THE ■IT]lESIC'Alk
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
November 10, 1983
Vol. 82, No. 20
Faculty evaluations Hall says accessing instructors accelerates grade inflation trend
Vista photo by Michael Keen
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Cynthia Singer, right, grins with satisfaction as Renee Brown is left with "pie on her face" during the 92nd annual CSU birthday party pie throw competition held Wednesday morning in the Oklahoma Room of the University Center.
By MaryGaye Franklin Staff Reporter Students get the chance to "grade" their teachers again in less than a month when they fill out instructor evaluation forms. But Faculty Senate President Dennie Hall questions the usefulness of these inquiries. "I think the student evaluations of faculty are of doubtful merit," Hall said. "I am not convinced that all students are serious in filling out the forms. I am afraid that student evaluation of professors leads to grade inflation. "It seems to me that if a professor realizes that he is going to be evaluated by the students, and if he gives them a bunch of low grades he is going to get very bad evaluations from them. Therefore, he may tend, consciously or subconsciously, to raise the grades in that class. So it may contribute to grade inflation
Resident contracts hepatitis By Mike Sherman Editor A male student living on the third floor of East Hall has contracted hepatitis and was removed from the dormitory Wednesday night, according to university officials. The student has been sent home for treatment, said Robert Fields, director of housing. The student was not employeed in any capacity by the university, he said. Housing officials refused to disclose the student's identity. One source said such a disclosure is against university policy. Fields said this morning that he was in the process of notifying residents that he feels would come in contact with the student or those who use the same bathroom in the dormitory. Fields said these students will be advised to see their physician. Approximately 80 students live on a floor in East Hall and use the same restroom. Fields said it is up to the students discretion to get the shots. The immunization is available at the Student Health Center for $6, which covers the
cost of the medicine, or at the State Health Center located at N.E. 23rd and Kelly in Oklahoma City. According to a pamplet issued by the State Health Department, the agent which causes hepatitis leaves the body with a bowel movement. If someone does not wash their hands afterwards and prepares food for someone else, the virus can be passed. In order to spread, the agent must reach the mouth of someone else. Patients with hepatitis can only spread the disease for two or three weeks prior to the appearance of the symptoms and seven to 10 days after. Any contact outside this period is not dangerous. Symptoms of the virus are a fever, loss of appetitle, nausea, vomiting and tiredness. Symptoms generally disappear over one or two weeks. The immunization requires an injection of immune serum globulin and is only preventive. The shot will not cure someone who is already ill. The length of the students absense depends on his general
In this issue. . .
A
CSU employee presumed dead...page 3 Bellmon to address meeting...page 4 Former student arrested...page 6 Lions to challenge win streak...page 7 Dallas comes to CSU...page 8
health and rest, said Beth Camblin, director of the Student Health Center. The only real treatment for the airborn disease is plenty of rest and high protein intake, she said. It had been reported that another student in East Hall had contracted hepatitus, but Fields said the case has not been confirmed. The student left last weekend and has not returned to school. When a number of cases are reported, health officials go to restaurants and cafeterias in the area to check food-handlers, according to Jane Berryman, director of health and public informaSee HEPATITIS. page 3
which is already a very severe problem." The evaluation, which students fill during the last weeks of each semester, could undergo changes. The faculty has voiced a dissatisfaction with the format and expressed a need for more questions and more room for student comments, according to Hall. The faculty senate's student services comittee has proposed changes in the evaluations. "During '81-'82 and '82-'83 academic years the student evaluations of faculty were first used on a trial basis," Hall said. "Faculty could look at the evaluations at the end of the semester and see if they thought the questions were fair and comments were helpful to them is teaching their classes." "This fall, the evaluations were used on an official basis for the first time," said Tom Guild, chairman of the student services committee. "The evaluations are used for all faculty members. The purpose of the evaluations is to help the teachers improve their teaching methods. A copy of the results will also go to the chairman of the department and the dean to help them make hiring and tenure decisions." Guild said that non-tenured faculty are evaluated every year and tenured every five years. Student evaluations will count as onethird of the overall evaluation for tenured faculty with the dean's and chairman's making up the other two-thirds. "Questions are about such matters as how the professor presents material, knowledge of the subject, technique in class, sensitivity to students and the textbook us-
ed," Guild said. "There is also more places for students to make comments about what they do or don't like about a professor. "The professors can then make changes in their classes based on the students answers." "I feel that the evaluations are of value to the students because it allows them to express their opinions to the instructors on how they would like to be taught. They are important to the faculty because it gives them an opportunity to see the areas where they need improvement and a chance to work on these areas." Hall and Guild both thought publishing the results of the evaluations would only have derogatory affects on the purpose of the evaluation. "I would hate to see it come about," said Hall. "Faculty members within a given department would propably be ranked according to one through how ever many faculty members you have. Some faculty member might get a low rating simply because he is very demanding of the students. Whereas his instruction might be very good. "It seems to me that it would be a blow to the moral of a faculty member to find out that he ranked the lowest. Where they all might be really very close, one, out of necessity would be the lowest." "I feel it would detract from the major purpose of the evaluations to publish the results," Guild said. "I think it would just embarass some instructors who got low evaluations and that is not the purpose. The purpose is to give them a chance to improve their teaching methods."
AMERICA IS BEAUTIFUL SERVE HER IN THE AR MY RO TC
00Vista photo by Mike Schumacker
A sign of the times?—While the United States increased its military role abroad, the military science department turned the tennis backboard, posted north of Thatcher Hall, into a recruitment sign last week.