THE September 13, 1984 Vol. 83, No. 5
,VISTA
Thursday Edition
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
Administration engages in academic evaluations By MaryGaye Franklin Associate Editor A new procedure whereby all existing academic programs on campus will be reviewed and evaluated has recently been implemented at CSU, according to Dr. James Perry, vice president of academic affairs. The guidelines for the program state that it has been established in order to decide which existing programs need to be improved; how improvements can be accomplished; which existing programs are no longer required at current levels and how will they be phased down or eliminated. According to Perry the reason for the evaluations is that academic programs at the university are in need of constant review. What needs to be done, he says, is to systematically examine all programs and the regulations governing them and the students entering and graduating from the programs. This is to make sure they are in keeping with the mission of the university and the standards expected of a senior level university. "We have a very special trust and that is to serve the people of Oklahoma. It is our obligation to offer the finest quality education experience we can for the people of Oklahoma," Perry said. "Within that context we have to constantly examine the characteristics of the student body that attends CSU. We have to be aware of technological changes within the academic body that universities are addressing. We
therefore have to examine existing academic programs to make sure they are contemporary and are equal to the quality expected of us. "All major universities have a self-policing process whereby they examine their standards and make sure they are up-to-date." The evaluations will be done every four years, beginning with this year, by the deans of the individual colleges through the department chairpeople and the faculty. Guidelines were handed out to all faculty members during the end of August. "We are asking the faculty members to do a self-evaluation of their program," Perry said. "We want them to identify the program's strengths and weaknesses. I expect that in the vast majority of cases the faculty will come out and honestly say the programs are strong and should be continued, possibly identifying a few areas of needed improvement." The evaluation done by the faculty members will be turned in to either the academic affairs council or to the graduate council, whichever is applicable. The final evaluations and decisions made concerning what should be done with a program will be done in these councils. "There may be a handful of programs which will not fair too well," Perry stated, "but hopefully rather than eliminate them the faculty will be able to point out alternatives to improve the program.
"We are not in the business of eliminating programs," Perry said. "When we get the feedback from the faculty we will have to see what can be done to make improvements. But if the overriding factors point to discontinuation, then that is what will have to be done." Dr. George Avallano, faculty senate president, said he believes the programs "should be evaluated and continuously updated by the individual professors." But he thinks the evaluation process set up by the administration is a "unifying process and an effort to coordinate evaluation efforts universitywide." "We want quality education but we are not for the elimination of courses or programs," Avallano said. "We do believe that the direction of the programs needs to be reviewed periodically so as to keep with the goal of the university, which is to educate students." Avallano also stated that the Faculty Senate would like to participate in the evaluation process. Perry pointed out that all of the faculty will take part in the evaluations "100 percent" not just the Faculty Senate. Perry said he believes the "vast majority of the faculty will stand and take a hard look at themselves and their programs. This system does not allow for rubber stamping but it requires rigorous evaluation of the course, the grading system and the individual."
Survey recommends reading list A national survey released Aug. 12, of nearly 500 scholars from various areas of expertise, has recommended a compilation of authors and writings which every high school student should have read upon his graduation. The survey was conducted by the National Endowment for the Humanities, a federal agency created to promote scholarly research. Although the survey has not been federally mandated into the educational curriculum, it has created a wave of criticism and controversy throughout academic circles.
"Macbeth," "Hamlet," the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, the Gettysburg Address, "Huckleberry Finn" and the Bible headed the list of literature felt to be important in stimulating the minds of youth. Writings with a high rating as well also include Homer's "The Illiad and The Odyssey, Dicken's "Great Expectations" and "A Tale of Two Cities," Plato's "Republic," Steinbeck's "The Grapes of Wrath," Hawthorne's "The Scarlet Letter" and Sophocle's "Oedipus Rex." Professionals and educators
In this issue... Campus Network expands programming...page 4 Hill promotes college relations...page 3 Advertisers make use of films...page 6 Vandenburg's restaurant review...page 6 Baxter highlights U.S. Open tennis...page 8
alike, expressed strong views for and against the project. According to the August issue of US News and World Report, sociologist Daniel Bell of Harvard University wrote, "I don't like the idea at all. In asking for any number of readings, you are being like a magpie, assuming that the thorns and thistles will make up a cultural nest. They cannot." Many educators, however, expressed quite opposite views. Many feel the study is worthwhile and will serve to be a useful tool to schools and in what they offer in their curriculum. The list is considered by some to be as useful to the teachers as the students. According to US News and World Report, proponents of the study feel the issue will be discussed before many school board meetings this fall. William Bennett, chairman of the National Endowment for the Humanities, said that "many teachers submitted lists with the notation that not all of their students could comprehend certain selections."
Vista photo by Italia Carson
Patrice Tucker and Abdul Hassan enjoy the festivities at Friday night's video dance sponsored by the Student Senate.
Tickets solicit towing By Traci Baucom Associate Editor Central State University tows approximately 50 cars per semester, according to Chief Bob Roberts of campus security. How can students avoid having their cars towed? Pay tickets, Roberts says. Six or more unpaid tickets are the main, but not the only reason campus security will tow a car. Others include unauthorized parking in a handicap zone, parking in a designated fire lane, creating a traffic hazard or obstruction, expired state tags in excess of six months or a hold placed on the car by another state or national agency. Each traffic infraction, other than parking in a handicap zone,
will carry a $3 fine for the first eight weeks of the semester and $5 thereafter. The fee for parking in a handicap zone without a "handicapped" sticker is $25. The current charge for towing is $20. In addition to towing, Roberts says campus security writes approximately 200 tickets per day between the hours of 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. That is about 1,000 tickets per week and about 17,000 per semester. There are approximately 13,000 students on campus this semester. In other words, every student on campus should expect to pay at least one parking ticket this semester. Last fiscal year, revenue from parking tickets was $60,443, Williams said.
New ID's to update computer operations By Curtis Killman Equipment breakdowns, a lack of materials and stepped up conversions to the new identification system have left some 800 to 1,000 students and staff members without school ID cards. According to Darrell E. Gilliland, director of the CSU Counseling Center, new ID cards will be available after Oct. 15. Those who did not receive their ID's will be issued temporary cards. The new ID card has a magnetic strip on the back which will allow the student a tie into the mainframe computer on campus.
New uses for the ID's will allow for the library to do away with the old system of checking out books and should aid in bookkeeping. The system will be similar to that used by the Edmond Public Library. Gilliland says eventually the new ID will be used by the dormitory students to pay for their meals, doing away with meal tickets. All students will use the card when paying for their tuition and any other fees. Use of the cards will be fully operational in time for preenrollment according to Gilliland.