THE July 18, 1985 4
Vol. 83, No. 61
VISTA
Thursday Edition
Central State University, Edmond, Oklahoma
Appeal procedures detailed for students with instructor gripes By Diana Zahradnik "Do I have to sleep with an instructor to get a grade and prostitute myself to get a Master's degree?" said one irate Master's candidate. "I don't know what to do," the candidate continued, who asked to remain anonymous. What does a student do when harassed by an instructor? Some of the types of harassment students may find themselves faced with are: instructors calling them at home asking for a date, making innuendos in class about a relationship that doesn't exist, or receiving a grade that is lower than expected or withholding a grade so that student has to show up in the instructor's office. "Phone numbers given to instructors is a matter of routine," says Dr. Dudley Ryan, dean of students services, "the instructor is never questioned about why they need a phone number." Many frustrated and afraid students may not know the procedure to protest a grade or unethical behavior of an instructor. The "Faculty Handbook" is the only source found which gives step by step protesting procedures for students. The disciplinary action section of the "Faculty Handbook" states, "Faculty is responsible for the promotion of high standards of conduct and citizenship on the campus. Whenever any form of misbehavior is noted, the faculty members should not hesitate to call it to the attention of the offenders. Any form of misconduct that may be known to a member of the faculty should be reported promptly to the Associate Dean of Students." According to the "Faculty Handbook" two appeals procedures exist for the student who has a grievance: "The first enables a student to seek redress when the student believes a faculty member has not met professional obligations to the student or has not behaved in an ethical manner in a professional relationship with the student. "The second allows a student to appeal the assignment of a grade. Any faculty member approached by a student considering an appeal must inform the student of the availability of these procedures." Appeal of an alleged violation of professional ethics Step one: Direct discussion with the instructor (optional). According to the "Faculty Handbook", "The student should seriously consider the advisability of conferring with the instructor in question in order to attempt to resolve the grievance without filing a written complaint. It is quite acceptable for the student and/or the instructor to be accompanied to this meeting. All parties are to treat these discussions as confidential. Step two: Mediation by the Chairperson and Dean. "The student desiring mediation must submit a formal signed statement of grievance(s) by the end of the forth week of the next semester in which the student enrolls after that during which the alleged violation occurs but in no case later than one calendar year from the date of the incident. "The statement must include a clear descripton of the event(s) leading to the filing of grievance and the specific remedy sought. It shall be given to the Dean of the college in which the instructor was teaching. Upon receipt the Dean shall provide the instructor and the chairperson with copies. "The Dean and chairperson or senior full-time member of the department if the chairperson is concerned in the grievance, shall meet to evaluate the merit of the grievance within seven class days of its receipt and shall meet with the student and instructor concerned within fourteen class days of its receipt. "The purpose of the meeting shall be to attempt to reconcile differences through recommendations to the parties. The results of the meeting shall be reduced to writing, and signed copies shall be See Appeal, back page
In this issue. .
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Final exam schedule posted...page 3 Mosque location found by CSU prof...page 4 New eye surgery a success...page 4 Faculty gain 5 members...page 5 BSU schedules reunion...page 7
Vista photo by Danny Hoke
Gearing up for finals, Scott Cobb buried in books at the library, prepares to wind up the sum-
mer semester. Final exams are scheduled for July 26, 29 and 30.
Lillard's dean picks OK'd by committee By Curtis Killman Editor Despite protests from faculty members, a Board of Regents of Oklahoma Colleges personnel committee voted July 11, to give a "do-pass" recommendation to two dean appointments that were tabled last month. The five member committee wasted no time voting to move into executive session for about 65 minutes to talk out the dean appointments with CSU President Dr. Bill Lillard. Upon coming out of closed session, committee members voted unanamously to approve Lillard's requests. Lillard's appointments, submitted in the form of an addendum and tabled by the regents at their June 21 meeting, will go before the full board of regents 9 a.m., Friday at the Oliver Hodge Memorial Education Building in Oklahoma City. If the board of regents agree with the committee's recommendations, Dr. Clif' Warren, chairman of the creative studies department, will become the new dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Dr. Paul Lehman, a professor of English, will assume the dean of the graduate college post. Some members of the liberal arts dean screening committee and other faculty members voiced dissapproval when Lillard chose to appoint Warren. The screening committee favored the appointment of acting dean of Liberal Arts Dr. Frank Wert. Unless one of the five regents on the personnel committee changes their "do-pass" vote, Lillard's appointments should be approved at Friday's regent meeting, regardless of the other three regents votes. A vacant seat exist on the usual nine member Board of Regents. The governor appoints regent members which then must be confirmed by the State Senate. The personnel committee consisted of John R. deSteiguer, Bowie Ballard, Linda Blankenship, Dr. John Folks and Belva Howard. The remaining three regents are Wayne Salisbury, Jack Annis and Don Carpenter. If the Regents approve the appointments, Warren and Lehman will receive a salary of $44,500 according to Lillard. Meanwhile, reaction among some of the faculty members was mixed.
Herman Fullgraf, chairman of the liberal arts screening committee, said Monday that he did not know of anyone planning to attend the Friday regent meeting. "I haven't talked to anyone and I don't know of anything being done at this moment," said Fullgraf. "I have no knowledge of anyone planning to attend." Dr. Donald Green, chairman of the history and geography departments, said he sent copies of a petition supporting the Wert selection to the president and to the regents last week. But, he said "it's all over," as far as he was concerned. "We should learn by now that these things are already all over before the search committee ever even meets," said Green. "When are we going to learn that's the way things are done here," Green added. "I think there are two things that have happened here out of this experience," said Green, "number one of course it's permanently split the College of Liberal Arts, and the second thing is that it has added to the cynicism that a lot of people already have about there being any possible changes at this institution for the better. "I think also what happens with this kind of a decision is that the more capable people on campus simply retreat from the field to their own professional work. I think what a lot of people don't understand is that whenever you get involved in anything like this on campus it doesn't do one single thing for your professional reputation. "If you're involved professionally in the academic world and you attend your professional meetings once or twice a year, and you talk with people on other campuses, you realize what we have here on this campus is an aberation, it's not the norm across the country. "Most campuses have a president who is either an academic or at least understands the academic world — we don't. "We have a president who very well understands. how to play the 'good ole boy' game. Green said 54 signatures were on the petition that was sent to the president. This summer there are 68 liberal arts teachers on campus, according to Green, and 125 full time teachers in the Liberal Arts College throughout the year.