had an affect on maintenance projects. "We've had a number of different things we've wanted to do, which have had to be postponed," Williams said. "We are just having to make do as best as we can with what we have."
Photographic services: Michael Keen
Working on one of the many maintenance projects, the CSU maintenance crew and contractors replace the underground wiring system on the east side of the Administration Building. This and many other projects are to be completed by the fall semester.